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BACKYARD SECRET – TWO SEEDS WILL ATTRACT ALL OF THE SEED-EATING BIRDS THAT VISIT YOUR FEEDERS
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
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.
WHAT ARE THE 10 BIRDS THAT MOST OFTEN VISIT GEORGIA BIRD FEEDERS?
According to a conservation group named Avian Report the bird most often seen at Georgia bird feeders is the northern cardinal (95.6%). Rounding out the top 10 list are the tufted titmouse (94.67%), Carolina chickadee (93.78%), Carolina wren (90.22%), house finch (89.76%), mourning dove (85.78%), American goldfinch (85.78%), downy woodpecker (85.33%), red-bellied woodpecker (82.22%), and eastern bluebird (80.89%).
How does this list stack up with the birds that visit your feeders?
WHERE TO PLACE A NEW FEEDER
If you received a new feeder for Christmas, here is what some experts say is the perfect spot. They recommend you follow the 5-7-9 rule.
This means the bottom of the feeder should be at least five feet above the ground, seven feet away from a fence, shrub, tree or other object, and in a location, that is at least nine from below an overhanging limb.
Some experts say that this will help keep squirrels from raiding bird feeders. While this might help, I suspect placing a feeder in such a location will not make the feeder 100% squirrel-proof.
If you erect your new feeder in such a location, let me know how it works.
PROVIDE FOR GROUND-FEEDING BIRDS
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.
FEEDERS SEEM TO BE HELPING SOME BIRDS
Have you ever wondered if your bird feeding efforts are having a positive effect to the birds that regularly dine at your feeders? A report titled State of North American Birds 2016, published by the Cornell University’s Laboratory of Ornithology suggests that bird feeding appears to be positively affecting some species.
The researchers examined 30 years of data collected it its Feeder Watch program and 50 years of data gathered in the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Counts.
The study focused on 135 species that regularly or occasionally use feeders. Population trends for these species were compared with the status of birds that rarely visit feeders. 
The researchers found that while bird populations in general are declining, the populations of those species that regularly to occasionally feed at our backyard feeders are faring much better than those birds that do not visit backyard feeders. It should be noted that house sparrows, European starlings, and house finches are not doing as well as other feeder birds.
These finding should make you feel that your efforts are actually making a difference. Keep in mind that we have a responsibility to keep feeders and the areas of feeders clean. This will help ensure that diseases will not lessen the positive impact of our bird feeding efforts.
WHERE ARE THE FEEDER BIRDS?
Every year when early October rolls around, people tell me that the number and variety of birds visiting their feeders and birdbaths has dropped off significantly. That always leads to question, “Where are they?” Depending on where you live, and whether not the habitat near your home has changed, and other factors, the reasons for a decline can vary from yard to yard. That being the case, I attribute the drop-in activity around most bird feeders to three things.
Many of the common migratory birds that inhabit our will shortly reach their winter homes. That alone can make a big dent in your backyard bird population. While many of these birds do not often visit seed feeders, they do frequently bathe and drink at birdbaths.
In late summer and early fall, the abundance of seeds produced by native plants is greater than it is at any other time of the year. As such they birds have an abundance of places where they can feed this provides them with lots of spots where they can dine elsewhere.
Another reason your backyard bird population is low is that for folks in most parts of Georgia, southbound migrants have not yet reached the Peach State. This is the case for white-throated sparrows, dark-eyed juncos, blackbirds, and others.
Another thing to consider is some of our permanent residents, such as the chipping sparrows have yet to form winter flocks. Consequently, if your yard is not in a chipping sparrow breeding territory, chances are you will have to wait awhile to see them in your yard.
The bottom line is be patient, if your feeding area is safe, feeders are stocked with variety of foods, and clean water is close by, I promise they will come; just be patient.
SOON THE HUMMINGBIRDS WILL BE GONE
Here at my Middle Georgia home, during the past few days the number of hummingbirds visiting our four feeders has dramatically decreased. As late as last week, my wife was making 20 cups of nectar a day in an effort to meet the birds’ demand for food. Today for the first time in weeks, only two feeders needed to be refilled. I suspect that the rubythroats are rapidly disappearing in your backyards too.
With that in mind, I would like to know when you first noticed a noticeable drop in the hummers visiting your feeders. In addition, it would be great if you report the date, the last hummer is seen in your yard. I have been studying hummingbirds for more than 30 years and still have much to learn about these fascinating birds. Your information would be helpful in delineating the fall migration of the ruby-throated hummingbird in Georgia.
If you do respond to this request, please include the name of the county where you live.
IT IS HARD TO KEEP HUMMER FEEDERS DISEASE-FREE DURING A HEAT WAVE
It is important that hummingbird nectar be as fresh as possible. This task is much harder to accomplish task during our heat wave. With daily temperatures in the 90s and feel like temperatures reaching triple digits, bacteria and mold are currently growing more rapidly than normal.
If hummingbird food becomes cloudy and/or black spots appear inside a feeder, you have a serious problem. These are signs that the nectar in your feeder is unfit for hummingbirds.
