Spring and Summer Bird feeding Challenges

It’s most definitely upon us. The time of year when many of you are faced with challenges certain backyard visitors present. They can really test ones patience. I’m talking about Grackles and Starlings, Raccoons, Chipmunks, and Ring-tailed Lemurs. Well, maybe not Ring-tailed Lemurs.

Your bird feeders are of great interest to all these birds and animals largely due to the breeding season. I did not mention squirrels because we deal with them every day. The others are more of a seasonal issue. One thing worth mentioning about squirrels is they are more likely to eat safflower during this time. We’ve already heard from a few of you that squirrels have decided to start eating safflower when previously they did not. Usually it’s the young squirrels that eat safflower. This too shall pass.

When Grackles and Starlings are on the nest they seek quick, easy food sources and will visit in droves, eventually bringing their babies, too. We recommend a variety of strategies to lessen their impact:

· Offer nothing but Safflower seed rather than sunflower or blends with shelled seeds, shelled peanuts, and fruit. Safflower is smaller than sunflower and has a different shape, and a hard shell that Grackles and Starlings cannot crack open.

· Limit opportunities, and opportunities available should be difficult for a large bird like a grackle to use. For instance, small bird only or caged type feeders. Yes, this will also limit Cardinals but they would be happy to feed on whatever falls to the ground. If you have a tube type feeder with straight perches consider cutting them in half. They are usually made of aluminum and easy to cut. Half a perch will present great difficulties for a Grackle and Starling but small birds will use them easily.

· We also suggest shutting down feeders for a while, perhaps a week or two. This can cause these sudden intruders to move along to find a reliable food source. Usually the Grackle/Starling pressure recedes by mid to late June when breeding is concluding. Birds you like to see will typically return to feeders in little time.

· Suet is a favorite food source during this time because it’s soft and easy to take large chunks. Again, removing the food source for a week may cause the problems to move along. Another thing to try is take note of the timing of their visits. You can offer smaller amounts of food, like a third of a suet cake at a time, so your desired visitors have a consistent food source for part of the day. When the problem visitors show up there is little food remaining.

· Squirrel proof suet feeders are very effective at keeping squirrels out but not always the Grackles. Only the largest Squirrel proof suet feeders provide enough distance between the food source and the outer cage to stop Grackles and Starlings.

Next to Grackles and Starlings there’s a tie for most complaints between Raccoons and Chipmunks. Raccoons are expert climbers, they have great dexterity in their paws, which are really like hands, they can grow to be quite large, and their strength and brain power far exceeds that of a squirrel. Many of you find your feeders on the ground in the mornings damaged with squirrels gathered round feasting on the exposed seed. This is a sure sign that a raccoon has been “working the night shift” as they are mostly nocturnal. They will take feeders off hooks and hangers with ease, take the lids off and eat until they are satisfied, and leave the scraps for the squirrels. Here are some suggestions for reducing raccoon problems:

· Bring feeders in at night that are accessible to raccoons. It may take a few weeks to condition the raccoon to not to show up. After a few weeks try leaving a feeder out one night to see if they have gotten the idea that no food would be available. Continue taking the feeder in if you see evidence they’ve been there.

· The “limited amount” strategy works well here, too. If it’s suet they are getting put only a third or half a cake in the feeder. By nightfall when the raccoon shows up there would be little if anything left.

· Raccoon baffles for pole systems, which are much larger than squirrel baffles, are very effective. Follow directions and you will have success. A squirrel baffle will not likely stop a motivated raccoon.

· This is not my favorite strategy but some people will make food available in places away from feeders. They might offer table scraps, corn, or cat food to satisfy the raccoons. I see evidence of raccoons getting in my compost pile where I put everything from coffee grounds to old fruit and vegetable scraps. In my opinion this strategy just encourages their desire to visit.

Chipmunks are challenging in that they can squeeze through caged squirrel proof feeders and they are not heavy enough to activate most weight activated feeders. And they like safflower. However, any squirrel baffle used properly will stop them cold.

Be patient. We need to try and be tolerant of all wildlife even when they are pesky.

Spring Hummingbird Expectations

Male Ruby-throat.

Every year at this time we regularly answer the question “when will the hummingbirds arrive”?

Ruby-throated hummingbirds do begin migrating into and through TN as early as the latter part of March, with the bulk of them arriving or passing through between mid-April and mid-May. Those that stay in mid-TN then begin the task of courting and nesting. Their interest in feeders is minimal at this time. Why? Unless a hard freeze kills blooms and no flowers are available nature provides hummingbirds with everything they could possibly need, which is nectar from plants, and insects for protein.

Remember, Ruby-throated hummingbirds have been making the journey to North America from central and South America to breed for roughly ten thousand years. They would come here whether we had feeders full of sugar water or not. They will come to feeders when they are ready and that typically occurs near the end of their breeding season, usually starting around June to mid-July. People living in rural areas tend to see hummingbirds earlier and more often than people in more urban areas. Why? The simple answer is rural areas provide more nesting habitat for hummingbirds.

So, if you are wondering when to put up a hummingbird feeder you may do so now. However, do not expect to see a lot of activity. It is certainly possible you may see a bird or two take advantage of the feeder before moving on to its final destination.

The Best Solution for Hummingbird Nectar

The best nectar you can offer hummingbirds is a simple 1 part sugar to 4 parts water solution. It is not necessary for the water to be brought to a boil before adding sugar. The nectar is ready after the sugar has been stirred in and fully dissolved. Do not add color in the form of food dye. Color is absolutely unnecessary and potentially harmful. Also it is not good to use natural raw sugar, the kind that is slightly brown in color. Regular white table sugar is recommended.

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Are birds fighting your windows? It’s called image fighting.

Every spring we are inundated with the question “why is a Cardinal trying to get through my window?” Cardinals are the most common bird to image fight, but it can be any number of species including Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, Eastern Towhee, and Mockingbirds. Cardinals are probably the most common because they often nest in shrubs close to a house.

Image fighting refers to the sometimes constant presence of a bird fluttering at and making contact with a window, or many different windows of a home. Sometimes it will be the side view mirror of a vehicle. During the breeding season a bird’s sense of territoriality is heightened. A bird will pass a window and detect the movement of a bird that appears to be the same species. It will fly up to the window see its reflection and begin trying to drive away the competitor. It’s the result of a basic instinct that has not been able to adapt to a man-made object. This activity can go on for months, and beyond the breeding season if unaddressed. The bird rarely injures itself seriously. Mostly it just creates a mess on the window and sill.

We recommend stopping this pattern of behavior as soon as possible so the bird can resume normal activities and not annoy you. The best way to stop this activity is to block the source of the reflection for a period of no less than a week to start. This can be achieved by putting up any opaque material: a sheet or towel, cardboard cut to the size of the pane of glass, it really doesn’t matter as long as the bird cannot see itself. Closing the drapes or shade on the inside doesn’t usually help. Putting it on the interior can actually make the reflection more pronounced. A couple of inflated balloons on a piece of string taped to the glass works very well, too. The balloons move around with the slightest breeze which keeps the bird from wanting to approach. Again, try this for no less than a week. Repeated applications may be necessary. Usually the behavior lessens or stops after the birds have fully delved into its first nesting, or after breeding season concludes. Try one of these methods to help your birds get back to the business of raising young.

House Wren Competition

After our blog about “dealing with predators and problems” appeared last week we received a couple of comments about House Wrens (HW). One comment referred to the HW as a predator. Technically the HW is not a predator but a competitor, and has been known to pierce eggs and even kill baby birds in the nest box. They also have the unique behavior of filling up several available boxes with their nest material with no intention of using those nests. These are known as “dummy nests”. This is an interesting dilemma because the HW is a native songbird and must be treated as such.

The House Wren is not a year round species, like the Carolina Wren, and tends to first appear in this area around mid-April. They are fairly common but many of you will never see one in your yard. In 28 years at my home I have never included the House Wren on my “yard bird” list.

HW’s use almost exclusively sticks for nest building so when monitoring your nest boxes this is an easily identified nest. Any advice we can offer to help keep HW’s from doing what they do may “backfire”. Offering more choices of nest boxes can alleviate “pressure” on the one or two already present but may encourage more HW activity. Spending a little time monitoring your boxes can help. For instance, if you find sticks in a nest box where Bluebirds have been building a nest you may remove the sticks. Don’t just drop them on the ground because HW’s will just retrieve them and put them back. Or as we suggest with House Sparrows plug the entrance hole to a box for a while if you see HW activity.

An interesting strategy to try if you have experienced HW issues is the wren guard. The wren guard disguises the entrance hole. (Click here for a more in depth look at the wren guard). The wren guard is best used after a Chickadee or Bluebird, for example, have already fully committed to a nest by laying eggs.

It’s good to remember competition among birds for nest sites can reveal some difficult things about nature.

We hope this helps some of you and next week we will spend a little more time on monitoring Bluebird boxes. Please keep the questions coming. We enjoy being able to address things you want to learn about backyard birds.

Attracting Bluebirds: Dealing with Predators and Problems

Last week we invited you to ask questions you may have about Bluebirds, or any backyard bird subject. Trish Bolian asked us to show the difference in a Bluebird nest and a House Sparrow nest. And because Chickadees often use nest boxes we will show the 3 nest comparison. Thanks, Ms. Bolian.

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Unfortunately for nesting birds here in mid-TN there are a number of predators and pests that can deter, disrupt, or destroy an attempt to nest. It’s no different for Bluebirds.

The most common problems are the House Sparrow, Raccoons, and Rat snakes.

The House Sparrow is perhaps the most common and frustrating to deal with. This introduced tenacious species is particularly noticeable in spring when the nesting season kicks in to high gear. You see them busily building nests in some of the most unlikely places, car washes, in traffic lights, gaps in broken store signs, Home Depot rafters, and in gaps or openings in just about any fast food restaurant. They may suddenly appear in yards and show interest in a nest box. Their nest is course, sloppy, and may contain debris like candy wrappers, cigarette butts, feathers, and odds and ends. These birds are highly motivated and typically get started in early March. House Sparrows have been known to pierce bluebird eggs and/or physically remove them from the nest. And in many cases they will fight the adult Bluebirds, sometimes putting so much pressure on them they decide to abandon. We have seen examples of adult Bluebirds being killed by these violent confrontations. So, what can be done? There are both passive and aggressive techniques that can be employed. The one you choose may depend on your level of past experience with House Sparrows. And we encourage you to under no circumstances allow a House Sparrow to use any of your nest boxes.

Ø If House Sparrows (HSP) begin showing interest in your Bluebird (BB) box by landing on and entering act quickly and plug the entrance hole to deny further access. Given a few days or a week of denied access the House Sparrows may become extremely eager to nest and look elsewhere. Repeat the process if they show up again. We see little evidence of BB nesting in early March but more likely early to mid-April. Be patient. Even if the BB shows up and looks at the box resist the temptation to unplug it, especially if the Sparrows have recently been there. After a few days of not seeing the HSP unplug the box and monitor for possible return. Be more patient than them and you just may win the battle.

Ø You may also pull out HSP nests and destroy eggs. Again, if this does not fit your philosophy at least plug up the box. Just don’t let them have it.

Ø We have two different Sparrow traps that can be effective. The Van Ert Sparrow trap is one that mounts inside the box and has a spring loaded mechanism that releases a door quickly closing the entrance hole thus trapping the bird inside. Pros and cons: this is a trap you should be monitoring frequently. It is best used if Bluebirds have not been present, only Sparrows. It is perfect for catching a Sparrow that has already begun nest building. After installing the trap use the Sparrows nest material taken from the box and drop it on the ground below the box. Sparrows will almost certainly go to that nest material and attempt to put it back in the box. Perfect. They go in trip the mechanism and will be caught as indicated by the bright orange marker displayed in the entrance hole. Just releasing them will put you back to square one. Relocating probably requires up to 10 miles. Relocating is not recommended and technically violates laws on transporting wildlife. The other option is to dispose of the bird. This is a touchy subject and one to be considered and decided by the individual. House Sparrows have been heavily factored into the beginning of the decline of Bluebirds many years ago. They are an introduced, non-native species therefore unprotected by law.

Ø Contraptions like the Magic Halo works quite well although we’ve seen HSP’s totally disregard it at times. The only place I’ve seen the Magic Halo available is on Amazon. The problem with the Halo is it is difficult to adapt to a bluebird box. For some reason it was made more with intent to keep Sparrows off bird feeders. The basic idea of the Halo is to create a vertical column of monofilament (fishing line) around the box. These are relatively easy to construct and one can use materials around the house to improvise. HSP’s are visibly bothered by the contraption and are reluctant to land on the box or go to the entrance, but not Bluebirds. Another contraption you may see is called the Sparrow Spooker. I am less confident in this one because I have no practical experience with it. Anything is worth a try when it comes to discouraging HSP’s. For more information about discouraging HSP’s visit the North American Bluebird Societies (NABS) website at www.nabluebirdsociety.org and Click here to visit their page on House Sparrow control.

Above all before taking action please positively identify the bird going into your nest box. Be sure it is a House Sparrow. Any other native species should be welcomed and have a chance to use the box.

Raccoons and Rat snakes are formidable predators and can be dealt with in much the same way. Raccoons are intelligent and great climbers, and Rat snakes are supreme climbers. Not all of us presenting Bluebird boxes will encounter these two but if you experience regular and on-going visits from Raccoons at your bird feeders we would encourage you to employ a Raccoon baffle on a pole to protect your Bluebird box. We carry baffles that will fit a metal pole up to 1 ¾” diameter, and wood posts up to 3 5/8” (todays 4x4). It should be noted a squirrel baffle may or may not stop either one of these predators. YouTube is loaded with videos of raccoons negotiating around a squirrel baffle.

Box placement has proven to be a factor, too. My 10 box Bluebird trail in a field has had no predation by Raccoons in many years of service. Boxes placed more in field and meadow situations tend to see less raccoon activity. Boxes placed adjacent to woodland and stream environments tend to see more. In this situation placing a nest box on a tree is not advised. This goes for rat snakes, too. A good raccoon baffle should stop both raccoons and rat snakes the vast majority of the time. For do it yourselfers you may want to check out the National Bluebird Society website for plans on PVC baffles and other critter stopping hardware and tips. Click here for NABS Predator control page.

Cats account for the majority of damage to bird populations in general. If you have a cat that is mostly outdoors and does a lot of hunting please reconsider this practice, but also we would recommend not having birdhouses or feeders until such time that you no longer have a cat. No guard or baffle stops a cat and most of the time a cat is waiting for its prey on the ground. Bluebirds are primarily ground feeders and become an easy target.

We can’t protect Bluebirds from every possible dangerous scenario in nature but it’s been through efforts of homeowner and Bluebird organizations that Bluebird numbers are strong today. Through a thoughtful and common sense approach to placement of boxes, observation, and monitoring we can continue to help Bluebirds thrive and enjoy being a part of the process and their success. As always we are available for on sight consultations and in-store recommendations.

Wet weather woe's?

Hello all,

It looks like another interesting weather weekend to hunker down and keep an eye on birdfeeders. All this wet weather does create some issues, however, that we would like to offer some prevention and maintenance tips for.

Mesh feeders like a shelled peanut or nyjer feeder are particularly troublesome in wet weather. As are feeders containing shelled sunflower. Such feeders really do benefit from a weather guard. The more rain you can keep off the feed the longer it will stay in good condition for the birds to consume and reduce your need to clean out clumped, rotting food. Yuck! Really wet feed is unpleasant to deal with.

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Wire mesh peanut feeder with weather guard.

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Aspects seed tube with weather guard and tray.

But even regular tube type feeders can collect moisture that settles to the bottom where a wet mess can turn into an unhealthy situation for your birds. Be a little more vigilante of feeder conditions at this time. Avoid refilling your feeder when there is a mass of wet clumped seed at the bottom. Weather guards of one kind or another can benefit tube feeders as well. And squirrel baffles serve well as weather guards. They are usually just larger versions of a weather guard.

Some feeders, like Aspects brand, have a very convenient push-button release base that allows you to clean out caked wet seed from the bottom in just seconds.

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Aspects quick release base.

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Clorox wipes are very handy for cleaning around feed ports. When the whole feeder isn’t ready for a cleaning just a quick wipe where the birds actually feed is very helpful to prevent unhealthy conditions.

If you have a platform feeder be very conservative about filling it in wet weather. Being totally exposed to the elements any seed out of the shell will deteriorate quickly. In the shell seeds are generally fine as long as the platform feeder has ample drainage, like a screened bottom. When I anticipate a period of rain I avoid adding any more seed to the platform feeder until the rain subsides. And before I refill it I use a putty knife, or old spatula, to quickly remove wet shell remnants.

If your tube type feeder has a tray the accumulation of shells and moisture can clog the drainage holes. Wiping the shell remnants out is easy enough using paper towels or a rag. Toothpicks are handy for cleaning out the drainage holes. And as always a good birdfeeder brush is essential to give tube feeders a deep cleaning. Warm soapy water is usually adequate but if you’ve let your feeder get really bad a mild solution of bleach and water and a few hours soaking might be necessary.

None of us really like cleaning our feeders but it really is a good and necessary thing to do if you enjoy this wonderful hobby. We hope some of these suggestions help and keep thinking sunny thoughts. The sun is bound to come back out sometime.