REASONS WHY GEORGIANS OFTEN SEE MORE DOWNY THAN HAIRY WOODPECKERS

Feb15

      If you are one of the Georgians that has wondered why you see far more downy than hairy woodpeckers in your yard, you are not alone. Let’s look at some of the reasons why this is the case.

       To begin with, downy woodpeckers are far more abundant than hairy woodpeckers.  Approximately 11 million downy woodpeckers live here.  In comparison, only 8.7 million hairy woodpeckers are flying about the Peach State.

       Which woodpecker that you see most often is also affected by the habitat in and around your home. 

`     Hairy woodpeckers prefer to live in forests composed of large, mature trees.  Here they spend most of their time hunting for the larvae of wood boring insects.  These insects comprise about one-third of their diet.  The next most important item on their menu is amts.

       In comparison, downy woodpeckers are most often found living in more open habitats where there is an abundance of smaller trees and weeds (e.g. goldenrod).  In addition, they also often feed on seeds extracted from pinecones. 

       On the other hand, Downy woodpeckers prefer hunting for food in more open habitats dominated by young trees and herbaceous plants like as goldenrod.

      

SUET AND BIRD PUDDINGS ARE NOT THE ONLY SOURCES OF FAT EATEN BY BIRDS

Feb11

       The use of animal fat by birds dates back at least to the 1890s. For example, historians tell us that in 1898 Florence Merriam Bailey and others were feeding animal fat to birds.  These bird early enthusiasts simply tacked raw suet to the trunks of trees. This practice continues to this day. 

       Several years ago, a good friend of mine conducted an experiment to try to determine whether birds prefer chunks of suet (fat found around the kidneys of cattle) to rendered suet.

       It is easy for us to believe that birds only obtain animal fat from raw suet, rendered suet and bird puddings.  Quite by accident several years ago, I found this is not the case.

       At the time, I made my discovery I was working at a checking station on the Rum Creek Wildlife Management Area. I was one of the folks that examined each deer harvested. These animals were examined under an open deer weighing shelter. After the deer were examined, chunks of deer fat were often left behind.

       One day during a deer hunt, I just happened to notice dark-eyed juncos were feeding on bits of deer fat had collected along the edge of the shelter along the edge of the shelter.

       I suspect that birds of been eating the fat found on dead animals of millions of years.  Dark-eyed juncos are not the only birds that have been known to eat the fat of dead animals.  The list of others that do the same are tufted titmice, wrens and woodpeckers. 

 

BACKYARD SECRET – BLUE JAYS HAVE A NEAT WAY TO CARRY LOTS OF ACORNS

Feb8

       The acorn is one of the most important foods in the blue jay’s diet.  Unwittingly blue jays store (cache) many of the acorns they gather in spots that are sometimes located a few miles away.  That being the case, more acorns can be stored in less time if jays could carry several acorns at a time.

       Well, as it turns out the blue jay has a simple but effective way to carry up to five or six acorns at a time. It accomplishes this fete by removing the caps of each acorn. If you carefully watch a blue jay collecting acorns, you will find that, in most cases, it removes the cap from each nut before stuffing it into its mouth.

       It is equally amazing to me that blue jays bury each acorn with its tip down.  It sounds similar to the way we plant bulbs with the bottom of each bulb facing downward. Since jays never find all of the acorns they bury, unbeknownst to them they are planting oaks.

       If you just take the time to watch a bird, there is no telling what you will learn.

THE GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT – BIRDING WITH A PURPOSE

Feb5

          There are 365 days in the year, however during four special days in February you and your family can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count.  During these four days you will be able to join literally hundreds of thousands of bird enthusiasts living in more than 200 countries scattered across the globe in a survey designed to assist ornithologists better understand the world’s bird populations.

          The 2026 Great Backyard Bird Count will take place February 13-16.

          The survey is sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada.

          This has got to be the simplest bird survey you have ever seen.  All you have to do is select an area (e.g. backyard, park, you name it) and count all of the birds you can identify in just 15 minutes.  You can survey as many areas are you like during the four-day count period. In fact, you can survey the same areas each day. 

          Then after you complete a survey count you submit the data online.  The survey form is very simple and takes only a few moments to complete.  One of the neatest things about the count once you submit a survey you can visit a map of the world displaying where the counts are being held.

          You do not have to be an expert birder  to take part in the survey.  This is because you count only those birds you can identity.  Consequently, this is a survey practically everyone can enjoy.

          For more information regarding this super event, simply go to your computer’s search engine and type in Great Backyard Bird Count.  The  website  will provide you with all of the information you need to enjoy some tine birding knowing that the bird list(s) you submit will help bird conservation.

 

NORTHERN FLICKERS RARELY VISIT FEEDERS

Feb1

       If you have never seen a northern flicker at your bird feeders, you are not alone. I personally have never spotted at one at mine either; however, they infrequently visit my birdbath.  In spite of my inability of entice a flicker to my feeders, the Cornell University’s FeedWatch survey reveals that in some states, more than half those participating in the survey report  their feeders are visited annually by flickers. Even then the birds are not regular visitors throughout the entire winter.  Those folks that host them say they see rarely see more than one or two of the birds at a time.

       It seems that when they visit feeders, they most often dine on bird puddings are suet.  The list of some of the other foods eaten by flickers includes the likes of baked goods, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and millet.

       I hope you have enjoyed seeing flickers at your feeders.  Northern flickers are truly fascinating birds.

BACKYARD SECRET – THE DOWNY HAS A SPECIAL WAY TO DEAL WITH THE COLD

Jan31

       Georgians deal with the bitter cold in a number of ways.  However, earlier this week we were truly tested.  The temperature dropped to 14º.  Now I know that is not as cold as it gets where many of our fellow bloggers live, but it is indeed cold here in the Peach State.

       Living in a rural area prior to the temperature dropping into the teens, we have to make sure that our water pipes don’t freeze. In our case, this means turning on strong lights in the well house to keep the pump and pipes found there will not freeze. We also wrap our outside faucets. In addition, we let the faucets steadily drop water throughout the night.

       While we can take these and other measures to keep from suffering from the bitter cold, our wildlife neighbors have few ways to deal with the cold of a winter night As such, they often face a life or death situation just trying to stay warm. However, I am always amazed when I learn of some to the ways these seemingly defenseless creatures have found ways to survive winter’s icy cold temperatures.  Here is an example of what I mean.

       During the fall downy woodpeckers, cavities downys excavate to serve as roost sites typically face away from the prevailing wind.  Meanwhile those dug at other times of the year are randomly oriented. Many experts believe this is because in winter, the interiors of cavities that face into the prevailing winds get colder than those facing away from them.

       Isn’t nature amazing?

BACKYARD SECRET – BIRDS NEED WATER IN FREEZING WEATHER

Jan25

       Those Georgians that feed birds have been busy during the past few days keeping their feeders stocked with suet, seeds, cornbread and other bird favorites.  However, I suspect many folks have not offered their bird neighbors water.  The truth of the matter is that birds need water in winter as much as they do in summer.

       The problem is that when the temperature drops below freezing our birdbaths freeze.  Nothing is sadder that watching birds fly up to a frozen birdbath vainly looking for water.
With that in mind, if the water in your birdbath does freeze, there are a few things that you can do.  One is to pour water onto the ice.  If it is not extremely cold, birds will be able to drink and bathe before it freezes.

       Another thing that you can do is to place a shallow pan such as those placed beneath potted plants atop the frozen ice.  If you do take this approach, fill the pan so that it is only 1.5 inches or so deep.

       You can also purchase devices that heat birdbath water.  My wife and I received one for Christmas.  The problem is it is still in the box!

 

      

 

BACKYARD SECRET – TWO SEEDS WILL ATTRACT ALL OF THE SEED-EATING BIRDS THAT VISIT YOUR FEEDERS

Jan21

         For all practical purposes, white millet and black oil sunflower seeds will attract all of the seed-eating birds that you are likely to see at your feeders.  Birds such as sparrows (chipping, white-throated, fox, field, white-crowned, and song) dark-eyed juncos, mourning doves and eastern towhees all relish white millet. Even cardinals devour their fair share of these seeds.

       The long list of birds that prefer to dine on black oil sunflower seeds includes cardinals, house and purple finches, Carolina chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, blue jays, red-headed and red-bellied, downy, and hairy woodpeckers, American goldfinches, and pine siskins.

       In order to attract these and other seedeaters offer seeds placed on or near the ground as well as elevated feeders.

CLEANING UP SUNFLOWER SEED HULLS IS A MUST

Jan18

       Sunflower seeds are favored by most of the birds that visit our backyard feeders.  The problem is that many birds such as cardinals and finches crack open the seeds at the feeder.  Consequently, in a short period of time the sunflower seed hulls build up below our feeders. These hulls need to be regularly removed.

      The hulls contain a chemical that will retard the growth of many plants. Consequently, if they are not removed you are left with a barren area directly beneath your feeder.

       In addition, they pose a health hazard to birds. The hulls become a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Feeder birds come in contact with bacteria and fungi when they feed on the seeds that fall from the feeder. Many of these dangerous organisms can cause birds to become sick or even die. With that in mind, make a point of regularly raking up the hulls and disposing them in the trash.  By so doing, your feeding area will remain attractive, and you will reduce the chance that the birds using your feeders will become infected with a life-threatening disease.

      

BACKYARD SECRET – HOUSE SPARROWS CAN SWIM

Jan14

        As remarkable as it sounds, house sparrows can swim!  Now I am not talking about simply wading into shallow water and vigorous beating its wings back and forth as all of the other birds that bathe in our backyards.  Amazingly, when pursued by a hawk or other predator, the house sparrow can actually dive beneath the surface of the water and swim underwater for a short distance.   This greatly enhances their ability to avoid being eaten by a predator.

       Now that is something I want to see.  However, since I provide my backyard birds with shallow birdbaths, I will have to be on the lookout for sparrows using the edge of a stream or pond to witness this unusual behavior.

       I do not know of anybody that has witnessed a house sparrow swimming.  If you have been lucky enough to do so, please share the details.