Why are there so many birds at the feeders this spring?

"Look deep into nature, then you will understand everything better. " -Albert Einstein

Most of our Wild Birds Unlimited customers have commented on the increased activity at the feeders. With this unusual spring Michigan is experiencing, insects are harder to find, and many birds are welcoming the supplement of seed and suet to feed themselves and their young. I’ve even watched robins introduce their babies to my suet feeders.

However, with all of the wet weather, it is imperative that a close eye is kept on the feeders. At the very least, feeders can get clogged with wet seed and at worse the seed could be moldy and cause the birds sickness. So, in between rain drops, take a quick peek at your feeders, especially your goldfinch feeders, and toss out any moldy seed, suet, fruit, or nectar, and make sure your feeders are clean. Remember, birds give us a lot of pleasure as we watch them eat, so let’s provide them a safe and clean feeding station at all times.

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How to stop your seed from molding? http://t.co/DEOdEeP 
How do I get rid of mold in my hummingbird feeder? http://t.co/5Zs3hRP

What seed is best for attracting the colorful birds? http://t.co/1UJboA6

Do I need to clean my bird feeder? http://t.co/fOvrby5

Category › Bird Basics

Touching account of nesting robins

Image by Ambrosio Photography via Flickr

Last summer it was our pleasure to witness baby robins hatch twice from a nest in a tree just outside our kitchen window. We had a front row seat as four babies emerged in May, followed by three more later in the season. A fascinating aspect of their birth involved the behavior of each mother robin, and how the first mother returned to assist the second as she worked to raise her babies.

The first mother was rather large and plump with big eyes, and I was able to recognize her distinctive features. She built the original nest quickly and efficiently, then tended her brood with the utmost confidence and commitment. During a severe thunderstorm one afternoon, I watched as she sat atop the nest and spread her wings wide to cover the newly hatched babies, protecting them from the heavy rain and wind. The little ones wanted for nothing as she flew back and forth, faithfully feeding them until the day they launched successfully.

Image via Wikipedia

The second mother looked a bit smaller and younger as she took over the nest and laid her own eggs. Once the babies hatched, however, she did not seem to be present or feed them as frequently, and we could hear them chirping with open beaks as they waited to be fed. Lo and behold, the first mother answered their call, returning to help in their care and feeding with the same expertise she had shown before. She often accompanied the new mother, and the two arrived side by side with morsels for the hungry babies. They, too, eventually matured and took flight after so much careful tending.

It was amazing to observe such unselfish love and cooperation as each day unfolded with the miracles of nature occurring just a few feet away. And how satisfying it was to know that our tree and yard sheltered seven new lives, keeping them safe until they soared aloft to continue the cycle of new life and renewal!

Contributed to the WBU blog 
by Barbara Clark
Haslett, MI

Category › Nature up close

Are the Hummingbirds back?

Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds begin migrating into Michigan mid-April and by Mother’s day they have probably settled into their nesting territories.

If you haven’t put your feeder up, what are you waiting for? It’s not too late! Hummingbirds don’t need your feeder to survive, but they might appreciate a reliable source of food with this cold spring we’ve been experiencing. Also these incredible little birds are fascinating to watch and a hummingbird feeder can bring them up close.

Only about 50% of all hummers survive their first year. Cold weather takes a toll on all hummer species because their high-energy requirements don’t allow them to go without food for long.

When they aren’t at the feeder, hummingbirds find nectar from a variety of flowers as well as sap from trees. Throughout the day a hummer drinks more than half its body weight in nectar. But that pointy hummingbird bill isn’t only for sipping nectar; it’s also made for snatching bugs out of the air.

Hummingbirds eat a lot of insects and spiders. They are excellent hunters. Hummingbirds can catch insects in flight, or pluck them from leaves, or catch spiders from their webs. (Sometimes I suggest throwing old fruit or banana peels near your hummingbird feeders to attract fruit flys for the hummers.)

When a hummingbird goes for an insect, it rushes at it with its mouth wide open, and the lower half of its bill can bend downward, even though it has no joint. But they're so fast it takes a camera that films 500 frames a second to capture the move.

PBS’s Nature produced an interesting documentary that explains how these tiny birds survive. You can watch the full episode, Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air, online at: http://video.pbs.org/video/1380512531/

Category › Question of the week

What is the largest songbird in North America?

Image via Wikipedia

Songbirds or perching birds are called passerines. A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which contains the most species of birds of the twenty-seven orders of birds on Earth. They represent about 45% of the bird species in Michigan, and nearly three-fifths of all living birds worldwide.

The largest passerine is the Common Raven which can weigh as much as 3 pounds. They can be found across the northern hemisphere. When you hear the variety of noises, such as caws,

                                                 Image via Wikipedia

croaks, and gurgles that the raven produces you may not think of it as a songbird, but their wide range of vocalizations for communication is impressive.

The smallest North American passerine is the Verdin, a tiny, active songbird of the arid southwestern United States and northern Mexico, which weighs 0.2 oz.

Related article:
List of Birds in the United States - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_the_United_States

Category › Quick fun Facts

How can I entice Indigo Buntings to my yard?

In extreme south eastern Michigan we see Indigo Buntings each spring but not during the summer. Where are they going and how can we entice them to stay here?

Image via Wikipedia

Indigo Buntings spend their winters in southern Florida, central Mexico and south through the West Indies and Central America to northern South America. They flock together to forage for food in open habitats, like weedy fields, citrus orchards, and farmlands.

In the spring they can travel thousands of miles to their breeding grounds at the top of Florida to the bottom of Canada and as far east as Maine and as far west as Nevada. They will stop in many yards on their journey looking to refuel. During migration they look for open grasslands and leafy trees similar to those in their winter habitat. Migration takes place in April and May and then again in September and October.

Image via Wikipedia

Indigos like a variety of food, including small seeds, nuts, berries, insects, mosquitoes, flies, aphids, small spiders, buds, goldenrod, thistle, grasses, and herbs. At my feeders they like the Nyger Thistle and the No-Mess blend which has the sunflower chips, peanuts, and millet without the hulls.

The only way to get them to stay the whole summer is if you live in an area where they like to breed. Indigo buntings nest in brushy and weedy habitats along the edges of farmland, woods, roads, and railways. According to Birds of Michigan by Ted Black, “Raspberry thickets are a favored nesting location for many of our Indigo Buntings. The dense, thorny stems provide the nestlings with protection from many predators, and the berries are a convenient source of food.”

So if you live near a woodlot or bike trails you may see the birds year round. Otherwise appreciate these beautiful birds while they visit in the spring and fall.

Related Article:
Do We Have Indigo Buntings in Michigan? http://t.co/tUlMhMW

Category › Bird of the week

How to stop your seed from molding?

If you are having trouble keeping your seed dry and fresh after a rain, two products that I recommend are weather guards and feeder fresh.

A WBU Weather Guard is designed to keep bad weather from spoiling your seed in the tube. This is a clear plastic dome that slips on top of most of our WBU tube feeders. It will not deter birds from feeding, in fact, many enjoy feeding under the shelter and out of the wet weather. It has a lifetime guarantee and is made in the USA.

Feeder Fresh is added to the seed when you fill a feeder. It absorbs water and humidity, is safe for birds, and made from non-toxic absorbent sand. Feeder Fresh keeps the seed in the feeder dry, keeps molds from forming, and thus reduces the chance of Aflatoxin and other mycotoxins.
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Once the Feeder Fresh absorbs its own weight in water it will discontinue absorbing, and be identical to the silica grit that birds normally ingest. Made in the USA.

 

I use Feeder Fresh a lot in the spring and fall when there is a lot of rain and humidity. It keeps my feeders free of mold which makes it easier for me to maintain a clean healthy feeder.

Category › Product Highlight

How to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day

International Migratory Bird Day is held each year on the second Saturday in May to draw attention to the plight of migratory birds that yearly make incredible journeys between their breeding grounds in North America and their wintering grounds in Mexico, Central, and South America. Many of these birds are declining in numbers, primarily due to the loss of habitat.

The Potter Park Zoo celebrates the International Migratory Bird Day along with Be A Tourist in Your Own Town Saturday, June 4, 2011 - 9:00am - 6:00pm

Price: General Admission / Free with a "Be A Tourist" passport

Come on out to the Zoo to celebrate IMBD and Be A Tourist In Your Own Town. They'll have stations set up to teach you about our areas migratory birds, and fun activities for the whole family!

Get a Be A Tourist passport, and admission is FREE! http://www.lansing.org/batyot

Category › Family Fun