Rather than battle with squirrels attempting to break into your bird feeders, why not succumb to a squirrel feeder? This gives them somewhere to play and snack, discouraging them from inhaling food meant for the birds.
Despite their ongoing war with the backyard birds, squirrels can be a lot of fun to watch, particularly with their little ones. All you need is a tree!
People who enjoy bird feeders are often extremely frustrated with a flock of “bully birds” descending upon their feeders, draining them of all the food and chasing away their favorite songbirds in the process. Some of the most common varieties of “bully birds” are blackbirds, grackles, pigeons, and house sparrows. These invaders are usually attracted to a bird feeder by readily available birdseed or suet on the ground or in easy-access feeders.
Some solutions are to lock out the bully birds, which are usually larger in size, by limiting the accessibility of feeding ports. Keep the areas under your bird feeders as clean as possible to keep pigeons away. Selecting only certain kinds of foods to dispense in your feeders can be beneficial, because bully birds tend to prefer bread, corn, wheat and sunflower seeds. Finches will be drawn to hanging tube feeders with only nyjer (thistle) seeds. Cardinals, chickadees, and nuthatches like safflower seed in hopper or tray feeders.
Tube bird feeders attract birds such as the titmice, woodpeckers, finches, chickadees and nuthatches. They are long and cylindrical in shape. They also have perches on the feeding ports. Tube bird feeders usually discourage competing animals such as the squirrels. The perches on the feeding ports also discourage the large birds from eating the bird seeds. Some tube bird feeders are surrounded by metal wire “cages”that further encourage small birds to feed by excluding larger nuisance birds and squirrels.
You can hang your tube bird feeders from strong branches or use pole mountings. Pick a location that is easy to get to and reach. When the weather gets bad, which is also a time when birds need as much food as they can get, it is much better if the feeder is in an easy-to-reach place.
So what are the best foods to feed the birds? Seeds are your best option. Offer one kind of seed to each feeder. Sunflower seeds are an all time favorite of many birds — cracked corn and peanuts are a good option. For the feeders with small ports, nyjer seed is a favorite of the small songbirds. This seed is commonly identified as “thistle” seed, but it is actually “nyjer” seed which is cultivated in Asia and Africa and is high in oil content.
The greatest reward of putting out bird feeders is the joy of watching these delightful little feathered friends eating and knowing you are contributing to their well being.
Do not put up a bluebird house if you do not plan to monitor it! It is essential to check your bluebird boxes at least once a week during the nesting season, until chicks are close to fledging.
Do not open the box after nestlings are 12 to 14 days old. At this stage the nestlings could become confused and leave the box before they are able to fly, greatly reducing their chance of survival.
Always remove house sparrow nests immediately.
Have your bluebird houses in place by mid-March when the bluebirds return from their winter migration and are looking for nesting sites. However, boxes may also be put up later in the nesting season.
Bluebirds usually have two broods per season but three broods are possible. Recognize a bluebird nest — it is a cup-shaped nest that is usually made up of woven grass. Pine needles may also be used.
Bluebirds usually lay 4 to 5 light blue eggs. The incubation period is 12 to 14 days. Nestlings remain in the nest 18 to 21 days before they fledge. Remove bluebird nests and those of other birds as soon as the young birds have fledged.
Don’t be discouraged if your bluebird houses are not used the first year. If bluebirds are not common in your area, it may take them a few seasons to find your new boxes but then they will return to the same area each year. Bluebird trails have been an extremely effective method of reestablishing the bluebird populations across North America.
Habitat is the key factor to consider when setting up a bluebird trail. The best locations are rural country with scattered trees and low or sparse ground cover; the area should include perch sites, such as a fence line, wires, or tree branches where bluebirds may perch to search for food. Look for these when you are selecting a location for your bluebird houses. Pastureland, acreages, parks away from human traffic, and mowed areas such as cemeteries, golf courses are all good locations for a bluebird trail (provided pesticides are not used).
Mount bluebird houses so the entrance hole is approximately five feet above the ground. If possible, face the bluebird houses away from prevailing winds and towards a tree or shrub which is within 100 feet of the box to provide a landing spot for the young bluebirds when they first leave the house. This will keep them off the ground, away from predators.
Nesting density for all three species of bluebirds is dependent on many factors so experiment by adjusting the distances between your own boxes until you have established ideal spacing for your particular location. In many cases, bluebirds have been observed nesting closer than the distances recommended. However, it is better to start a bluebird trail with boxes placed too far apart than too close together. (Western bluebirds approximately 100 yards, Eastern bluebirds 125-150 yards. Mountain bluebirds 200-300 yards)
Bluebird houses can be mounted in pairs in areas where tree swallows are abundant. When paired, boxes should be mounted 5 to 25 feet apart. This provides nesting sites for both species and helps to prevent competition between them. Different species of birds usually do not mind nesting close to each other.
Bluebirds rarely nest in cities. It is possible, but uncommon, for bluebirds to nest along the outer edges of cities or in small towns. Bluebirds generally prefer rural areas.
Since man has greatly reduced natural nesting cavities for blue birds through continuous clearing of land for housing and industrial developments, and wooden fence posts have long been replaced with metal posts, the present situation dictates that man offer alternative nesting places for the shortage of natural ones. Blue birds are known to appreciate man-made nest boxes as long as certain specifications are met.
Blue bird houses for Eastern Blue birds should be 4 to 5 inches with entry holes that are 1 1/2 inches and Western and Mountain blue bird houses should be at least 5 inches to accommodate their larger clutch sizes. Mountain blue birds need an entrance hole of 1 9/16″ while Western blue birds use a 1 1/2″ hole. Oval holes should only be used in Eastern blue bird houses with moderate to small dimensions to reduce the possibility of starling use.
The houses should easily open from the top, side or front for monitoring and cleaning. There must be drainage holes in the box bottom to allow any water to drain and also to provide air circulation th keep nesting materials dry. The roof should provide sufficient overhang beyond the box entrance or vent holes to minimize the possibility of rain entering. Vents for cross ventilation should be present near the box peak. Perches should not be used on blue bird houses.
These beautiful birds are starting to reappear in areas where blue bird houses are established so let’s continue to help our little feathered friends!
Typical bluebird feeders will have a similar look of a house with plexiglass or slotted sides so the birds can see in, with 1 1/2″ entrance holes on each end so they can enter and leave easily and, like the nest box, that size hole will keep most other birds out.
However, there are bluebird feeders designed for meal worms which the bluebirds just love. Unfortunately, many other birds love them also, so take precautions to protect some of the tasty little worms for the bluebirds!
Bluebirds primarily eat insects when available and supplement this diet with various fruits and berries. Nut meats, sunflower chips, meal worms, raisins and prepared food like suet bars are also enjoyed by the bluebirds.
Bluebirds need to “learn” to eat from a bluebird feeder. Feeders should have a platform under the entrance hole so that the food can be placed on the platform while the bluebird is learning to go inside the feeder to eat. Providing an easy source of food allows the bluebirds to spend their energy on nest building and caring for their babies instead of foraging for food.
Bluebird feeders should be placed in an area that is visible to the birds. It is not recommended to place the feeder close to bluebird or other houses but find a place where the birds seem to frequent to find their food.
The following suet mixture is an excellent food source for winter months and some Bluebirds may even try it in summer/fall:
1 cup Peanut Butter (plain or crunchy)
1 cup Cornmeal
3 cups Oats (“Quaker” cereal type)
1 cup Sugar (less is ok, but the full cup is great for a winter calorie boost in cold climates)
A gr
eater number of birds can be attracted with multiple styles of feeders but platform bird feeders will attract the widest variety of birds and, due to the simple design, they are easy to clean and maintain. Platform bird feeders are very versatile in that you can offer a variety of bird food like seed, nuts, fruit, suet and bakery products to attract the greatest variety of birds.
For aesthetic appeal platform bird feeders are often made of wood and are a tray-type design with sides deep enough to contain seed. They are also available in attractive metal designs which offer a longer life. Some have a roof to help maintain dry seed. A fine mesh screen on the floor that allows water to drain is often found in the best platform bird feeders. Platform feeders can be used to occasionally treat fruit-loving birds to some fruit and jelly.
Platform bird feeders should be near shrubs and trees that offer protection and shelter. Evergreens will provide good wind protection and safety from predators. You’ll want to keep the feeders at least 10 feet away from the foliage to prevent squirrels from jumping to the feeder, as well as provide protection from predatory cats. . Platform bird feeders can be placed high on a post, hung from a tree, pole, overhang or nailed to a deck rail. Just make this feeder an integral part of your wild bird feeding program. The charm and beauty of the variety of birds these feeders attract is mesmerizing.
Colorful and exciting, these decorative bird feeders
in your backyard will delight more than just the birds. One strategically placed will give you hours of enjoyment watching beautiful birds come to a decorative bird feeder.
