Q. Safflower helps deter or at least slow down seed consumption by gray and red squirrels. But will chipmunks eat the safflower seed?
A. In a word - YES.
Unfortunately these little critters will eat safflower seed, as well as sunflower seed, peanuts, tree nuts, and suet, in other words, just about any seed you typically put in a regular feeder. I have noticed that they're a little slower eating millet - unfortunately, millet is not a favorite of many birds and it also draws in House Sparrows.
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Q. The feathers of my Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers that are typically white look brownish and stained and kind of roughed up. What's happening to them?
A. At this time of year (late April through June), both Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers are busy raising families inside a tree cavity. While excavating the cavity, laying and incubating the eggs. and then feeding the nestlings, these hard-working woodpecker parents are in and out of the cavity hundreds of times for more than a month. This inevitably takes a toll on their feathers.
The feathers that are typically white may get stained by tannins in the tree. Their feathers will also get worn from friction against the tree. But don't worry, all their feathers will be replaced during a complete molt after all the hard work of breeding is complete.
The good news for you is that when you see this, there's a chance of seeing young woodpeckers in your yard!
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Q. Can I feed salted peanuts to the birds? A. We recommend against it. Here's why:
There is no scientific data to prove that the periodic use of salted peanuts does harm to birds. This is partly because of the very small amount of salt usually found on peanuts and the fact that peanuts typically make up a small percentage of a feeder bird's daily diet. The availability of fresh water also helps mitigate salt's dehydrating effects.
But it is fact that large doses of salt can be fatal to songbirds. Without additional research to set the levels of salt ingestion that are irrefutably safe, our recommendation will be to provide unsalted peanuts for feeding birds whenever possible.
Response adapted from material from WBU, Inc.
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Q. Blue Jays are stuffing themselves with seed!! They take seed after seed after seed, not even stopping to open the seeds! What are they doing with all that seed?
A. When jays take numerous seeds without stopping to open them, they are placing food in their crop, which is an expandable pouch in their esophagus that temporarily holds food. This allows them to transport large amounts of food to a place to be stored for future use.
In one study, a Blue Jay was observed packing over 100 sunflower seeds in its crop during just one visit to a feeder! Check out the bulge in this jay's throat - it's chock full of birdseed!
Not all birds have a crop like the jay's. Blue Jays are one of the birds that store, or cache, food for future use. According to The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior, "Birds that cache food use distinctive rocks, logs, and other habitat features as cues to the locations of their buried food. Memory of these cues allows the bird to return and dig up most of the caches."
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Q. Do all birds migrate?
A. Not all bird species migrate, but most do.
Migration is defined as the seasonal movement of birds, north in the spring from the wintering grounds and southward in the fall from the breeding grounds. Among the birds that are resident, or do not migrate, are many grouse, ptarmigan, and quail species, many owl species, pileated, red-bellied, downy, and hairy woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, northern cardinal, wrentit, ring-necked pheasant, Townsend's solitaire, common raven, gray jay, and northern mockingbird.
Originally published in the Winter 2005 WBU BirdTracks®
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Q. Do birds have ears?
A. Yes, they do! They're just hidden under feathers called auriculars that cover the ear openings on the sides of their head.
Like humans, birds have an outer ear, a middle ear, and an inner ear. Feathers cover the ear opening to protect it and cut the wind noise. But if you ever see a bald bird (more common in Blue Jays and Northern Cardinals), you might have the opportunity to see their ear openings!
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Q. What is our true harbinger of spring?
A. Here in upstate New York, we say that the return of the Red-winged Blackbird is the true sign that spring is really on its way.
Blackbirds leave our area each fall but they don't necessarily go too far (they can be seen in winter in southern parts of the state). They can start their northward spring movement in February. In my yard, I can expect to see them as early as the second week in March. Early spring is the most likely time of year for me to see Red-winged Blackbirds at my birdfeeders.
American Robins are not the harbinger of spring that perhaps they used to be. Robins are now seen year-round in our area of upstate New York, feeding on the remaining berries and fruits on trees and shrubs. Watch for robins in winter at your heated bird bath as well!
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Q. Do birds hide food or store it somewhere?
A. Especially during fall and winter, many birds like Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, nuthatches, and Tufted Titmice will hide food to retrieve and eat at a later time. This behavior is called "caching".
Caching helps birds survive during bad weather and when food sources are low. These birds store hundreds of seeds a day. Each seed is placed in a different lcoation and they remember where each one is, even a month later!
Here's some caching fun facts:
Provide an easily accessible food source to help your birds with their caching habits!
Adapted from information provided by WBU, Inc.
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We love to encourage our customers to participate in citizen science projects, especially the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), which is held annually over the 4-day Presidents Day Weekend. This year the dates are February 17-18-19-20.
Here's the Top 5 questions we get asked about the GBBC:
What if you don't know what the bird is?
Do your best to identify the bird using a bird guide or online resources. If you can't positively identify it, ask us at Wild Birds Unlimited, we might be able to help. Bringing a photograph in and/or good notes will help. If the bird just can't be identified, that's fine, you just won't report it.
I've had a hawk fly through the yard during a count that I was unable to identify. I couldn't tell whether it was a Cooper's Hawk or a Sharp-shinned Hawk. I wish I could've reported it, but I couldn't clearly identify it, so it went unreported. Don't worry - it just happens!
How long of a time do you need to count?
All it takes is a minimum of 15 minutes. If you have longer, that's great too!
You can count multiple times over the 4-day count period (and hope you do). You can even count multiple times on a day. For example, you count in the morning before you go to work, and then again when you get home. This would be submitted as two separate checklists.
I'm not going to be at my own house; can I count someplace else?
Sure. One year, I did Day 4 while visiting a friend in Old Forge, NY.
If I see a male bird one time and a female bird the next time, I count 2, right?
No, unless you see the male and female bird at the same time. Why not? Consistency; this is the surest way to ensure that everyone that counts, counts in the same manner.
Do I count the birds I see in the sky?
If you can clearly identify them, yes, include them in your count.
Enjoy counting the birds this weekend in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Wild Birds Unlimited is proud to be a sponsor of this citizen science project!
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Q. Why don’t birds’ feet stick to metal when it's freezing out?
A. Birds don’t have sweat glands to produce any moisture to freeze. Their feet are mostly bone and tendons, which have a limited supply of nerves, blood vessels or muscle tissue to freeze. Also, their feet are covered with scales.
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