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BACKYARD SECRET – FUELING RUBYTHROAT MIGRATION?
During the past few weeks the hummingbirds that have been visiting our feeders seem are on a feeding frenzy. The reason for this is they are trying to store enough fuel (in the form of fat) to power their fall migration.
Prior to migration, an adult female ruby-throated weighs roughly 1/10th of an ounce (3.5 grams). These long-distance migrants will consume enough nectar and insects to increase their weight to 5.5 grams (0.194 ounces). Each gram of this stored fat enables a hummingbird to migrate 300 miles.
THE BEST HUMMINGBIRD FOOD
During July and August Georgians typically feed more ruby-throated hummingbirds than at any other time of the year. I know that is the case at my home. For weeks, the demand of sugar water has been so great my wife has been making 20 cups of nectar every other day to keep up with the hummingbirds’ demand for the sugary treat.
Whenever you are feeding hummingbirds, you want to be sure that you are feeding them the right food. With that in mind, here is the recipe for the best hummingbird food. Boil a mixture containing 4 parts water and 1-part white table sugar for minutes. Allow the nectar to cool and store in your refrigerator.
During the extremely hot weather that has been roasting Georgia for weeks, it is best to replace the nectar in your feeders every 3 days or so.
TIPS THAT HELP OFFERING HUMMERS FRESH NECTAR
With heat indexes almost daily soaring above 110°F, the nectar we offer our hummingbird neighbors can quickly spoil. With that in mind, here are a couple of simple tips that help ensure that rubythroats will be dining on nectar that has not spoiled.
While summer temperatures soar, the hummingbird nectar we provide in the feeders’ spoils more rapidly than it does when temperatures are not excessively hot. With that in mind, if you are using large feeders that take hummingbirds days to drain, put them away and use smaller feeders. In addition, it is a good idea to replace the unused fluid in your feeders every couple of days.
If you notice that the nectar in a feeder is cloudy, immediately discard it. That is a sure sign that it is no longer fresh.
BACKYARD SECRET – HOW MANY BIRDS VISIT OUR FEEDERS?
If you have ever wondered how many species of birds visit our feeders, here are some figures you might find interesting.
Across the country, some 350 species of birds feed at our feeders. Ninety of these species are either regular or casual diners. The remaining 260 species are rare visitors.
Here in the Peach State, those of us that feed birds in our yards can attract as many as 25-35 species to our bird cafes.
How many species of birds do you feed in your backyard?
NORTHERN FLICKERS RARELY VISIT FEEDERS
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 – 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.
