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Hummingbird in the Snow

Hello, I live in Canal Winchester, Ohio and still have 2 maybe 3 Hummingbirds that are still here.  I thought 4 weeks ago they were stragglers but can tell since I have kept the feeders up  they are the same ones.  I have one that is red necked another that has white on his neck and belly and another that is all green.   Since this is November 20, 2011 why would they still be here and will they eventually fly south.  I'm really concerned with the weather getting colder. Any suggestions....I'm baffled but love still seeing them. ~ Canal Winchester, Ohio

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)

It’s not unheard of for hummingbirds to still be around in November. The Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris is the most common hummingbird in my state of Michigan and your state of Ohio. The females and juveniles are all green with a white underbelly. The male is the same except for the bright red throat patch. eBird has reported them in November at Blendon Woods Metro Park in Ohio.
  
The Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus isn’t the most common but it is the most widely-distributed hummingbird in North America. The males have a red-gold iridescent throat and chin with a back that may be green or rufous.  Females are greenish above with rufous-washed flanks, and a whitish belly.

It is not unheard of for them to stick around until after it snows. eBird has a few documented in Michigan and Ohio late into November and December. They winter in Mexico but these feisty birds can survive in extremely cold temperatures if there is food available. Some people have even shared stories of how they wrap their hummingbird feeder in Christmas lights to keep the nectar unfrozen. Click HEREfor a photo of a Rufous in the snow.

If you spot a bird that you think is unusual for this time of year you can check with local birding groups, or Wild Birds Unlimited stores or go to eBird.org. For a real-time, online checklist program, eBird has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on birds’ distribution.
 

Thank you so much for the information.  I won't worry about them now that I know this is not uncommon. I have several girls in the office that share the love for these little birds so it will be fun to forward your information to them. Once again.....Thank you and Happy Holidays

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No birds at the feeders

I have two feeders out all year, three come winter, plus suet, a ground feeder for chipmunks and squirrels (which often is bypassed for the hanging feeders), and a heated water bowl. I deal with the hawks that are around, and chalk it up to nature if they take a bird, and only once had a hawk feast on my roof with a squirrel he nailed in the next yard. So I’m accustomed to birds leaving for a few hours, but coming back. 

However, for the past two days, the majority of the food in the feeders and even the ground have gone untouched. Aside from a couple of chickadees and nuthatches, and 3-4 mourning doves, I’ve seen not one sparrow (where I could easily have 30-40 swarm my yard as soon as they heard the door open at the usual hour). Moreover, no starling, grackle, redwings, cardinals, woodpeckers or blue jays. It’s scary quiet for two days now…in the entire neighborhood.

What could be the cause? We’ve been having temps a little warm for November here in Chicago area, then we had two very cold below freezing nights and high winds, but the birds have tolerated  worse before. Could they have vanished because of too many hawks in my feeding area? It hasn’t stopped the squirrels. I thought perhaps someone was tampering with my food or setting out poison with seeds, but I am not seeing dead birds either. What could be the reasons? It’s so eerie with no song birds in the air or in the trees.
 
Right now birds all over the world are migrating or establishing winter grounds. 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 with bad weather when it is difficult to forage.

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.
4. Look for predators. Hawksor catscan deter birds from feeding in your area for a short time.

5. Check with local birding groups to see if you are the only one reporting fewer birds.

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, Sarah

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Turkey Trivia: Fun Facts about the American bird

• The turkey was Benjamin Franklin's choice for the United State’s national bird.
• Today, wild turkeys are being reintroduced into many areas across the USA. Overhunting and the disappearance of their favored woodland habitat has resulted in the decline in turkey populations.
•According to Wikipediathere are six subspecies of turkeys across the USA
•Only Alaska and Hawaii don’t have native turkeys
•The turkey is covered by about 6,000 iridescence feathers of varying colors of red, green, copper, bronze and gold. The gobbler, or male turkey, is more colorful, while the hen is a duller color to camouflage her with her surroundings.
•The average life expectancy for wild turkeys is one and a half years in the wild and 13 years in captivity. Besides hunters, the birds are prey to a variety of animals like raccoons, bobcats, foxes, eagles, owls and much more.
• Wild turkeys have very powerful legs and can run faster than 20 miles per hour and fly up to 55 miles per hour.
• To attract mates, males display their fanlike tail, bare head, and bright snood and wattle. They also perform a little turkey trot and make a distinctive gobble that can be heard a mile away. After mating males have little to do with the females.
•The ballroom dance the "turkey trot" was named for the short, jerky steps that turkeys take.
• Females lay 4 to 17 eggs in a ground nest under a bush, incubate the eggs for up to 28 days and feed their chicks only for a few days after they hatch. Young turkeys quickly learn to fend for themselves as part of mother/child flocks that can include dozens of animals.
• The adult males, known as toms or gobblers, normally weigh between 16 and 24 pounds while the females, known as hens, usually weigh between 8 and 10 pounds. Very young birds are poults, while juvenile males are jakes and females are jennies. A group of turkeys has many collective nouns, including a "crop", "dole", "gang", "posse", and "raffle" of turkeys.
•A native of North America, the turkey is one of only two domesticated birds originating in the New World. The Muscovy Duck is the other.
•Turkeys originated in North and Central America, and evidence indicates that they have been around for over 10 million years.
•There are a few explanations on how Turkeys were named. One is that in the days when geography was a little sketchy, Europeans sometimes referred to any exotic import as Turkey (i.e. Turkey Bird, Turkey rug, Turkey bag).
•Turkeys don’t migrate. They can be seen grazing fields and woodlands during the day and roosting in trees at night.  

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Will the hawk eat all my birds?

I have just witnessed a hawk fly right by me when I was filling water for the birds in my yard yesterday afternoon.  That same morning I saw it fly by my shepherd hook birdfeeder and all the birds and squirrels ran or flew off.  The hawk appeared to swoop down further down my yard where I couldn't see from my window if it snatched up a bird.  Two days ago, was the first time I saw one perched on our back fence in the early evening with its back towards our backyard just looking around then flew off.  
 
I was startled and at the same time scared.  I just bought a new bird feeding station at WBU. Now, I am afraid to feed the birds.  I feel like they are Hawk bait just waiting to happen.  Yes, the Hawk is a magnificent bird, but I don’t want to witness it eating my backyard birds.  I feel like taking all my bird feeding items back to the WBU store which I haven’t opened yet, and just quit feeding the birds altogether. I'm crushed.  I still have a Robin around and a very cute and friendly Chickadee whom is not afraid to come close to me when I am filling the feeder.  If he, the Robin, or any of the other beautiful birds get eaten I will be truly heartbroken and sick.

I came across your article about Hawks visiting birdfeederswhen I was trying to look for some solutions to this problem.  I guess there really isn’t any one.  Is there? 

There is a natural order. Hawks eat squirrels and other rodents as well as a few birds. But crows, jays and small songbirds dive-bomb hawks, as a strategy to survival. Prey species can band together to try and chase the hawks out of the area. If they can't do that, you will at least hear an alert call to warn other birds that danger is near.

You have to remind yourself that nature is real. Weather happens, predators and prey happen, and lots of life happens. Bird watching, to my mind, has an honesty that comes from the built-in acknowledgement of the natural elements that dance in and out of view and are woven through our encounter with nature.

I can't remember a time I haven't fed the birds, from the common House Sparrows to the surprise visits of birds like the teeny tiny kinglets. I think all birds are a wonder and continue to fascinate me every day! Birds give me peace. They are everywhere and have survived for centuries even with massive global changes.

Currently one third of the U.S. populations feed the birds in their yards. They watch the birds in the winter to brighten the long, dark, dreary days, and then watch the beautiful migratory birds that come in the spring all excited for nesting. Next comes watching the baby birds at the feeders demanding food from parents and finally the large variety of birds that gather after nesting to make the long journey south or to bulk up for winter again.

In the summer you’ll see different birds at your feeders than you do during winter, like hummingbirds and other nectar-eating birds. And many such as orioles, finches and warblers, show off their vibrant spring and summer plumage spreading color throughout your yard.

Birds only supplement their diet up to 10 to 20 percent at feeders. Most birds like to forage for food. And most native flowers, bushes, and trees like birds to help pollinate their flowers, eat harmful insects, and disperse their seeds. Landscaping your yard to provide native plant cover and natural foods for birds is also good way to attract birds and provide them with sanctuary.

I think you need to go back to your WBU store to discuss your concerns. ~ Sarah

Hi Sarah, Thanks for replying and sharing your thoughts and information with me.

I’ve always loved birds, too.  My parents would always feed them, and I would be part of that. I’ve learned to have compassion and enjoy their simple beauty from them.   I’ve raised two baby robins until they were ready to go on their own.  This past summer I had two baby Mourning Doves hatch in my hanging flower pot.  They two flew off when they were ready with no interference from me.  They were just darling.  I've always loved nature and animals and continued since I was a little girl to seek refuge in their peace and beauty.  Nature has always been a wonder and beauty for me.

I know there is a natural order concerning the food chain.  I find some comfort and assurance with the information you have given me about how birds survive predators.  I am going o continue to feed the birds and set up my new feeding station as I have planned. Thank you.

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Funny Squirrel days at the feeder

Sarah, I thought you would appreciate these photos for your Friday Photo.
I looked up and saw this magnificent hawk sitting on the feeder with a squirrel eating oblivious to any problem ahead of him. I took the picture through the window. The flash on the camera went off for the first two photos but he allowed a third before he flew away (without the black squirrel).
I laughed when I saw this squirrel doing much needed dental work on Mr. Jack O'Lantern. Please feel free to post these photos if you like. ~ Lansing

Thank you so much for adding a little fun to our Friday blog. Sometimes I feel guilty selling so many of the best squirrel proof feeders and squirrel baffles at our Wild Birds Unlimited store in East Lansing but obviously I don't need to worry. Squirrels always find a way to fill their belly and if they're lucky, nice people like you share yummy treats. Have a great day! ~ Sarah

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Best field guide for Michigan birds

Birds of Michigan 
By Ted Black and Greg Kennedy
360 pages, 5.50" x 8.50", paperback
This is a wonderful book for beginning or advanced bird watchers in Michigan. It has detailed illustrations of 302 bird species with specifications of their size and any unique markings. It includes descriptions of the birds’ habitat, nesting, feeding, and voice. The birds are also grouped and color coded for quick identification by species.

One of my favorite features is a very handy quick find reference of all of the birds at the beginning of the book. It also lists Michigan birding groups and which local nature center or park will have a particular species of bird.
This is a very handy book to have around even if you don't plan on doing more than watching the birds at your feeder. I also recommend Stan Tekiela Birds of Michigan book & CD set if you want to see photos of birds or hear their songs.
 
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Question about House Wren Migration

From your web site I see you may be willing to answer a question. Raking up the final (hopefully) leaves of fall today, Sunday, November 13th, I still have my summer house wren angrily complaining of my presence in his yard. I would thought he would have started south by now. Is he just enjoying the warm fall and leaving late or are there wintering house wrens? Thank you, Dave

Most House Wrens in North America migrate to the southern U.S. and Mexico for winter. You didn't say where you live, but here in mid-Michigan, House Wrens are gone usually by October. But the migration south isn't as hurried as the migration north. Birds may linger as long as there are still a lot of food sources available.

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 and the date range from Nov to Nov. My results are at: http://ebird.org/ebird/map/houwre?neg=true&env.minX=&env.minY=&env.maxX=&env.maxY=&zh=false&gp=false&mr=on&bmo=11&emo=11&yr=2001-2011&byr=2001&eyr=2011

It's more common to have a Carolina Wren year-round. Carolina Wrens are larger, lighter brown, and longer tailed than House Wrens and have a white chest and eyebrow stripe. However, both birds are very susceptible to frigid weather with ice and snow. An otherwise healthy wren population can be hit hard by storms and survival might depend on feeders. So stock up on peanuts and suet. Thank you for writing, Sarah

Thank you for your reply. Sorry that I did not state that I am right here in Ingham county.   Stockbridge to be exact. I am sure it is a house wren. I would have figured this bird would be less territorial since nesting season is long gone. Though this pair did have two clutches. So I am surprised at the territorial vociferousness this bird still exhibits. Have enjoyed birding since my ornithology class over 35 years ago. Though not as much effort is put into it as in years past. Again, thank you for your help and input. Happy birding, Dave

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