One of the most common birds that visit my bird feeding area during the winter is the chipping sparrow. While they will dine on suet, they prefer the white millet. While I serve it in a tube feeder and two platform feeders, they most often feed on the ground, a short feeding table and metal mesh feeders. Their feeding activity seems tranquil, however, it is serious business. Their ability to find and consume food every day throughout the winter, plays a key role in determining whether the birds will survive to breed next spring. Let me explain.
A study conducted in Arizona revealed that a chipping sparrow consumes roughly 2¼ pounds of seeds each winter. This may not sound like a lot until you consider this is 160 times the tiny bird’s body weight.
The task of eating enough seeds to attain is total is quit a fete when you consider that they prefer to each very small (1 mm or less) seeds. For the most part, these seeds are provided by weeds. The food offered at our feeders makes it easier for the birds of meet their daily dietary needs. Once a seed is found, it takes a chipping sparrow only one to three seconds to husk it. As you might expect, some seeds are easier to husk than others are. Millet seeds are easily husked. Being able to consumer enough food is also affected the amount of food available. In other words, it is much easier for a chipping sparrow to eat lots of food found at our feeders is a shorter period of time than foraging for it elsewhere.
If you would like to assist chipping sparrows obtain the rigors of winter, if you are not already doing so, add white millet or a mixed seed containing lots of millet to the menu of your backyard bird café.
Our chipping as well as white-throated, song, and field sparrows seem to like weeds along and down the middle of a gravel driveway, possibly a source of grit also?
Cam,
You are fortunate to have three species of sparrows visiting your yard. As the weeds grow along your gravel driveway, they are likely producing seeds for the birds and the driveway is a source of grit.
Thanks, Terry!
Your post has me rethinking how I feed birds, and I have questions :
Is it best to serve single-type seeds? I currently buy very large bags of mixed seed w/millet, black sunflower seeds, cracked corn, etc. I also have suet feeders.
Unrelated to your article topic: with concerns regarding bird flu spread and human contact, are there any Extension Service best-practice guidelines on how humans should approach daily feedings/food replenishment?
I enjoy your posts! I learn so much from them!
Penny,
Thank you for your comments about the Blog. There is nothing wrong with using mixed seed if it includes high percentages of black oil sunflower seeds and millet. When it includes other grains, they often decomposing on the ground quite rapidly. This is especially true when the seed is exposed to a lot of rain, are high humidity. Birds will eat other seeds in the mixes, however, depending on the birds you are feeding, they may not be preferred foods. Consequently, if you have room for a number of feeders, go ahead to place the different seen in separate feeders. Another option is the mix the millet and sunflower seeds yourself and create a mix that you know is preferred by the birds. This would be cost efficient as you won’t be throwing away lots of uneaten seeds.
I don’t know about Extension’s recommendations regarding feeding wild bids. The Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources should issue recommendations concerning feeding wild birds if they feel it is necessary do to so. If I hear that is a problem, I will post the warning on the blog.
I have only bought 2 bags of millet since reading about this in your blog. I found a wonderful feeder that holds the seeds, so I now keep one feeder for millet. I did not know about feeding millet until you mentioned this, I think, last year. Thank you for all your wonderful advice to help our birds,
Thanks Martha, I am happy to hear the millet works well for you.