Archive | November 2025

AMERICANS BUY LOTS OF BIRD SEED

Nov30

        I normally do not like to be a member of large crowds.  Such is not the case with those of us that feed wild birds. Recent survey reveal that more there are more than 50 million of us in the United States.  Our extremely large group annually spends more than $4 billion to purchase 1 billion pounds of birdseed!

         

 

WHY DO WE SEE MORE CHIPPING SPARROWS AT OUR FEEDERS IN WINTER?

Nov26

      One of the most common birds we see at our feeders is the chipping sparrow.  During the winter, it is not uncommon for me to count 30-40 “chippies” feeding in my bird feeder area.  Once warm weather arrives, they simply disappear even though I provide them with as much food as I do throughout the winter.

      Two of the main reasons why we see so many chipping sparrows in the winter is the chipping sparrows that bred locally have abandon their breeding territories and migrants that were raised far to the north of Georgia. The truth of the matter is literally thousands of chipping sparrows winter in the Peach State.  Once here, flocks of chipping sparrows roam places like fields and roadsides looking for the seeds of crabgrass, ragweed and the like.  They are also particularly fond of feeding in our backyards. Here they find an abundance of easily accessible food.

       By far, the chipping sparrows that feed in my yard prefer dining on while millet seeds. Others have found they will also eat canary seed cracked corn and hulled sunflower seeds.

GEORGIA’S WINTER HUMMINGBIRD SEASON

Nov24

        For most hummingbird enthusiasts, the opportunity to host hummingbirds in their backyards extends from March through October.  When the last hummingbird leaves on its fall migration one cannot hope but wish we could enjoy watching hummingbirds throughout the year.  It is a little-known fact that some Georgians actually do host hummingbirds throughout the year. In order to do this, they are successful in attracting the tiny migrants during Georgia’s Second “Winter” Hummingbird Season.  This season extends from November through February.

       During this season, you can see more species of hummingbirds than at any other time of the year. The species you are most likely to see is the rufous.  It is estimated that anywhere from 50-100 rufous hummingbirds annually winter in Georgia. Most of the others have been seen in Georgia only a handful of times.

       If you want to have the rare opportunity of hosting one of these special birds this winter, maintain a feeder throughout the winter.  There is no need to keep a feeder full of nectar; however, it is important that you change it regularly.

RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD by Terry W Johnson

       Admittedly, the chances of seeing a rufous are slim; the odds are much greater than winning the Georgia Lottery.  In addition, if you are successful in having a rufous winter in your yard, there is a chance it will return the next winter.

       If a hummingbird shows up in your yard this winter, please let me know.

BACKYARD SECRET – MOST EXOTIC PLANTS IN OUR YARDS HAVE LITTLE OR NO FOOD VALUE FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE

Nov19

       Some experts say that at least 80 percent of the plants growing in our yards are exotics that have little or no food value for native wildlife. This has contributed to the decline in native plant and animal populations in suburban settings. 

       Just one example of this is studies have shown there is 35 times more caterpillar biomass in native woody vegetation than is found in exotic woody plants.  This is important because caterpillars are a key source of food for many wild animals.  For example, 96 percent of terrestrial birds eat caterpillars.

       With this in mind, if you are interested in increasing the variety and numbers of native animals in your yard, expand the number and diversity of native woody plants that grow on your property.

FLOWERING DOGWOOD

AFTER FREEZE NECTAR SOURCES

Nov16

       This week much of Georgia suffered through the first freezing temperatures of the season.  At our home in Monroe County, the temperature fell to 27º.   Realizing that spelled trouble for many pollinators my wife and I brought in two plants (scarlet sage and pineapple sage) that have been hosting cloudless sulphurs for the past few weeks.

       When the weather returned to normal, we put them back on our deck. In a matter of minutes, they were once again being visited by cloudless sulphurs, syrphid, and hover flies. While our efforts did not benefit many pollinators, they did provide a few with much-needed food. In addition, we extended the time we can enjoy watching pollinators at work in our yard.
Based on our success I decided to visit our local nursery (Mossy Creek) to see if any of their plants had survived the cold and were hosting pollinators. 

       I no sooner got out the door of my vehicle when one of the nursery’s staff called me over to look at a stunningly beautiful butterfly. The butterfly turned out to be a zebra longwing; it was the first I have seen this year.  The whole time that I was there, the butterfly fed at lavender pincushion blossoms.

       While I watched, an American lady joined it.  Nearby, an Ocola and fiery skippers, and a couple of American ladies visited marigolds.  All of these plants had survived the severely cold weather.

       Later, our daughter told us that a hover fly was feeding on a late four-o’clock bloom beside her house.  She also saw several pollinators visiting coneflowers at a nursery in Columbia County.

       Admittedly, the weather was not kind to our gardens this year consequently; we did not have many sources of nectar available deep into the fall.  However, we pledge to do better next year.

       If you want to help late pollinators in your yard, the first thing you need to do is find out which pollinator plants can survive cold weather in your neighborhood.  One great place to learn find this information is your local nursery.  There is no better time do so than after our recent freeze.  Armed with this knowledge you will be better able to address the food needs of the pollinators living close by.

       When I returned home, I was carrying four pots containing cold-hardy plants that we are going to add to our yard. 

      

BACKYARD SECRET – URBAN AMERICAN CROWS OCCUPY SMALL TERRITORIES

Nov12

         Researchers have found that American crows typically occupy territories measuring only 10 acres or so.  On the other hand, the home ranges of crows living in rural areas are often ten times larger.

PROVIDE FOR GROUND-FEEDING BIRDS

Nov9

       Whenever you are trying to attract the greatest variety of birds, you should offer it on and above the ground.  The reason for this is some birds are reluctant to feed at a feeder some distance above the ground.

       Often the only ground feeding that takes place in our bird feeding areas consists of birds dining on seeds that have fallen from aerial feeders.  While birds eat these seeds, they often pose a threat unless you regularly remove them. The reason for this they quickly become a breeding ground for fungi and bacteria.

       The list of birds that prefer to dine offered in above ground feeders placed four or five feet above the ground includes finches, Carolina chickadees, woodpeckers, tufted titmice, and nuthatches.

       Some birds readily eat seeds both above and on the ground.  Examples of them are northern cardinals, blue jays, and chipping sparrows.

       A third group of birds are those that spend the majority of their time looking for seeds found on the ground.  The list of these feathered visitors includes white-throated, fox, and song sparrows, northern bobwhites, eastern towhees, mourning doves and dark-eyed juncos.

       Food offering for ground-feeders can be scattered directly on the ground on place in feeding trays or other devices that keep the seeds from being lost in the grass.  There are a number of such feeders on the market.  You can also use other devices as feeders.  One such device is a worn out harrow disc like the one shown in the photo accompanying this blog.

       One final note: one of the best seeds you can use to attract ground feeding birds is white millet.

      

      

BACKYARD SECRET – HYPOTHERMIA HELPS CAROLINA CHICKADEES SURVIVE EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER

Nov5

       A number of birds have the ability to go into a state of hypothermia to survive extremely low temperatures. The bird that is most often mentioned when the subject of hypothermia come up, the ruby-throated hummingbird often comes to mind. You might be surprised to learn that Carolina chickadees also enter a state of hypothermia.

       On cold winter nights, Carolina chickadees like to roost in natural cavities and nesting boxes.  Temperatures inside these cavities are usually higher than those outside the cavity. When it is extremely cold, the chickadees can literally freeze to death with a little help. That is where hypothermia kicks in.

       When a Carolina chickadee goes into a state of hypothermia, its body temperature and heart rates drop dramatically. As a result, the bird may seem lifeless.  The reason why this helps the bird is that in decreases the amount of energy the bird’s body needs to survive. 

       The next morning, as the air temperature rises, the bird’s heart rate and body temperatures increase enough to allow the chickadee to resume its normal activities such as visiting your feeders looking for sunflower seeds.

I’M WAITING FOR WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS

Nov3

           I am anxiously waiting for the first white-throated sparrows to make an appearance at my backyard feeders.  Although I am a fan of all of the birds that winter in my backyard, I am especially fond to this sparrow.

          When whitethroats finally make it to my backyard, I will go outside on a crisp fall morning and hear a clear  O sweet Canada, Canada, Canada call emanating from a thick shrub. When I hear the bird’s call, I will know that, since the white-throated sparrows  migrates at night, there is a good chance it arrived a few hours earlier. 

           I will hope my yard is its final destination instead of a stopover area. If the bird stays and is an adult, it is possible I hosted it last year. This is because white-throated sparrows are likely return the same wintering area year after year.

          Years ago, I learned the white-throated sparrow prefer to dine on the ground.  Its favorite food is white millet; however, they will also eat black oil sunflower seeds. Knowing this, I have already set the table for whitethroats by scattering white millet seeds on the ground beneath my feeders. If you want to stand a fighting chance to see one or more of these migrants in your backyard, now is the time to set the banquet table for them. If your efforts are successful, you will understand why I look forward to hosting them every winter.