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What to do if you find a banded white pigeon

A release dove refers to a breed of
Rock Dove (domestic pigeon).
Two people came in at different times this week worried about a white pigeon hanging around a bird feeder. These all white pigeons were banded and friendly but not friendly enough to catch. Pigeons that are all white are used commonly for “Dove” releases. If you can approach them and gently pick them up to read there leg tag it might have a phone number to call and return the bird.

Or sometimes the pigeon’s owner can be traced through the National Pigeon Association’s (NPA) website at www.npausa.com; it has details on identifying owners. If the bird hangs around for more than 48 hours and refuses to leave, and the owner cannot be located, call local dove release businesses for information or visit the American Racing Pigeon Union’s website.

Once released these pigeons usually have the ability to fly straight home. For one reason or another some birds take a little detour from their path. Experiments with homing pigeons are still going on today to discover how their homing ability works.

The preferred type of release doves are homing pigeons,
a member of the rock dovefamily, and some strains are
specifically bred for ceremonial release.
Scientists have focused their attention in three areas: the beak, the inner ear and the eyes. Birds’ beaks contain tiny grains of magnetite, a form of iron oxide which is magnetized easily to help birds point north. But when David Keays of the Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna examined the beaks, he found that the magnetite grains were mostly located in macrophages, which wander around the body, rather than in specialized sense cells. This strengthened the case that birds’ magnetic sense resides not in their beaks, but in tiny concentrations of iron in the neurons of a pigeon’s inner ear.

Case closed? Not quite. The latest research, published in June, suggests the beak does have a role to play after all. Researchers led by Henrik Mouritsen of the University of Oldenburg in Germany found that the beak detects the angle of the Earth’s magnetic field with the ground, which varies with latitude and may be used by birds as part of their mapping sense.

However, there is also evidence that magnetic sensing relies on chemical reactions in birds’ eyes. It seems to involve a region the brain called cluster N, which is connected to the eyes. Cluster N is also more active when birds are using their magnetic sense. One theory, advanced by Klaus Schulten of the University of Illinois and Urbana-Champaign, is that a retinal protein that is split into two magnetically sensitive molecules co-operate, even when separated, to detect variations in the magnetic field. This might allow birds to see patterns of spots that remain stationary as they turn their heads, to indicate magnetic direction.

In the end, how birds sense magnetic fields to create a natural version of the global-positioning system is still not understood fully. It is possible that all three of these mechanisms work together. But having made rapid progress in the field in recent years, scientists do finally seem to be homing in on the answer.

Source: 
The Economist: How do birds navigate? http://goo.gl/aulQAl

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Six steps to help birds

Habitat loss, disease, severe weather, window collisions and many other factors contribute to the decline in bird populations. Here are six steps you can take to make the future brighter for birds:

1. Put out the welcome mat
Land development is changing the habitat available for many birds. You can help by landscaping with native plants that provide natural food sources, shelter and protection predators. Man made feeders, nest boxes and bird baths also benefits birds.

2. Prepare a proper menu
Food is essential to provide birds with the energy, stamina and nutrition to endure the elements year-round. Wild Birds Unlimited has regionally formulated seed blends to provide the most nutritious food for your birds. The first ingredient in our top 4 seed blends is sunflower seed. Oil Sunflower seed is the favorite of most of the backyard seed eating birds and I always like it to be the first ingredient in my bird seed blend.

3. Keep feeders and feeding areas clean
To help reduce the possibility of disease transmission in birds, clean feeders and feeding areas at least once a month. You can purchase professional cleaners like Scoot at Wild Birds Unlimited, or use a mild one part vinegar to nine parts water solution to disinfect all of your feeders. Keep seed and foods dry by adding Feeder Fresh; discard food that is wet or looks moldy. Birdbaths also need to be scrubbed with a brush and water should be replaced every three to days to discourage mosquito reproduction. Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned every three to five days, or every other day in warm weather.

4. Birds and chemicals don’t mix 
Many pesticides, herbicides and fungicides are toxic to birds; avoid using these near areas where birds feed, bathe or rest. Read the ingredients on the bird seed bag. The number one reason you will have weeds on the ground is because the birds are kicking the seeds that they don’t prefer on the ground and they grow.

5. Keep cats away from birds 
Outdoor cats are estimated to kill 500 million birds per year. Even the sweetest cats still have the instincts of their wild ancestors. When something flutters by, they must swat it down. Cats do what comes natural but you can help wildlife by restricting their access outside. A lot of our customers start bird feeding to entertain their indoor cats. It is a challenge to keep indoor-only animals stimulated and engaged mentally. A window feeder is one solution.

6. Reduce window collisions 
It is estimated that between 100 million and one billion birds are killed every year in the United States when they crash into glass windows. And even one billion deaths might be a conservative estimate. 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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- What to do if you have soggy seed in your bird feeder http://goo.gl/kfTpi
- How to get rid of weeds under the bird feeder without using poisons http://goo.gl/fHlsE0
- Cats Indoors! http://goo.gl/YIOUpI
- How to Prevent Window Strikes during Migration http://goo.gl/KZRzKb
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Photo Share:Baby Cardinal

Northern Cardinals are a perfect combination of conspicuousness and style. Adult males are a brilliant shade of red you can’t miss and the adult females are a warm brown with subtle red accents.

Baby Cardinals are another thing altogether. The old wives tale "ugly in the cradle, beauty at the table" comes to mind. The fledgling in the photo seems to have made it out of the bug-eyed, “ugly” stage, is moving through the gangly stage and on a sure path to “beauty”.

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.

This photo of a fledgling Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) approximately one week after leaving the nest is by Ken Thomas.

He also took the photo to the right of a male cardinal offering food to a female. This ritual is a common part of the Cardinal's mating behavior, and allows the male to demonstrate his ability to provide food for their young.

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- Baby birds at the feeders http://goo.gl/UGCokz
- Cardinals mate for life http://goo.gl/Fz1CSR
- Cardinal Fun Facts http://bit.ly/twE6NV 
- Cardinal Bird Feeders: http://bit.ly/qXJPFM
- How the Cardinal was named http://bit.ly/tSKZYs  
- What can I feed the cardinals to make them redder? http://bit.ly/rAArXw
  
Thank you for sharing your photo! If anyone else would like to share a photograph of nature send it to bloubird@gmail.com and I'll put it on the Friday Photo posts.
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How to feed birds with less mess

Like feeding the birds but don't want a mess on the ground? At Wild Birds Unlimited (WBU) I recommend the following combinations of food, feeders and accessories so you can enjoy feeding your birds and have a tidy backyard, too.
Ranchette Retreat bird feeder is a fully functioning bird buffet that holds over 10 pounds of WBU No-Mess birdseed and two WBU suet cakes. Our unique No-Mess Blend features seeds that have had their shells removed so only the meat of the seed is left. No shells left on the ground and nothing will grow under the feeder. You will attract all the seed and suet eating bird species such as cardinals, finches, jays, chickadees, woodpeckers and more.

To protect the seed, the Ranchette Retreat has an extra large green roof that overhangs the extra large tray area. It also has a mesh screen bottom with a built in seed diverter to keep seed moving through the feeder smoothly and to prevent moldy seed.
This feeder is good for a compact, yet versatile tidy feeding station. Fill with the WBU No-Mess birdseed blend so there are no shells left on the ground.

As a bonus the Wild Birds Unlimited's Quick-Clean feeders have removable bases that make cleaning a breeze. They’re also easy to fill and hang. Simply add our Weather Guard dome to your feeder to help protect the seed and birds from inclement weather. The Seed Tray prevents seed from falling to the ground and serves as an additional feeding area.

3. The WBU Seed Cylinder feeder 
Cylinder feeders are versatile feeders that can provide a tidy dining experience. The Seed Cylinder feeders are popular with people who have been bird feeding a long time and for beginners. It is one of the easiest feeders to maintain and attracts a wide variety of birds.
Our popular Cranberry Fare Solid Seed Cylinders are packed pecans, sunflower chips, peanuts, safflower, black oil sunflower and cranberries - everything you need to get lots of birds to visit your backyard with very little mess.

If you are worried about squirrels and don't have a baffled Wild Birds Unlimited Advanced Pole System, our Safflower cylinder will keep squirrels and blackbirds away.

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Why the nuthatch walks upside down on trees

White-breasted Nuthatches may be small but their voices are loud and their insistent nasal laughing song will lead you right to them. Click HERE to listen.
Their foraging behavior also makes this a rather easy bird to identify. The White-breasted Nuthatch is able to move head-first down trees to forage for insects on trunks of trees. 

Their long, strong toes and short tails allow them to climb up, down and sideways around tree trunks and branches looking for tasty morsels tucked into bark crevasses. This gives them an advantage to spot prey hidden from woodpeckers and creepers which can only head up trees to forage for food.

The White-breasted Nuthatch is a year round resident in mid-Michigan and often visits bird feeders for sunflower seeds, nuts, suet, and mealworms.

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National Moth Week is celebrated the Last full week in July

Roger Tory Peterson is best know for coming out with the first easy to use bird field guide for the average person to identify birds. But moths first got him started on his path to investigating nature as a boy. He even received special permission from the police chief to stay up past curfew to observe moths attracted to the many street lights in Jamestown, NY.

Why moths?
  • Moths are among the most diverse and successful organisms on earth.
  • Scientists estimate there are 150,000 to more than 500,000 moth species.
  • Their colors and patterns are either dazzling or so cryptic that they define camouflage. Shapes and sizes span the gamut from as small as a pinhead to as large as an adult’s hand.
  • Most moths are nocturnal, and need to be sought at night to be seen – others fly like butterflies during the day.
  • Finding moths can be as simple as leaving a porch light on and checking it after dark. Serious moth aficionados use special lights and baits to attract them.
   National Moth Week provides a much-needed spotlight on moths and their ecological importance as well as their incredible biodiversity.  National Moth Week offers everyone, everywhere a unique opportunity to become a Citizen Scientist and contribute scientific data about moths. Numerous organizations around the world have partnered with National Moth Week and are supporting the event. Through partnerships with major online biological data depositories, National Moth Week participants can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other life history aspects around the globe. Read more at: http://nationalmothweek.org/

This podcast and slide show is part of the One Species at a Time series from the Encyclopedia of Life (eol.org). Hosted by Ari Daniel Shapiro and produced by Atlantic Public Media. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions 3.0 United States License. Read more at: http://nationalmothweek.org/

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Male and female cardinals remain in close contact year-round

A regular resident of mid-Michigan backyards, the Northern Cardinals form one of the bird world's most faithful pair bonds. The male and female remain in close contact year-round, singing to one another through the seasons with soft, bubbly whistles. The female is known to sing while on the nest, and it is believed that she is informing her partner whether or not she or the young need food.

The red color of the Cardinal’s feathers is the result of pigments called carotenoids. The amount of the pigment ingested, and then deposited in the feathers as they molt in the fall, influences the quality and depth of their red coloration. A study done by the Ohio State University found that juveniles, less efficient foragers than adults, often have a duller red feather coloration.

At the feeding stations the birds tend to prefer seeds that provide the most nutrients. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a landmark study of bird food preferences in 1980 for several bird species and found cardinals exhibited the greatest preference for fresh oil sunflower, peanuts, safflower, and millet. They avoid buckwheat, cracked corn, milo, oats, wheat, nyjer, canary, flax, rapeseed, and rice.

A cardinal's food habits in the north consists of more than 75% plant material from November to April. From May to October it changes to about 50% plant and the rest consists of animal matter predominately from insects, including beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, butterfly and moth larvae, cicadas, treehoppers, leafhoppers, and dragonflies.

Regardless of the season, the bird species you attract is determined primarily by the seeds you offer. To provide the most beneficial foods to meet birds' nutritional needs, the birds in Michigan should be fed fresh Black-Oil Sunflower, Sunflower Chips, White Proso Millet, Safflower, Peanuts, Nyjer® Thistle, nectar, mealworms, or suet.

Avoid purchasing seed blends that contain filler seeds that will be kicked out of the feeder and can leave a dangerous moldy pile under your feeders.
Wild Birds Unlimited No-mess Blend is our best selling blend. It has everything the birds want and leaves no messy shells behind. For more info on our unique No-Mess Blend bird seed which features seeds that have had their shells removed so only the meat of the seed is left, click HERE.
Whatever seed, seed cake, or suetyou choose at Wild Birds Unlimited, we guarantee it will be fresh and a healthy choice for our local birds.

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