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Showing posts with label Question of the week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Question of the week. Show all posts

Woodpecker asleep at the feeder

I watched a Downy Woodpecker yesterday freeze in position against the feeder for several minutes. I'm wondering if it was snoozing? It was a most interesting behavior.

Did the feeding station suddenly go quiet? Was there any other activity at the feeders?

If a hawk was seen by the downy it may have decided to remain completely still instead of taking its chances by flying away from a predator.

It is common for birds to freeze in a position or fly away when a predatory bird flies over or lands in a tree nearby.   
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House Wren didn't migrate this winter

We live in northern New Jersey. There is a house wren that comes into our basement at night and demands to be let outside every morning. This has happened for a couple of years now. He does not migrate. On November 8, 2013 he again made his appearance in our basement, and did again the following day. Would he migrate if he could not get inside? I am afraid he will freeze if left outside. Thank you.

While most House Wrens in North America migrate to the southern U.S. and Mexico for winter, it’s not unheard of to have some stay further north. They can withstand the cold temperatures as long as they have enough fuel to keep their engine running.

Keeping their body warm burns a lot of calories. Birds store the needed calories as fat, but they can only store enough for 16 to 24 hours. This is why you’ll see birds in a panic at your feeders right before it gets dark and at first light.

Having a known source of food is essential for providing wrens with the energy, stamina, and nutrition they need to survive. Wrens are primarily insect eaters, but suet, nuts, seed cylinders and mealwormsare good substitutes for scarce insects during winter.

And don’t forget the water. Birds continue to need a source of water for drinking to maintain their metabolism during dry, cold weather. Clean feathers help birds stay warm, and a bird bath is often the only way for some birds to drink and keep their feathers in top condition when it’s cold.
I don’t have a House Wren but a lot of my customers attract Carolina Wrens in the mid-Michigan area by providing a brush pile, planting pine trees or thick bushes to provide birds cover and protection from the elements.

Instead of letting the bird in the basement you can also put up a wren house or roosting pocket for him to pop into at night or when the weather is bad. Roosting pockets are little shelters, much like birdhouses (but smaller and not meant to be used as a nesting site), where the birds can roost at night.

If you go to http://ebird.org/ you can submit your observation of a House Wren in November and check out how many other people have also had sightings. I went to ebird.org, clicked explore data and then went to range and point maps. I put in House Wren from Nov 2013 to Nov 2013. My results are at: http://goo.gl/ds1qLI. You can enter in your zip code to see a more focused report.

Related Articles:
- Do the same House Wrens nest in the same house every year? http://bit.ly/uDBbIb
- Quick Fun Facts on Wrens http://bit.ly/v5XVoU
- Hanging & Placement of Wren Bird Houses http://bit.ly/rBLsGQ
- The best suet for wild birds http://goo.gl/yY7bGt
- Roosting Pockets: Warm Shelter from Frosty Winds http://goo.gl/QOPbMw
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Why birds stand on one foot

Birds actually use several tricks to keep their legs from freezing. First they can stand on one leg and pull the other up under their feathers when one leg starts getting too cold. And if it gets really cold, they can squat to cover both legs with breast feathers. If you see a bird doing this, they may be getting uncomfortably cold legs.

Also birds’ feet are mostly bone and tendons, so unlike mammals, they have a limited supply of nerves, blood vessels or muscles to freeze. Their feet are also covered with scales which isn’t a living tissue and less susceptible to freezing.

Finally, birds don’t have sweat glands in their skin to produce any moisture to freeze. Heat and moisture are accumulated in sacs, transferred to the lungs and eliminated through the mouth. No moisture escaping through their feet is also the reason they don’t stick to metal perches in the winter.

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When bird migration begins and ends

Is migration nearly over? We've had several window strikes lately and I think it was because these birds were new to the area and just migrating through. ~ Ann Arbor, Michgian
  
Migration is never over. There are birds moving all around the world all the time. However spring and fall migration is when a lot of birds shift to different territories. Right now there are first year birds and new birds migrating throughout the area and unfortunately the change in light and unfamiliar surroundings cause birds to fall victim to window strikes. Birds also strike windows as they quickly try to escape predators, hitting glass in a moment of panic. 

Window strikes are hard to totally eliminate, but there are ways to reduce them and/or reduce their severity. Decals like Window Alert placed on the outside of windows have had the most positive feedback from customers. Each decal contains a component which brilliantly reflects ultraviolet sunlight. This ultraviolet light is invisible to humans, but glows like a stoplight for birds.
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Mid-Michigan has already said good bye to the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, the orioles and all the other black birds. Most of the warblers and kinglets have already passed through by the end of October too.
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Right now I’m watching the White-throated Sparrows making a pit stop in my yard for a few weeks before they continue further south. The first wave of Dark-eyed Juncos are passing through right now too. The Junco’s we see now are probably females and may continue on all the way to Florida. The boys are the ones that winter with us in mid-Michigan so they can be the first in the spring to zip up to the nesting territories and stake a claim.
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I also just saw the White-crowned Sparrows which usually show up in my yard mid-November. Like the white-throated they don’t stick around long but they are a large sparrow with striking white racing stripes on their head. And I'm excited about the number of Red-breasted Nuthatches and Pine Siskins I'm seeing which like to winter in our area.

A lot of birds dependent on open waters like the herons, geese, swans and other waterfowl and shorebirds wait until the water freezes before they move south. The end of October to December can be their migration time.

And while they are flying south, a couple of “horny” birds kick off another breeding season. In mid-December you hear the Great Horned Owlcalling for a mate. They actually start to nest in January or February. The Horned Lark also performs an elaborate song-flight courtship display in the beginning of the year. Horned-larks are one of our earliest nesting birds. In some states, nests may be found in February. This can mean that the first set of eggs is often destroyed by snowstorms.

In March the black birds start to return. In April and May lots of other birds are journeying north only to see some birds going back down south again as early as June. So in Michigan we are lucky to always see something interesting in our yard whether they are our local regular birds, fly-by birds, wintering or summering birds. A good field guide can help you remember all the comings and goings of the birds or it might be fun to keep a journal.

Related Articles:
- The Journey North: Bird Migration Maps http://bit.ly/pbk4Eb
- Great Horned Owl Singing at Night http://bit.ly/qKeKDM
- Are Horned Larks Common in Mid-Michigan? http://bit.ly/qmAbt7
- How do Birds Migrate? http://bit.ly/nNCI6d  
- Most common winter birds in Michigan http://bit.ly/ow20ZD
- Bird only in mid-Michigan during the winter http://bit.ly/ojcyP7
- What birds migrate from Michigan? http://bit.ly/qa0CVU
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What do warblers eat...besides poison ivy berries?

I ask because for the last few years I've had a large number of yellow-rumped warblers eating the poison ivy berries from a stand of willow and poplar that grows in a low area in the pasture, but I've never seen them come into the feeders in the yard.  I am NOT stocking the feeders with poison ivy berries! ~ Lynn

Poison Ivy: Leaves of three, let it be! Berries white, take flight! 

Most warblers eat beetles, flies, wasps, caterpillars, moths and other insects. However, before and during migration these insect-eating songbirds add more fruits and berries to their diet.

Poison ivy is a very widespread and productive plant that produces dense clusters of white berries that ripen between August and November. Over sixty species of birds have been documented to eat the berries of poison ivy. These birds, obviously, do not become sensitized to the volatile oils and do not experience allergic reactions to the plant.

During migration, many birds may fly at night for hours without a break on their way to their wintering grounds. At each rest stop they must forage for sufficient food to hold them over for the next leg of their journey.

Of course most people aren’t comfortable cultivating poison ivy even if it helps the birds. But there are other native plants that can provide food and shelter for the birds that you can feel comfortable planting closer to the house. Virginia Creeper, viburnum, holly, spicebush, American bittersweet, dogwood, crabapples, sassafras, and grape vines are just a few. Pokeweed, not normally sold in greenhouses, also produces a late summer cluster of pretty, purple berries that is irresistible to a lot of birds.

To attract warblers to a seed feeder try a blend with sunflower seed and peanuts like our no-mess blend. I often see warblers that are passing through stop at my suet or nut feeders. You can also smear peanut butter and left-over suet on tree bark for them to find.

I've been told that Bluebirds are the responsible/guilty party for much of the poison ivy that springs up in inappropriate places, but I had no idea there were THAT many perpetrators. Kinda makes me wonder what the berries taste like, that they attract such a following.... But, no, the curiosity only extends so far.

You can blame the birds for depositing the seeds but man is more responsible for the expansion of the poison ivy plant. It is more common now than when Europeans first arrived in North America. It is believed that development of real estate adjacent to wild, undeveloped land has produced "edge effects," enabling poison ivy to establish vast, lush colonies.

In the open field the grass usually wins over time, and in the deep woods the ivy probably can't get enough light. But at the edge of the field, forest, parking lot, or road - the poison ivy wins out. 

WARNING: All parts of the poison ivy plant can cause harm to humans because the urushiol oil present in the entire plant including the leaves, stems, roots, berries, and vines. The oil is present in live plants, dead plants, and in dormant plants (like the vines in winter). Contact with the plant through touch or from release of oils through burning can cause rashes, difficulty breathing, swollen eyes, or throat and immediate medical attention should be sought.

Related Articles:
- Warblers in Michigan http://goo.gl/0YNOc3
- Attracting Michigan Songbirds http://goo.gl/Gmn0b
- Michigan warblers begin migrating http://goo.gl/37QhV
- What’s the best suet for Michigan wild birds? http://bit.ly/yAR4pm
- Best field guide for Michigan birds http://bit.ly/vPOMx1
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Chickadee with no tail

I suspect a predator stole my chickadee’s tail. He’s been doing fine at my feeders but I wonder if he can survive the winter with no tail feathers. What do you think? ~ Taylor, Michigan

Chickadees have to molt every one of their feathers each year in late summer and early fall. They are done nesting, it’s still warm hopefully and there is plenty of high fat and high protein foods available to help them grow quality feathers to sustain them through the next winter, spring and summer.

If a chickadee has an accident or a close call with a predator and loses a bunch of feathers, a healthy chickadee can grow replacement feathers quickly. In a few weeks the tail can grow back and look completely normal. But sometimes the replacement feathers might come in white and then change back to the normal color at the next regular molt. The white feathers may not be as strong as the originals but they can still help the chickadee steer his flight.

If you’ve ever watched a chickadee flying you know that even with proper tail feathers their flight is slightly undulating with rapid wing beats and their maximum speed is only 12 mph. But that suits the Black-capped Chickadees because they seldom go very far. Most live their whole adult life in a small area and their average flights are about 50 feet. The birds hop along tree branches searching for food, sometimes hanging upside down or hovering and they may make short flights to catch insects in the air.

Hopefully the chickadee you observed with no tail has learned his lesson and will grow another healthy tail and steer clear of further dangers. And if you continue to fill your feeders with sunflower seeds, peanuts and suet he has even greater success at survival. Research has found that survival rate of chickadees near feeders nearly doubled, compared to those birds that obtained less-accessible food from the wild during severe winters.

Help Chickadees Feel at Home
Chickadees are among the easiest birds to lure into your yard, especially during winter. Here are a few tips to help attract them:
1. Chickadee food: Put out fresh sunflower seeds, peanuts, seed cylinders or suets.
2. Chickadee feeder: Almost any bird feeder will attract chickadees if it offers good food. I like to use the no-mess blend which has sunflower chips and peanut halves.
3. Chickadee habitat: Chickadees like natural cover near feeders to pop into and avoid predators or harsh weather.
4. Chickadee house: Roosting pockets or a small birdhouse with a 1 1/4-inch entrance hole, placed in heavy natural cover, will provide a winter shelter for the birds.
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The best time put up your bird feeders

should I stock up on my seed now, when is the best time to begin feeding the birds, should i wait for the first snow, when should i take my finch feeder down? ~ Saint Joseph, Illinois
Watching birds is the fastest growing hobby in the country. There is no best or worst time to start bird feeding. Typically, feeders serve as a supplemental source of food for birds in your yard. Fruit and nut bearing plants supply a natural food source as well as native seed producing plants. However in bad weather or during stressful times birds will appreciate feeders with high quality foods.

Low temperatures force birds to burn up to 10% of their body weight in stored fat each night to stay warm and this fat must be replaced every day. Be sure to keep your feeders filled with the high-energy, high-fat foods that provide your birds with the crucial nutrition they need to survive. Studies indicate that sunflower seeds, nuts, White Proso Millet, Safflower, and Nyjer® Thistle are among the most preferred seed types.

Suet & Seed Cylinders also offer an easy way to provide birds with essential calories throughout the year.

All foods should be stored in a cool, dry place to keep them fresh. In the warm months only buy as much as you can use in month. During fall and winter, seed can be stored up to 3 months in a cold area. Wild Birds Unlimitedhas closed steel containers that work well to protect seed from unwanted seed thieves.

If you enjoy feeding birds, there is no reason to stop. A recent Census Report reveals that over 65 million Americans, young and old, feed wild birds. I’m excited to see all the migratory birds in the spring and fall.

And Goldfinches are in our area year-round. I’m watching a baby learn how to eat sunflower chips at my window feeder right now. They do lose their bright yellow color in the fall but when they sing at the feeders it's like they bring sunshine with them even on the dreariest days. Watch a window feeder video with baby goldfinches: http://youtu.be/_7KhUDcK-ZA

Consider that the average wild bird weighs less than two nickels and you’ll realize that the winter can be a very punishing time for your backyard friends. Birds that come at dawn and dusk on cold days are hungry, and it's nice to make sure that they always find something to eat. And don't forget to keep the birdbath and other water sources filled with fresh, clean water, because all birds need to drink.

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Concern about fertilizers and bluebirds' health

I am very concerned about fertilizer my husband insists on putting on our backyard and its effect on my bluebirds. Is there a safe fertilizer or safe time of year? I have two nesting boxes and only one successful brood in 3 years.
It is not good to use any insecticides or chemical fertilizers on your garden or yard. This is important because bluebirds eat bugs. If the bluebirds eat an insect which has been treated with chemicals, they could become ill.

Steve Kress, Audubon’s vice president for bird conservation wrote, “Too often, birds die from contact with chemicals on suburban lawns.  Homeowners in the United States apply about 78 million pounds of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides per year to their homes, lawns, and gardens—not including applications made by pest control or lawn care professionals. On a per acre basis, this is three times more pesticides than the amount used on agricultural crops.

David Pimentel, professor of entomology at Cornell University, estimates that about 72 million birds die each year as a result of direct exposure to pesticides on agricultural lands, and an estimated additional 7 million die each year from lawn chemicals.

Pesticides can wash into rivers and streams, blow into neighboring areas, and seep into the groundwater. They also persist in soil and garden litter, and are readily tracked into our homes. Lawn and garden fertilizers run off into waterways, spurring algae blooms in streams, lakes, and ponds, which decreases the oxygen levels within these critical wildlife habitats.

Whenever possible, it’s best to avoid all lawn and garden chemicals. In a nutshell, go organic. The birds will thank you.”

Read more about having a Bird Friendly Chemical-Free Lawn: http://lansingwbu.blogspot.com/2012/02/chemical-free-lawn-is-bird-friendly.html
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Crows taking over feeder

I live in Presque Isle, Michigan and have started having problems with flocks of huge crows coming in and knocking down my bird feeders and taking all the seed.  I don't mind feeding them, but they are driving all the other birds away.  Do you have a suggestion?  Appreciate any help.

You didn’t specify what feeders or food you are using, but when you set the table the birds come. Crows don’t realize they are “bad” birds. In fact I love to watch how the crows interact with each other.

The American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos is in the family of corvids, which includes both crows and ravens. Large flocks of crows are loud and can eat a lot. However, crows are some of the smartest birds on the planet. Their populations are just now recovering in mid Michigan from the first appearance of West Nile virus in the Western hemisphere in 1999. Their susceptibility to the virus made them a useful indicator of the West Nile activity. They are also useful in cleaning up road kill or garbage on the roads and can consume about forty thousand grubs, caterpillars, worms and bugs during a single nesting period.

The “good” song birds actually appreciate crows in the winter too. Crows announce loud and clear when you fill the feeder, if there is a predator nearby, and will defend their territory against incoming hawks.

However if you are supporting too many crows, there are a few techniques to reducing the numbers that visit your feeders.

Keeping the crows at bay

1) Change seed: Take away cracked corn or food scraps, their favorite foods. Switch to an all safflower seed diet for a few weeks. Squirrels, blackbirds, starlings, and crows don’t like safflower. It may take awhile for the other songbirds to accept the change but it is a favorite with cardinals and chickadees. And gradually the rest of the songbirds will switch over to safflower.

2) Change your bird feeders: Replace platform or hopper feeders with tube feeders, the Squirrel Buster Plus weighted perch feeder, or the upside down suet feeder. If the birds are unable to sit and eat comfortably they will probably move on to easier feeding areas.

3) Keep larger birds away from spilled seed: Since song birds knock seed out of feeders, limit access to spilled seed by placing rocks or shrubs beneath your feeders. Smaller birds will be able to hop in and out of tiny places, unlike crows.

4) Make the area more desirable for songbirds: Lots of trees will make them feel secure, as will the presence of a constant water source. Blackbirds and Crows prefer the open fields or yards.

I hope these tips reduce the number of crows at your feeders to an acceptable level. Thanks for the question.

Thanks so much for the information!  I don't dislike the crows and ravens, there is a large flock of both that are my neighbors, and I quite enjoy them.  We had a great horned owl that made its home in our willow tree this past winter and it was quite interesting to watch the different ways the crows would try to make it leave their territory.  Just recently they have taken over my yard, knocking down the feeders for the smaller birds in order to get to the feed inside.  And they run off the cardinals and blue jays and doves.  I think I will have to place more feeders for them so that they all can have food, I don't want any of them to leave.  I could do without them perching outside my window every morning however, announcing that they are ready to eat.  They don't stop until I come out and fill the feeders every morning.  And I am certainly spending a lot more money, but we do quite enjoy having them around.  Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to me.  I appreciate it.
 
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Northern cardinals breed from March until September

I found a cardinal's nest a few days back. We have seen the parents feeding the chick. However, considering its getting cold, isn't it too late to be bringing up chicks now? Or is this the normal time for cardinals to mate and reproduce?
Northern cardinals breed from March until September. If all goes as planned they usually raise two broods a year, one beginning around March and the second in late May to July. If a nest gets destroyed or if a mate is killed the nesting has to start over and can be delayed.

The female cardinal lays an average of 3 eggs. Incubation begins when the last egg is laid, and is performed solely by the female while the male brings her food. The eggs hatch after two weeks and both parents feed the chicks a diet that consists of mainly insects. The chicks begin leaving the nest 10 days after hatching but the parents continue to feed the chicks for 25 to 56 days.

Young Northern Cardinals have ashy brown feathers and black bills rather than the orange-red of the adults. They change gradually to their adult coloration three to four months after hatching.

Parents teach their young to forage for food and other survival techniques for a couple months. Then they drive them away from their natal territory to form connections with other juveniles for potential breeding the next spring. Young cardinals don’t have a set territory and can move around together freely in search of food and shelter. Older cardinals can join these young flocks for a time but drop out once it leaves their normal range.

These ever changing flocks can consist of about four to twenty birds depending on the area, time of year, weather, and available resources.

Cardinals are often the first to visit a feeder in the morning and the last to stop by and grab a bite at night. You can listen for their “chip, chip, chip” calls to each other just before the sun rise and sets.

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What birds migrate from Michigan?

The birds are eating like crazy to prepare for flying south. Which birds are going to leave Michigan? ~ Redford, MI 

That’s a very good question. In general, it's estimated that of the over 200 species of birds nesting in Michigan, about 90 percent migrate to some extent. Whether it’s from the U.P. to mid-Michigan or from our state to Mexico or Central America depends on the bird.
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.In Michigan, birds can belong to several groups:
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Male & Female Cardinal along with Black-capped Chickadee
Other bird species seen at the feeder year round may also be migratory. While we see American Goldfinch throughout the year, some of the ones we see in the winter may have nested in Canada. And Song Sparrows that breed in Michigan may migrate to the southeastern United States, or may remain a year-round resident.

They are obligate partial migrants, meaning only part of the population migrates annually. And sometimes circumstances such as a good breeding season followed by poor winter crops can lead to irruptions of bird species not normally seen in our area like the Pine Siskins or Redpoles.

It’s not easy getting every bird’s travel plans straight. For example one of my favorite birds, the Northern Cardinal, has expanded its range greatly since the days of John James Audubon. Originally a southern bird, the cardinal began expanding its range into northern states around the 1900’s. During the early days of the expansion, the birds would migrate back south during the winter, but in time they became a year round resident in Michigan.

Migration isn’t an exact journey. Using published literature, bird observer reports, and observations of bird watchers it has been found that many factors like the temperature changes and land development are very likely influencing birds’ migratory patterns and will continue to alter patterns in the future.
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Where bluebirds winter

Do you know if bluebirds go somewhere in the late summer and fall? I believe this is when I stopped seeing them last year. Stephanie

A pair of Eastern Bluebirds in Michigan, USA.That’s a good question. It’s very normal for Eastern Bluebirds to gather together in large flocks starting in August until September in search of food. After nesting season has ended, they usually form large nomadic groups that roost at night in the woods.
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Their diet changes from mostly worms and insects to fruit, nuts and berries. They can eat crab apples, Mountain Ash tree berries, and sometimes look under feeders for nuts. They also appreciate open water in the winter. If you have a pond or heated birdbath they may show up in large numbers for afternoon drinks.

We often think of migration as birds traveling thousands of miles south to winter in a tropical climate. That’s true for some birds even some bluebirds. The bluebirds that nested in Canada may skip over Michigan to winter in the southern states, but in southern and mid-Michigan, many bluebirds are year-round residents. Scientists think it’s due to genetics whether they want to fly south or winter over. Some birds are compelled to move south and others are not. They all gather in huge family groups in the fall however to increase their survival through the winter.

For more information on Eastern Bluebirds flocking and everything else bluebird, visit http://www.sialis.org/flocks.htm. It’s a great website that can answer all your bluebird questions. 

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Cardinal Gathering

I've never had so many cardinals! I switched to the no-mess blend this summer and that seems to have attracted a lot more birds. And every night the cardinals gather in my pine trees and chip, chip, chip excitedlyat each other like they're at a cocktail party. Is that normal? ~ East Lansing 

I so love it when people tell me their observations about what’s going on in their yard. I'm sure many people are very jealous. Northern Cardinals are the most sought after birds in the mid-Michigan bird feeding community.

Of course what you’re seeing foreshadows a change in seasons. By late summer, nesting is over and Northern Cardinals relax their defense of their territory boundaries. The birds sing less and flocks of cardinals begin to form.

The Cardinals don’t migrate but can expand their range while foraging for food. Young cardinals don’t have a set territory and can move around together freely in search of food. Older cardinals can join these young flocks for a time but drop out once it leaves their normal range.

These ever changing flocks can consist of about four to twenty birds depending on the area, time of year, weather, and available resources.
Southern states will see larger flocks, of course, because the population is higher in the Southeast. Flock size also increases in December and January when temperatures decline or there is snow on the ground. More birds can find food easier and look out for predators.

About 40% of adult cardinals die each year. Most die during the winter in February and March when food supplies are low. Death may not be due to starvation but a weakened immune system or being forced to search for food in more open areas where birds of prey and other predators can kill them.

Cardinal populations with access to a feeding station may be in better condition and more likely to survive the winter than cardinals without access.  The Northern Cardinal is often the first bird to visit a feeder in the morning and the last to stop by and grab a bite at night.

Cardinals prefer to feed on the ground so if you can "raise the ground" by feeding cardinals on tray feeders, hopper feeders or any feeder that gives them a comfortable feeding position they'll be happy. Their favorite food is oil sunflower, nuts, safflower and fruit. Wild Birds Unlimited has a wide variety of cardinal friendly feeders.

The bright red plumage of the Northern Cardinals is a magnificent sight against the snowy backdrop in winter. Winter??? Did I say winter? Yes the signs are clear that that time is near, so put out a feeder now to enjoy the beauty.

Source: Wild Bird Guides-Northern Cardinal by Gary Ritchison
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Disappearance of usual birds at backyard feeder

I live in South Carolina and have for the past 6 years. I have always had several bird feeders in my backyard and always had many birds to watch and enjoy. This year I have had the usual birds ( cardinals, chickadees finches thrashers, Bluebirds redheaded woodpeckers, sparrows.

I also have a Hummingbird feeder which is very active. All of a sudden, no birds. I am usig the same birdseed, putting out water etc. We can't figure out what could possibly be wrong, At the store where I buy my birdseed I talked to another couple who were also buying birdseed and asked them if they had noticed a decease in the number of birds at their feeders and they said yes and they blamed it on hawks in their area. I have not noticed hawks in my area. I am wodering if you might have an explanation for me. We feel deserted and miss our feathered
 
Right now birds all over the world are migrating or establishing winter grounds. Young birds like chickadees and titmice find new territories to hook up with other young birds at the end of summer and join local adults to form winter flocks.

During this transition time your feeder may be overwhelmed with birds one week and empty the next week. With all the natural seed and fruit around, birds may take note of your feeders but look for other sources just in case. Birds don’t depend on feeders to survive which is good because some people aren’t dependable. They’ll probably return to your feeders when there is bad weather and it is less efficient to forage.
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You can also go through a little check list to eliminate the most obvious reasons for fewer birds at the feeders.

1. Make sure your seed is fresh. One way to do this is to pinch the seed on a piece of paper and see if any oil comes out. On cold days where every meal counts, if your seed has dried out your feeder will be skipped. (Wild Birds Unlimited receives a fresh load of seed each week).

2. Clean your feeders at least once a month. Make sure there is no mold in the bottom of your feeder. This can be dangerous to the birds. To prevent mold in bad weather use Feeder Fresh™ (a silica grit that absorbs water and humidity, is safe for birds, and made from non-toxic absorbent sand). You can also shelter your feeder from the elements by using something like WBU Weather Guard.
3. Look for predators. Hawksor catscan deter birds from feeding in your area for a short time.

4. Look at the weather. During years where there are more seeds, fruits, nuts and berries produced naturally you'll have less birds than during years where there are droughts and poor crops.

5. Check with local birding groups. You may not be the only one reporting fewer birds. Diseases, viruses, land development, natural disasters may also factor into the drop in bird populations.

I can only imaging the eeriness of having no birds. Where I live in mid-Michigan there is always a constant mix of changing birds. When I walk out to fill the feeders in the morning I hear the Whoosh of birds flying from the trees. Then as I fill the feeders they slowly filter down like falling leaves and hassle me to move quicker. I love it. I wish you and your birds well.

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When to take hummingbird feeders down and many other FAQ

I am seeing some really fat hummingbirds and some really skinny hummingbirds. They can’t be pregnant this late in the fall. Is one just lazy? They are different colors too. How many hummingbirds do we have in Michigan? Am I supposed to take the feeder down soon? ~ Lansing

Ruby-throated male
Thank you for your questions! You’ve made some very good observations. There is a lot of misinformation about hummingbirds and I’m always happy for the opportunity help people learn more about fall feeding.

Why do hummingbirds get fat in the fall?
Nesting season is over for the hummingbirds in Michigan by the end of June. Once breeding territories no longer have to be guarded, hummingbirds wander widely. Just before they answer the call to travel south, hummingbirds eat in excess to build a layer of rich fatty fuel just under their skin. You can notice the extra fat along the belly, back, and throat. A hummingbird actually gains 25 – 40% extra body-weight to have enough fuel to migrate thousands of miles south. You will notice them getting fatter and fatter and then one day they fly to their wintering grounds.

Ruby-throated female
Do I make the nectar recipe stronger to give them more energy?
It's not necessary to make your sugar solution stronger. The 4:1 ratio is the closest to the favorite flowers that hummingbirds visit. That would be four parts water to one part plain white sugar. Click HERE for the nectar recipe.

Should I make the sugar solution weaker to encourage them to leave?
I would continue to feed the hummingbirds the same nectar solution until they are fat enough to move further south. Don't rush them. Let them leave when they have enough energy and the weather is favorable.

Am I supposed to take down my feeder on Labor Day?
DO NOT take your feeders down on Labor Day. In mid-Michigan, you can leave your hummingbird feeder up until mid-October. The rule of thumb is if you haven't seen a hummingbird for two weeks in the fall it's safe to take your feeder down. Depending on where you live it is usually at the end of September to the middle of October. The hummingbirds aren't in as big a rush to go down south as they were to find nesting grounds in the spring but they will leave us whether there is a feeder up or not.

How many species of hummingbirds are in Michigan?
Actually five species of hummingbirds have been sighted in Michigan, however most people only see the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The male and female hummingbirds look different. Ruby-throated male's have ruby-red feathers on the throat, a green back and white belly. The females have an emerald green back and white bellies.

Other hummingbirds seen very, very rarely, in Michigan according to Hummingbirds.net are the Rufous Hummingbird, the Broad-billedHummingbird, the GreenVioletear Hummingbird and the White-eared Hummingbird.

Do hummingbirds migrate on the backs of geese?
During migration hummingbirds fly about 23 miles a day by themselves, not in flocks or on the backs of geese. Individual adult males get the urge to leave first, followed soon after by the females, and then finally the juveniles. Amazingly, once the young have gained enough weight, they find their own way to the same winter habitat as their parents - someplace where they have never been, using the GPS in their head.

It’s astonishing that a bird that weighs as little as a penny with the brain the size of a BB has traveled thousands of miles all alone and ended up in the right place every fall since the last ice age.

Some think that the rumor of hummingbirds hitching a ride with geese was started by Mr. Audubon himself. But migratory geese don't fly as far south and leave much later than hummingbirds. Geese don't start migrating until mid-September and are not gone until lakes and rivers are frozen, while hummingbirds start migrating in mid-July and are mostly gone from Michigan by mid-October.

Where do Ruby-throated hummingbirds spend the winters?
Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds winter in southern Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies. A few remain along the Gulf coast and on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

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West Nile in Michigan

I remember most of the Blue Jays getting devastated by West Nile virus a few years back. I am now seeing more Blue Jays this year, but also WNV is back in the news. Are the current crop of Jays more resistant to WNV now, or did they get their numbers up and will be affected in the same way again by the virus?!? ~ Dennis
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted disease that was first discovered in the African country of Uganda in 1937. In recent years West Nile virus has caused illness in birds, horses, and humans in Europe, and then the United States.

It was first discovered in the U.S. in 1999 in New York City. Since that time, West Nile virus has been detected in humans, animals, and mosquitoes in 47 states from coast to coast. Originally reported in the Michigan in 2004, dead bird clusters of American Crows and Blue Jays acted as an early warning system for WNV activity.

In some species of birds, WNV-resistant populations may be emerging. Some surveys suggest that WNV may have reached its peak prevalence in the U.S., and the effects on bird species overall may be decreasing.

Birds including Baltimore orioles, chipping sparrows, eastern towhees, northern cardinals, and white-breasted nuthatches, do not seem to even be affected by WNV.

I’m glad you are seeing more birds this year. To learn more about West Vile or to report a sick bird county go to: www.michigan.gov/westnilevirus  

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