With bone chilling temperatures forecast for the beginning of next week, birds will be looking for lots of food to keep their internal furnaces stoked. If you didn’t know, one of the ways that birds keep warm is by eating more food when the thermometer drops. If you are one of those people that are helping the birds make it through the winter with a bird feeder, then you are taking part in an increasingly popular winter activity.
If you take part in bird feeding, then you are among more than 1.5 million people in Missouri who enjoy this activity. Although birds benefit from easy access to birdseed, humans are the primary beneficiaries of the recreational activity. The opportunity to view birds at close range provides hours of entertainment just outside your home. Believe it or not, people in the United States spend more than $500 million each year to feed birds. However, to get the most for your money, you need to know what types of food birds like. If you buy the pre-packaged seed, many times you are wasting your money on many types of cereal grains such as milo, wheat and oats, all of which rate fairly low to a hungry bird. Generally, packages of birdseed mix are put together to attract people more than birds. Rather than buying mixes, you may want to spend your money more efficiently by buying bulk amounts of certain seeds.
By Jeff Berti, Trenton Republican-Times
Read more: Warmer Birds - More Food
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Kingfisher Named Bird of the Year 2009
The kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) is the favorite bird of many people, who call it the “Flying Jewel.” The bird earned this nickname because of its multicolored, shiny feathers. In contrast to its rust-brown belly and white throat, the upper feathers—depending on how light falls on them—dazzle the eyes with hues of azure blue and emerald green, including a turquoise strip along the back.From the beak to the tip of the tail, the bird measures 16 cm long. Its short legs and tail feathers make it appear a bit clumsy, but its flight is so swift that predators present no danger. Present estimates of breeding pairs range from 5,000 to 8,000 in Germany alone. In the vicinity of Hamburg, the estimated kingfisher population consists of 35–40 breeding pairs.
The kingfisher is a loner during the winter months and does not tolerate others of its kind in its territory. But this changes during breeding season when the male calls the female. This leads to negotiations with possible mates—lengthy flights of pursuit, flat across the water and high above the trees, coupled with many freshly caught fish as offerings to the female.
The pair has a month-long encounter. Most of these pairings are monogamous, but occasionally not. However, the male will take care of both his families then! This is quite a feat, considering the birds breed three times a year, and sometimes four.
On average, up to 70 percent of all adult kingfisher die, as do 80 percent of the new hatchlings, according to NABU (German Nature Conservation Association). Kingfishers are non-migratory in Germany and only leave their territory if the waters freeze over. If the frosts last too long, the birds will perish.
This is the second time since1973 that NABU and the Landesbund für Vogelschutz (LBV) (The Society for the Protection of Birds) has selected the kingfisher as Bird of the Year—this time for 2009. The bird represents the living rivers and meadows that make up its territory.
NABU has begun a huge, federally sanctioned and funded project to let the Havel River return to its natural course and do away with the many dikes and gradations. The project will permit the river to once again meander in a natural pattern through meadows, ponds, and flood plains. The area is hopefully set to become a paradise for animals and humans and, of course, for the Flying Jewels.
By Heike Soleinsky, Epoch Times Staff
Read more: Epoch Times
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
This Christmas - Connect with Nature
Christmas is a time for giving, and a time for family. What a great opportunity to start a family tradition of giving back to the earth and instilling the values of sustainable living to your children, friends and community. Start an annual, earth-friendly Christmas family tradition! It will also get you outdoors for a few hours to build an appetite for the big dinner.
Annual Christmas Day Bird Count - take your binoculars, a field guide to local birds, a small pad or journal for each participant and walk a course through your neighborhood, local park or countryside. Try to identify and count every bird you see, and make a note of it in your journal. At the end of the hike, list the species seen and number of birds per species. There's always a surprising discovery, and the activity highlights the presence and value of our feathered friends. Compare the results from former years and you'll become experts on your local bird population and migration habits. This is a great family activity because even the youngest eyes are just as good at spotting the birds and contributing to the event. For more information, see our page Annual Bird Count
Family nature hike - a peaceful walk through nature on Christmas day will be remembered and valued more than the score of the football game.
Nature restoration activity - planting a small tree together symbolizes the value of nature and offsets the 'taking' of the Christmas tree. An hour spent cleaning up or enhancing a natural area also enriches the giver and acknowledges nature as the source of our well-being.Decorate a tree for the birds - place seed bells, suet, pine cones with peanut butter and seed trays on any tree in your yard, preferably a tree in the open where cats can be seen easily by the birds. To attract a wide variety of birds, use varied seed types such as black oil sunflower seed, wild bird mixed seed and nyger seed bells. This is a great activity for kids, and offers an important food source for birds during the winter.
Read more: How to have a 'green' Christmas, Eartheasy.com
Don't Feed Birds Steady Bread Diet
Be an angel, don’t feed birds - A steady bread diet can deform waterfowl wings
When Pat Phillips’ grandchildren were visiting for Christmas, she decided to take them out for one of Eugene’s favorite activities: walking around Alton Baker Park and tossing bread scraps to the resident ducks and geese.
They had just arrived at the park when her husband read a sign posted by the water’s edge.
“It was so sad,” Phillips said. “We had already thrown some bread crumbs, but we took the rest of the bread back to the car.”
The new sign in Alton Baker Park explains the prevalence of so-called “angel wing,” a condition marked by a deformed wing and spindly feathers that poke out at right angles. When a young bird eats calorie-dense, nutritionally poor foods — like bread — the growth of its feathers outpaces the development of its wing bones. Gravity pulls the heavy feathers down, and the growing bones twist outward, resulting in the twisted wing. Bandages and physical therapy can correct the condition in young birds, but it is incurable in adults, and affected birds lose the ability to fly.
By Shelby Martin
The Register-Guard
Read more: Be an angel, don’t feed birds - A steady bread diet can deform waterfowl wings
When Pat Phillips’ grandchildren were visiting for Christmas, she decided to take them out for one of Eugene’s favorite activities: walking around Alton Baker Park and tossing bread scraps to the resident ducks and geese.
They had just arrived at the park when her husband read a sign posted by the water’s edge.
“It was so sad,” Phillips said. “We had already thrown some bread crumbs, but we took the rest of the bread back to the car.”
The new sign in Alton Baker Park explains the prevalence of so-called “angel wing,” a condition marked by a deformed wing and spindly feathers that poke out at right angles. When a young bird eats calorie-dense, nutritionally poor foods — like bread — the growth of its feathers outpaces the development of its wing bones. Gravity pulls the heavy feathers down, and the growing bones twist outward, resulting in the twisted wing. Bandages and physical therapy can correct the condition in young birds, but it is incurable in adults, and affected birds lose the ability to fly.
By Shelby Martin
The Register-Guard
Read more: Be an angel, don’t feed birds - A steady bread diet can deform waterfowl wings
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Where Are All the Acorns?
Scientists baffled by mysterious acorn shortage
(CNN) -- Up and down the East Coast, residents and naturalists alike have been scratching their heads this autumn over a simple question: Where are all the acorns?
Oak trees have shed their leaves, but the usual carpet of acorns is not crunching underfoot.
In far-flung pockets of northern Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other states, scientists have found no acorns whatsoever.
"I can't think of any other year like this," said Alonso Abugattas, director of the Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington, Virginia.
Louise Garris, who lives in the Oakcrest neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, first noticed the mysterious phenomenon early this fall when doing yardwork beneath a canopy of large oak trees.
"I have lived in the area my entire life and have never not seen any acorns!" she said. Garris checked with some local plant nurseries and they confirmed her observation.
The mystery has found its way to the Internet, where a "No acorns this year" discussion on Topix.com yielded more than 180 comments from people reporting acorn disappearances as far away as Connecticut and North Carolina.
"WHAT IS GOING ON?" posted a resident of Maplewood, New Jersey. "Now we are finding dead squirrels! SHOULD WE ALL BE CONCERNED?"
Not necessarily, naturalists say. Last year Garris reported a bumper crop of acorns, which scientists say may be one clue to this year's scarcity. Virginia extension agent Adam Downing said acorn production runs in cycles, so a lean year is normal after a year with a big crop.
"It fits with the physiology of seed reproduction. The trees are exhausted, energy wise, from last year," Downing said.
But even he is surprised at the complete absence of nuts in parts of Virginia.
"There are plenty of acorns in most of the state, but zero acorns in some pockets," he said.
Read more: Scientists baffled by mysterious acorn shortage
CNN.com's Brandon Griggs contributed to this story.
(CNN) -- Up and down the East Coast, residents and naturalists alike have been scratching their heads this autumn over a simple question: Where are all the acorns?
Oak trees have shed their leaves, but the usual carpet of acorns is not crunching underfoot.
In far-flung pockets of northern Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other states, scientists have found no acorns whatsoever.
"I can't think of any other year like this," said Alonso Abugattas, director of the Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington, Virginia.
Louise Garris, who lives in the Oakcrest neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, first noticed the mysterious phenomenon early this fall when doing yardwork beneath a canopy of large oak trees.
"I have lived in the area my entire life and have never not seen any acorns!" she said. Garris checked with some local plant nurseries and they confirmed her observation.
The mystery has found its way to the Internet, where a "No acorns this year" discussion on Topix.com yielded more than 180 comments from people reporting acorn disappearances as far away as Connecticut and North Carolina.
"WHAT IS GOING ON?" posted a resident of Maplewood, New Jersey. "Now we are finding dead squirrels! SHOULD WE ALL BE CONCERNED?"
Not necessarily, naturalists say. Last year Garris reported a bumper crop of acorns, which scientists say may be one clue to this year's scarcity. Virginia extension agent Adam Downing said acorn production runs in cycles, so a lean year is normal after a year with a big crop.
"It fits with the physiology of seed reproduction. The trees are exhausted, energy wise, from last year," Downing said.
But even he is surprised at the complete absence of nuts in parts of Virginia.
"There are plenty of acorns in most of the state, but zero acorns in some pockets," he said.
Read more: Scientists baffled by mysterious acorn shortage
CNN.com's Brandon Griggs contributed to this story.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Is Hong Kong's Bird Flu Vaccine Failing?
Since 1997, when six people in Hong Kong died of avian influenza — the first confirmed human victims of the deadly virus — this southern Chinese city has been the front line in the fight against a potential global pandemic that scientists warn could ultimately kill millions. Unfortunately, the bird flu virus has proven a canny, and adaptable, enemy.
On Dec. 9, the Hong Kong government reported yet another outbreak of the virus at one of the city's largest poultry farms after 60 chickens were found dead. Putting the city on "serious alert" for further outbreaks, Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok announced a 21-day shutdown of the local poultry industry, suspending all live chicken imports from mainland China, which supplies about half its live wholesale markets, and culling 80,000 birds from farms near the outbreak's locus. York said Tuesday that there were no reports of humans sickened by the virus, and that the government had not yet determined whether the birds were infected with the potentially lethal H5N1 or a less virulent strain of influenza.
Read more: Is Hong Kong's Bird Flu Vaccine Failing?
By Peter Ritter / Hong Kong (Time Magazine)
On Dec. 9, the Hong Kong government reported yet another outbreak of the virus at one of the city's largest poultry farms after 60 chickens were found dead. Putting the city on "serious alert" for further outbreaks, Hong Kong Secretary for Food and Health York Chow Yat-ngok announced a 21-day shutdown of the local poultry industry, suspending all live chicken imports from mainland China, which supplies about half its live wholesale markets, and culling 80,000 birds from farms near the outbreak's locus. York said Tuesday that there were no reports of humans sickened by the virus, and that the government had not yet determined whether the birds were infected with the potentially lethal H5N1 or a less virulent strain of influenza.
Read more: Is Hong Kong's Bird Flu Vaccine Failing?
By Peter Ritter / Hong Kong (Time Magazine)
Backyard Birders Do Citizen Science
Project FeederWatch lets birders participate in a citizenscience survey without leaving their back yards.
Run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, N. Y., and Bird Studies Canada, a nonprofit research group in Ontario, the project involves about 15,000 volunteers across the continent who make lists of all the birds that show up at their backyard feeders from November to early April. The collaboration began about 20 years ago, when Erica Dunn, an ornithologist who started the Ontario Bird Feeder Survey in 1976, realized that a larger survey would be better able to track population and migration trends. She approached the Cornell Lab about starting a similar study in the United States, and their joint effort enrolled 4,000 volunteers in 1987, its first year.
Project FeederWatch is a great way to learn about birds, with the support of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and countless other birders, accessible by e-mail. A $ 15 fee includes instructions, a handbook about birds and bird feeding, a poster with color illustrations of common feeder birds, a calendar, data forms and return envelopes. Records can also be submitted online.
More information is at www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw.
Read more: Backyard birders do citizen science
BY ANNE RAVER NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
Run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, N. Y., and Bird Studies Canada, a nonprofit research group in Ontario, the project involves about 15,000 volunteers across the continent who make lists of all the birds that show up at their backyard feeders from November to early April. The collaboration began about 20 years ago, when Erica Dunn, an ornithologist who started the Ontario Bird Feeder Survey in 1976, realized that a larger survey would be better able to track population and migration trends. She approached the Cornell Lab about starting a similar study in the United States, and their joint effort enrolled 4,000 volunteers in 1987, its first year.
Project FeederWatch is a great way to learn about birds, with the support of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and countless other birders, accessible by e-mail. A $ 15 fee includes instructions, a handbook about birds and bird feeding, a poster with color illustrations of common feeder birds, a calendar, data forms and return envelopes. Records can also be submitted online.
More information is at www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw.
Read more: Backyard birders do citizen science
BY ANNE RAVER NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Filling the Feeders for a Winter's Supping
For color and life in the garden through winter's dreary days, nothing beats a good selection of backyard birds. Give me a couple of male cardinals, a few pushy bluejays and an evening grosbeak or two against a snowy woods, and I'm in primary color heaven. Add the cheeky scolding of the chickadees and the non-stop chatter of the finches, and suddenly, the landscape doesn't seem so flat and moribund.
Feeding birds through the winter keeps them right where you want them -- just the other side of a window near a comfortable indoor seat. Providing seed may help our feathered friends get by, but we are the biggest beneficiaries, since we can enjoy them up close as we rarely do when they're foraging in the wild.
It's time to get those feeders cleaned and hung as the official start of winter approaches. But nothing's easy anymore and providing bird seed is not as unconflicted a topic as you might think. One group that would like you to think before you buy are the bluebird fans. Populations of bluebirds have declined drastically and one of the reasons why is an imported pip-squeak of a bird, the English house sparrow.
Deliberately released in the 1850s -- as a nostalgic souvenir of the Old Country and in the mistaken belief they would help control crop pests -- the English sparrow multiplied explosively and is now the most abundant songbird in America. Actually a weaver finch, this "sparrow" has taken a terrible toll on bluebirds (and tree swallows) due to its aggressive appropriation of bluebird boxes and other nesting sites. It will evict the native birds' egg and young, or build its nest atop them and get right to work producing as many as four broods a year. The result is still more English sparrows and fewer native treasures like the beautiful bluebird. You don't want to encourage these thuggish Brits and you don't want them mobbing your feeders, excluding other species. The first line of defense is to buy quality seed.
The cheapest mixes available in supermarkets and home stores are loaded with filler grains, such as white, red and German millet, cracked corn and wheat. Native birds aren't that interested in this fare, but English sparrows happily chow down. Don't put out bread crumbs or other bakery products, either. These are favorite snack foods of English sparrows and starlings, another introduced European bird that can descend from the sky in numbers not seen since Alfred Hitchcock's dark film "The Birds."
by Valerie Sudol/The Star-Ledger
Read more: Filling the feeders for a winter's supping
Feeding birds through the winter keeps them right where you want them -- just the other side of a window near a comfortable indoor seat. Providing seed may help our feathered friends get by, but we are the biggest beneficiaries, since we can enjoy them up close as we rarely do when they're foraging in the wild.
It's time to get those feeders cleaned and hung as the official start of winter approaches. But nothing's easy anymore and providing bird seed is not as unconflicted a topic as you might think. One group that would like you to think before you buy are the bluebird fans. Populations of bluebirds have declined drastically and one of the reasons why is an imported pip-squeak of a bird, the English house sparrow.
Deliberately released in the 1850s -- as a nostalgic souvenir of the Old Country and in the mistaken belief they would help control crop pests -- the English sparrow multiplied explosively and is now the most abundant songbird in America. Actually a weaver finch, this "sparrow" has taken a terrible toll on bluebirds (and tree swallows) due to its aggressive appropriation of bluebird boxes and other nesting sites. It will evict the native birds' egg and young, or build its nest atop them and get right to work producing as many as four broods a year. The result is still more English sparrows and fewer native treasures like the beautiful bluebird. You don't want to encourage these thuggish Brits and you don't want them mobbing your feeders, excluding other species. The first line of defense is to buy quality seed.
The cheapest mixes available in supermarkets and home stores are loaded with filler grains, such as white, red and German millet, cracked corn and wheat. Native birds aren't that interested in this fare, but English sparrows happily chow down. Don't put out bread crumbs or other bakery products, either. These are favorite snack foods of English sparrows and starlings, another introduced European bird that can descend from the sky in numbers not seen since Alfred Hitchcock's dark film "The Birds."
by Valerie Sudol/The Star-Ledger
Read more: Filling the feeders for a winter's supping
Training Available for Animal Rescue Volunteers
Just a year ago, when the Cosco Busan spilled tens of thousands of gallons of oil into the Bay, residents all over the Bay Area wanted to help birds and marine mammals affected by the spill.
But because of the chaos of the cleanup and following investigation, and a lack of formal training for some, many people were unable to do much but watch as the disaster unfolded.
Hoping to prevent the same situation from happening again, two Bay Area nonprofit organizations — WildRescue of Moss Landing, and the International Bird Rescue Research Center, based in Fairfield — are teaming up to offer several classes in the East Bay in the coming weeks that will teach students how to best help injured or oiled animals and birds.
"Through the years, I've realized that one of the biggest challenges in getting wildlife treatment is getting the finder — the public — to the right place," said Rebecca Dmytryk, who founded WildRescue in 2000. "Out of the Cosco Busan oil spill, I realized there was a lack of information out there and the public didn't understand the structure in which (the rescue operation) works. This is one way to satisfy the public's desire for knowing what to do and how to help an animal, and encourage them to work within the system."
Dmytryk said the classes are for anyone interested in learning about animal and bird rescue, whether they work with animals regularly or are just animal lovers. Those who participate will learn about natural history, laws and regulations, what equipment to use in rescue, what capture strategies will and will not work, how to stay safe, how to keep animals and birds safe and as calm as possible, and when it is best not to rescue an animal.
"Some animals should not be rescued," Dmytryk explained. "It is harmful for some animals with minor injuries to come into captivity and get stressed out."
By Shelly Meron, Staff writer, MercuryNews.com
Read more: Training available for animal rescue volunteers
Birding California's Central Coast
For spectacular scenic vistas and an exciting array of bird species, this region of the Golden State is unsurpassed
When I first drove the coast route from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, I couldn’t believe my eyes: mile after mile of undeveloped coastline giving way to redwood groves and towering hillsides, lush river mouths, and rocky gorges. I saw California Condors soar lazily overhead along Big Sur’s magnificent cliffs, elevated by gentle west winds. Growing up at the beach on the East Coast, I found this simply unthinkable—a place where nature has trumped the almighty dollar, where land is preserved instead of being developed, and where sunsets help earn California its nickname, the Golden State.
Nestled between the bustling celebrity of Los Angeles and the windswept streets of San Francisco lies an idyllic expanse of coast that time has seemingly forgotten, in all the right ways. This 300-mile stretch of central California is perhaps the most scenic coast in the United States. Many people visit this area simply to make the famous drive along Highway 1 in Big Sur, but there is much more to this area than scenic beauty. The region’s storied past is rich, spanning our imaginations from Zorro to Steinbeck, from Spanish missionaries to Russian fur-traders, from Cannery Row to fine wineries. Its biodiversity is no less complex. Hosting a remarkable variety of birds, Monterey is one of the most bird-rich counties in the United States, with 489 species recorded so far, and it provides some of the finest pelagic birding in North America.
Monterey Bay
On its calmest days, Monterey Bay is idyllic. Warm, dry breezes ripple cobalt waters, giving the impression that you are closer to the tropics than you actually are. But on wild days, gray clouds wall up and march in from the northwest, signaling the arrival of autumn’s first powerful cold fronts, torrential rains, hurricane-force winds, and raging seas—the ocean’s raw power on display. Residents take the changes in stride, prepared for anything life-by-the-sea throws their way. In Monterey people say you should “dress in layers,” and it’s not unusual to need a hat and gloves in August—or shorts and a T-shirt in December. Despite the changeable weather, Monterey Bay is without doubt the crown jewel of the central coast. It is one of the most productive marine environments in the world, and wildlife abounds in many forms. The area is especially important for pelagic birds, and a day trip on Monterey Bay at any season is sure to be unforgettable.
by Brian Sullivan
Read more: LivingBird Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Bird Feeding Basics
While most wild birds rely on wild foods for most of their meals, more than 100 North American species supplement natural foods with birdseed, suet, fruit and nectar obtained from feeders. Bird feeding can benefit birds while also providing pleasure for people throughout the year. Feeders benefit birds most during the winter when natural food supplies are scarce. However, additional species visit feeders during the spring and fall migrations, and some nesting birds utilize feeders during the summer.
To keep birds coming back to your feeders, provide them with three essential elements: the right variety of quality seed, a source of fresh water for drinking and bathing, and ample cover, preferably provided by native plants. Native plants also provide potential nesting sites and a source of natural food.
Bird feeders also present risks, potentially increasing the chances of window collisions, predation, and exposure to disease.
Following are some tips for safely attracting birds to your feeders.
Locate feeders at different levels. Sparrows, juncos, and towhees usually feed on the ground, while finches and cardinals feed in shrubs, and chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers feed in trees.
To avoid crowding and attract the greatest variety of species, provide table-like feeders for ground feeding birds, hopper or tube feeders for shrub and treetop feeders, and suet feeders well off the ground for woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees.
Offer a variety of seeds in separate feeders. A variety of seeds will attract the greatest variety of birds. To avoid waste, offer different seeds in different feeders. Black oil sunflower seed appeals to the greatest number of birds. Offer sunflower seeds, nyger (thistle) seeds, and peanuts in separate feeders.
When using blends, choose mixtures containing sunflower seeds, millet and cracked corn—the three most popular types of birdseed. Birds that are sunflower specialists will readily eat the sunflower seed and toss the millet and corn to the ground, to be
eaten by ground-feeding birds such as sparrows and juncos. Mixtures of peanuts, nuts and dried fruit are attractive to woodpeckers, nuthatches and titmice.
Relatively few species prefer milo, wheat, and oats, which are featured in less expensive blends.
Provide suet during cool weather only.
Suet (beef fat) attracts insect-eating birds such as woodpeckers, wrens, chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice. Place the suet in special feeders or net onion bags at least five feet from the ground to keep it out of the reach of dogs. Do not put out suet during hot weather as it can turn rancid; also, dripping fat can damage natural waterproofing on bird feathers.
Mix peanut butter and corn meal.
Peanut butter is a good substitute for suet in the summer. Mix one part peanut butter with five parts corn meal and stuff the mixture into holes drilled in
a hanging log or into the crevices of a large pinecone. This all-season mixture attracts woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, and occasionally, warblers.
Provide fruit for berry-eating birds.
Fruit specialists such as robins, waxwings, bluebirds, and mockingbirds rarely eat birdseed. To attract these birds, soak raisins and currants in water overnight, then place them on a table feeder, or purchase blends with a dried fruit mixture. To attract orioles and tanagers, skewer halved oranges onto a spike near other feeders, or provide nectar feeders.
Source: The National Audubon Society
Feeding Birds FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions About Feeding Birds
DOES FEEDING BIRDS PREVENT THEM FROM MIGRATING ON TIME?
Seasonal changes in the length of days, rather than an abundance of food, determine when birds will begin to migrate. Migrations begin in the fall as days shorten (when natural food is still abundant), and commence again in the spring as days lengthen.
WILL BIRDS SUFFER IF FEEDERS GO EMPTY?
Natural food supplies are typically exhausted during winter, as birds consume all the seeds and fruits at one location before moving on to the next. Similarly, if backyard feeders go empty while homeowners are on vacation, birds will look elsewhere for food. If your neighbors are also providing food, birds from your feeders will likely spend more time feeding there. Since feeders only supplement natural foods, most species will not suffer if feeders go empty for days or even weeks at a time.
HOW SOON CAN BIRDS BE EXPECTED AT NEW FEEDERS?
It may be a matter of hours before birds discover new feeders—or a matter of weeks. The variation depends on the distance to bird habitat, density of nearby feeders and the kinds of birds that might chance on the new feeder (chickadees, titmice, and House Sparrows are especially quick to locate new feeders). If there are many feeders in your neighborhood, birds may find new feeders more readily, as they already associate feeders with an easy meal. If birds are slow to find feeders, scatter sunflower seeds on top of the feeders, and on nearby surfaces such as bare soil. Bird decoys may help to lure the first visitors, and other birds will soon notice the new food source.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TIMES AND WEATHER CONDITIONS TO WATCH FEEDERS?
Birds visit feeders most often in the early morning, and again just before dusk. They use feeders less often in the afternoon and during rainy weather. In contrast, snow-covered ground forces sparrows and juncos to congregate at feeders as these species typically feed on bare ground.
Source: The National Audubon Society
DOES FEEDING BIRDS PREVENT THEM FROM MIGRATING ON TIME?
Seasonal changes in the length of days, rather than an abundance of food, determine when birds will begin to migrate. Migrations begin in the fall as days shorten (when natural food is still abundant), and commence again in the spring as days lengthen.
WILL BIRDS SUFFER IF FEEDERS GO EMPTY?
Natural food supplies are typically exhausted during winter, as birds consume all the seeds and fruits at one location before moving on to the next. Similarly, if backyard feeders go empty while homeowners are on vacation, birds will look elsewhere for food. If your neighbors are also providing food, birds from your feeders will likely spend more time feeding there. Since feeders only supplement natural foods, most species will not suffer if feeders go empty for days or even weeks at a time.
HOW SOON CAN BIRDS BE EXPECTED AT NEW FEEDERS?
It may be a matter of hours before birds discover new feeders—or a matter of weeks. The variation depends on the distance to bird habitat, density of nearby feeders and the kinds of birds that might chance on the new feeder (chickadees, titmice, and House Sparrows are especially quick to locate new feeders). If there are many feeders in your neighborhood, birds may find new feeders more readily, as they already associate feeders with an easy meal. If birds are slow to find feeders, scatter sunflower seeds on top of the feeders, and on nearby surfaces such as bare soil. Bird decoys may help to lure the first visitors, and other birds will soon notice the new food source.
WHAT ARE THE BEST TIMES AND WEATHER CONDITIONS TO WATCH FEEDERS?
Birds visit feeders most often in the early morning, and again just before dusk. They use feeders less often in the afternoon and during rainy weather. In contrast, snow-covered ground forces sparrows and juncos to congregate at feeders as these species typically feed on bare ground.
Source: The National Audubon Society
Buying Binoculars
To get the most out of birding it is essential that you get a good pair of binoculars. Not all binoculars are good for birding however, so use the tips below to find the pair that best fits you.
Full-sized Adult Binoculars
General requirements: The problem for most beginning birders is simply finding the bird. Look for binoculars that have a wide enough field of view to locate a bird and then follow its movements. The instrument must provide a bright enough image to allow you to distinguish subtle features, particularly in dim light, and also focus quickly so that you can get a sharp image of a fast-moving bird. If you wear glasses, look for binoculars that have a long enough eye relief to provide an unrestricted view.
Specifications: Binoculars are described by two numbers, 8x32, or 10x40, or 8x21 for example. The first number tells you the magnification while the second tells you the size of the objective lens, in millimeters. Binoculars, that have a bigger ratio between the magnification and the objective lens size will always give a sharper, brighter image than ones with a smaller ratio. (For instance, 8x42 provides a brighter sharper image than an 8x32 or 10x42.) Most birders agree that 7 or 8 power is about right for most birding. We generally recommend against purchasing 10 power binoculars because they have a smaller field of view and a dimmer image. Binoculars with a bright wide field will also be much easier to hold steady; higher magnification also magnifies the movement of your hands. You may want to consider purchasing mid-size binoculars, such as 8x32s since they are bright enough and easy to carry and pack, may have a field of view as good as many 8x42s.
Read more: Buying Binoculars
Full-sized Adult Binoculars
General requirements: The problem for most beginning birders is simply finding the bird. Look for binoculars that have a wide enough field of view to locate a bird and then follow its movements. The instrument must provide a bright enough image to allow you to distinguish subtle features, particularly in dim light, and also focus quickly so that you can get a sharp image of a fast-moving bird. If you wear glasses, look for binoculars that have a long enough eye relief to provide an unrestricted view.
Specifications: Binoculars are described by two numbers, 8x32, or 10x40, or 8x21 for example. The first number tells you the magnification while the second tells you the size of the objective lens, in millimeters. Binoculars, that have a bigger ratio between the magnification and the objective lens size will always give a sharper, brighter image than ones with a smaller ratio. (For instance, 8x42 provides a brighter sharper image than an 8x32 or 10x42.) Most birders agree that 7 or 8 power is about right for most birding. We generally recommend against purchasing 10 power binoculars because they have a smaller field of view and a dimmer image. Binoculars with a bright wide field will also be much easier to hold steady; higher magnification also magnifies the movement of your hands. You may want to consider purchasing mid-size binoculars, such as 8x32s since they are bright enough and easy to carry and pack, may have a field of view as good as many 8x42s.
Read more: Buying Binoculars
Backyard Bird Feeding - Suet Vs Vegetable Fat
Many animal care professionals have frequently maintained backyard-feeding sites for wild birds. Our approaches to this activity were rather nonchalant at best. Our feed choices were based on cost and effectiveness in attracting birds for personal pleasure. The nutritional value of the feed was irrelevant. Doesn't sound very professional does it?
The first thing professional animal keepers do is research the natural history of the animals in their care. What are their nutritional, habitat, and behavioral requirements for optimum health? In regard to nutrition, our attention was first drawn to suet cakes. They didn't seem like a very healthful option - all that fat, and even worse - saturated fat. Nearly all, if not all, commercial fat cakes are made with suet (beef fat). The suggestion that vegetable fat might be a more healthful alternative has been consistently rejected. What are the nutritional implications of using vegetable fat instead of suet in avian food cakes? What are the relevant issues to be considered? To begin with, there are two major issues of nutritional concern in all organisms - energy and nutrients.
Read more: Backyard Bird Feeding - Suet Vs Vegetable Fat
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Whittaker
The first thing professional animal keepers do is research the natural history of the animals in their care. What are their nutritional, habitat, and behavioral requirements for optimum health? In regard to nutrition, our attention was first drawn to suet cakes. They didn't seem like a very healthful option - all that fat, and even worse - saturated fat. Nearly all, if not all, commercial fat cakes are made with suet (beef fat). The suggestion that vegetable fat might be a more healthful alternative has been consistently rejected. What are the nutritional implications of using vegetable fat instead of suet in avian food cakes? What are the relevant issues to be considered? To begin with, there are two major issues of nutritional concern in all organisms - energy and nutrients.
Read more: Backyard Bird Feeding - Suet Vs Vegetable Fat
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Whittaker
Sunday, November 30, 2008
How to Stretch Your Feed Dollars
To the birds, all seed is free, whether it's from a flower stalk or a feeder. We humans know better, especially with the price of birdseed climbing the past few years.
The food industry is using sunflower oil for more healthful frying, leaving less seed for birds. Croplands once devoted to seed crops are increasingly being planted in corn for ethanol production. Add the higher costs of shipping heavy birdseed, and you'll understand why bird feeding is taking a bigger bite out of your budget. But you still want to feed the birds in your neighborhood, so here are some ways to stretch your bird-feeding dollar:
• Choose a single variety of seed over a mix.
• If you have a single feeder, fill it with black oil sunflower seed, which is attractive to the widest variety of birds.
• Cut down on seed waste by attaching a saucer beneath the feeder to catch what birds toss around, or use a platform feeder.
• Keep squirrels out of your feeders. They consume huge quantities of seed. Invest in squirrel-proof feeders, place your feeders at least 15 feet from trees, shrubs and structures that squirrels can use as jumping platforms or try feeding the squirrels. Give them whole corn kernels in a bucket at least 30 feet from bird feeders.
Read more: How to stretch your feed dollars
By VAL CUNNINGHAM, Contributing Writer
StarTribune.com
The food industry is using sunflower oil for more healthful frying, leaving less seed for birds. Croplands once devoted to seed crops are increasingly being planted in corn for ethanol production. Add the higher costs of shipping heavy birdseed, and you'll understand why bird feeding is taking a bigger bite out of your budget. But you still want to feed the birds in your neighborhood, so here are some ways to stretch your bird-feeding dollar:
• Choose a single variety of seed over a mix.
• If you have a single feeder, fill it with black oil sunflower seed, which is attractive to the widest variety of birds.
• Cut down on seed waste by attaching a saucer beneath the feeder to catch what birds toss around, or use a platform feeder.
• Keep squirrels out of your feeders. They consume huge quantities of seed. Invest in squirrel-proof feeders, place your feeders at least 15 feet from trees, shrubs and structures that squirrels can use as jumping platforms or try feeding the squirrels. Give them whole corn kernels in a bucket at least 30 feet from bird feeders.
Read more: How to stretch your feed dollars
By VAL CUNNINGHAM, Contributing Writer
StarTribune.com
Saturday, November 29, 2008
The Effects of Supplemental Feeding
Given the difficulty of finding food for many birds, it is not surprising that supplemental feeding can alter the behavior of birds. Varied Tits (a chickadee relative) reduced their participation in winter mixed-species flocks when given extra food. Mixed-species flocks form when food is scarce and patchy.
Supplementary feeding may affect bird reproductive behavior. When House Sparrows were provided with extra food, the males stayed closer to their nests. Females cheating on their mates by mating with other males decreased because of the increased presence of the male.
Providing food to birds can alter the distribution of birds over large geographic areas. The northward expansion of Northern Cardinals may have resulted, at least in part, from backyard bird feeding. In Finland, ornithologists strongly suggest that backyard feeding explains a tendency of birds to overwinter in Finland rather than migrate south.
Read more: Supplemental Feeding
Supplementary feeding may affect bird reproductive behavior. When House Sparrows were provided with extra food, the males stayed closer to their nests. Females cheating on their mates by mating with other males decreased because of the increased presence of the male.
Providing food to birds can alter the distribution of birds over large geographic areas. The northward expansion of Northern Cardinals may have resulted, at least in part, from backyard bird feeding. In Finland, ornithologists strongly suggest that backyard feeding explains a tendency of birds to overwinter in Finland rather than migrate south.
Read more: Supplemental Feeding
The Cardinal
Cardinals, also called "redbirds," do not migrate and have traditionally been more common in warmer climes such as the U.S. southeast. However, in recent decades they have expanded their common range north through the United States and even into Canada. This population growth may be due to an increase in winter birdfeeders and to the bird's ability to adapt to parks and suburban human habitats.
Only males sport the brilliant red plumage for which their species is known. The color is a key to mating success—the brighter the better. Females are an attractive tan/gray.
Read more: National Geographic - Cardinal
Only males sport the brilliant red plumage for which their species is known. The color is a key to mating success—the brighter the better. Females are an attractive tan/gray.
Read more: National Geographic - Cardinal
Preparing for Winter
There’s a huge variety of food that can be used to feed wild birds, and putting out a good mixture of different kinds will encourage a wide range of species into the garden. Sunflower seeds, pinhead oatmeal, raisins, mealworms, raw suet, bacon rind, melon seeds, stale cake and bread (moistened with a little water if it’s very dry) are all good sources of food. Peanuts (not salted ones) are good, too, but because birds can choke on whole nuts they are best provided in a small wire mesh feeder: this means the bird has to peck away at the nuts rather than grabbing them whole. A fresh coconut, halved across its equator and with a hole drilled in each end, can be hung up in the garden, but avoid desiccated coconut: it swells up in the bird’s stomach, which can be dangerous. You can also buy bags of mixed bird feed from garden centres.
It’s also a good idea to provide water, which birds use not only to drink but also to bathe in. While there should be more than enough water around in birds’ natural habitats at the moment, if we get freezing weather much of this water becomes unavailable to them, so a bird bath or shallow dish of water will be welcome. If the water in a bird bath freezes, remember to break the ice or pour in some hot water to melt it.
Read more: Wild and Wonderful
It’s also a good idea to provide water, which birds use not only to drink but also to bathe in. While there should be more than enough water around in birds’ natural habitats at the moment, if we get freezing weather much of this water becomes unavailable to them, so a bird bath or shallow dish of water will be welcome. If the water in a bird bath freezes, remember to break the ice or pour in some hot water to melt it.
Read more: Wild and Wonderful
Friday, November 28, 2008
Attracting Birds with Nest Material
Most birds build some kind of structure to contain their eggs and, in many cases, their growing youngsters. A bird's nest may be as simple as a depression on the ground such as made by a nighthawk, it may be a hole in a tree excavated by a woodpecker, or it may be as elaborate as the pouch-like nest woven by an oriole. The most familar type of nest, though, is a cup-shaped structure made of vegetation. Often, the outer layers are of coarse material, and there is a lining of softer or finer material. Depending on the species, cup-nesters may hide their nests in trees or shrubs, build them on the ground, or, like the familiar Eastern Bluebird, place them in nestboxes or tree holes.
If your yard has safe nest sites and adequate construction material, it will be more attractive to birds—even those that normally don't visit feeders.
Read more: Attracting Birds with Nest Material
If your yard has safe nest sites and adequate construction material, it will be more attractive to birds—even those that normally don't visit feeders.
Read more: Attracting Birds with Nest Material
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Attracting More Birds to Your Feeder
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- If you are a first time bird feeder or even a seasoned person who loves to feed birds, this year it is essential to keep the feeders full.
The drought has left its mark on plants that provide food for birds. Remember, however, once you start feeding the birds, you need to keep it going all winter long because your feathered friends will depend on you for a full dinner table.
Before birds take advantage of your feeders, they need to feel secure in the area, which can be provided by the twigs and branches of trees and shrubs.
If you find that your feeder is not being visited as frequently as you would like, consider planting a variety of shrubs on your property. Plants close to your feeder will also help reduce the time birds need to move from their cover to the food.
read more at: Attracting More Birds to Your Feeder
The drought has left its mark on plants that provide food for birds. Remember, however, once you start feeding the birds, you need to keep it going all winter long because your feathered friends will depend on you for a full dinner table.
Before birds take advantage of your feeders, they need to feel secure in the area, which can be provided by the twigs and branches of trees and shrubs.
If you find that your feeder is not being visited as frequently as you would like, consider planting a variety of shrubs on your property. Plants close to your feeder will also help reduce the time birds need to move from their cover to the food.
read more at: Attracting More Birds to Your Feeder
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