Tag Archive | Backyard Secrets
BACKYARD SECRET: BLUEBIRDS NESTING
In Georgia, bluebirds will begin nesting as early as late February. However, throughout most of the state, bluebirds typically do not initiate nesting until March.
Bluebird expert Ron Lee has recorded bluebirds nesting on his property located just south of Atlanta in Henry County as early as the second week in March.
It is obvious; if you have been planning to put up a bluebird box or two, do not delay any longer.
BACKYARD SECRET: GREENBRIER PROVIDES FOOD FOR BACKYARD BIRDS
Most Georgia homeowners are not fans of greenbrier. Greenbrier vines constantly try to smother our shrubs, trees, and gardens. Whenever we get near them, their thorny vines seemly try to leap out and snag our clothing or prick our skin. However, would you belief this menacing native vine is a source of winter food for backyard birds? It is true.
Greenbrier’s shiny dark berries are gobbled up by more than 40 species of songbirds including backyard favorites such as the hermit thrush, American robin, northern flicker, northern mockingbird, gray catbird, northern cardinal, and sparrows.
BACKYARD SECRET: HOW MUCH FOOD DO AMERICANS FEED BIRDS?
It has been estimated that Americans spend $3.5 billion annually to feed birds in their backyards. This means during each calendar year somewhere from 0.5 to 1.25 million tons of sunflower seeds, millet, milo, and other seeds are used solely to feed our feathered backyard neighbors.
To put this in perspective, this staggering amount of food closely matches what the United States government sends overseas each year to help alleviate hunger in Africa.
Source: Marzluff, John M. 2014. Welcome to Subirdia. Yale University Press
BACKYARD SECRET: WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE MOST DEATHS AROUND BACKYARD BIRD FEEDERS?
According the a study of bird feeding in the United States and Canada called ProjectFeederWatch, window strikes are responsible for more deaths at feeders than cats, hawks or any other factor.
This conclusion is based more than 2,000 deaths reported during the study. According to the analysis of these data, nearly half of all deaths are caused by birds striking windows. If these data are correct, the study leaders estimate that one in ten birds might be killed by flying into buildings annually.
While this is indeed a cause of concern to those of us that feed birds in our backyards, these deaths might represent only two or less percent of North America’s fall bird population.
This conclusion is based on volumes of data collected by literally thousands of citizen scientists that submitted detailed logs a wide range of subjects relating to their bird feeding programs.
This monumental study was sponsored by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Bird Studies Canada, National Audubon Society, and the Canadian Nature Federation.
BACKYARD SECRET: EARTHWORMS
Would you believe that most of the earthworms found in the United States are not native to North America? It is true. Most of these invaders hail from Europe and began wiggling their way through our soils as early as 1620. It is thought that they either inadvertently hitchhiked they way in the ballast of ships or in the soil the accompanied plants brought to the New World.
BACKYARD SECRET: North American songbirds die annually
Ornithologists estimate that about half of all migratory North American songbirds die annually.
