Helpful Hints
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Bird Baths
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♦ The sound of running water can attract more birds to your garden -- and more different species -- than food. Even hummingbirds will find a source of running water irresistible -- if you create a mist with your hose or have a fountain in your bird bath, hummingbirds will fly through the water.
♦ The simpler the design and color of the bird bath, the more likely birds will be to use it. Bright colors and complex designs may intimidate birds and they may not feel the bird bath is a safe source of water.
♦ Bird baths should be no deeper than 3 inches at the bottom and should be textured so that small birds can keep their footing. If the bird bath is deeper than 3 inches, you might want to add some clean stones or rocks to it, such as our Cannonball River Rock Bird Bath Fillers.
♦ Water in bird baths should be replaced every 2-3 days so that it is fresh. Your bird bath should be cleaned with a 2% bleach solution or a commercial bird bath cleaner.
♦ A raised bird bath, either pedestal or hanging, will help birds avoid predators. Place your bird bath at least 6 feet away from areas where predators can hide and within 3 feet of branches or bushes where birds can fly quickly to escape a predator while preening themselves after their baths.
♦ To provide some form of running water, use a fountain solar pump or consider a drip device for your bird bath . A device that keeps the water moving, like a Water Wiggler, will prevent mosquitoes and West Nile virus. Birds love mist -- you might want to consider buying a mister that you attach to your hose.
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Bird Feeders
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♦ Just as there are many types of birds, there are many types of bird feed which appeal to different birds: If you have a favorite bird and want to attract that species, you should research what kind of food that bird likes to eat, and provide a bird feeder designed for that type of food. Finches, for example, love thistle. There are several types of feeders specifically designed for thistle (such as a tube feeder or a thistle sack). There are fruit feeders designed specifically for fruit-eating birds like orioles and robins; suet feeders designed to hold suet, a high-energy food particularly good for birds in cold weather, will attract chickadees, woodpeckers, and mockingbirds.
♦ Place your bird feeders where you can see them well from a window and where you can refill them easily. If possible, place your bird feeder near or in a tree or shrub which provides shelter for the birds that are waiting to get to the bird feeder while other birds are eating. A pine tree or other evergreen is a good choice since it will give the birds a chance to hide from predators if they have to. A sturdy evergreen is also a good place for birds to get out of a strong wind or the rain if necessary.
♦ Bird feeders should always be kept clean, regardless of the type. Birds are susceptible to salmonella, among other diseases, and can catch illnesses from bacteria left in unclean bird feeders. Except for nectar feeders (see information about those below), feeders should be scrubbed every few weeks with an 8:1 bleach solution (1/8 cup of bleach to 1 cup of water). After cleaning the feeder with bleach, rinse it well.
♦ Important: Wear rubber gloves when cleaning bird feeders and be careful not to let your clothes touch them so that bacteria is not transferred to you.
♦ The ground below your bird feeders should be raked regularly so that any seed or shells that have fallen to the ground are removed before becoming contaminated with bacteria. It's also a good idea to move the location of your bird feeders now and then.
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Hummingbird Feeders
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♦ There are 16 species of hummingbirds in the U.S. They can fly in every direction, including backwards. Top speeds have been clocked at 60mph. Many migrate to Central America – this means that some hummingbirds fly across the Gulf of Mexico, more than 500 miles!
♦ Hummingbirds have a preference for the color red – in flowers and in feeders. They do not exclusively feed at red flowers, but they learn that nectar sources that are red in color generally provide a good deal more sugar than other colored sources. They can eat up to 50% of their own weight in sugar each day. They also eat small insects, which provides them with the protein, fat and minerals they don't get from nectar.
♦ Replace the nectar in your hummingbird feeder every 3-4 days in hot weather or when the liquid gets cloudy or contaminated by insects. When the weather is cooler, you can keep the same nectar in the feeder for up to a week – as long as the liquid is clear and uncontaminated.
♦ Before each new filling, first wash your hummingbird feeder with liquid detergent and water. Then rinse it out with a 8:1 bleach solution (1/8 cup bleach to 1 cup water) to destroy any bacteria that might be growing in it, and rinse thoroughly with water before adding the nectar.
♦ When should you put your hummingbird feeders out? Most hummingbirds in North America migrate to Central or South America each year. Generally, if you live in a warm part of the South or Southwest, the first migrating males may appear in January or February, so putting your hummingbird feeders out by Valentine's Day might be a rule of thumb. In other parts of the country – depending on how far north you go and how long the winter is –hummingbirds may appear as early as March or as late as the end of May. Again, as a rule of thumb, you might use put out your hummingbird feeders around Mother's Day.
♦ When should you take your hummingbird feeders down? Although most hummingbirds make their migration south when the days start to shorten in September, there may be stragglers. So keep your hummingbird feeders out until at least two weeks have passed when you haven't seen a single hummingbird at them. If there is a straggler who was sick or lost, it will truly appreciate finding your feeder full!
♦ What should you feed your hummingbirds? You can buy nectar at the store, but it's very easy (and cheaper) to make yourself. The recipe for hummingbird nectar is 1 part sugar to 4 parts boiling water, or ¼ cup of sugar to each cup of boiling water. Once the syrup is cool, fill your feeder. You can keep unused nectar in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
♦ Do not add red food coloring to your nectar – red food dye contains chemicals that are damaging to the livers of hummingbirds. Using a red hummingbird feeder and/or placing a red ribbon near the feeder will alert the hummingbirds to the fact that there is a source of nectar there.
♦ Hummingbirds are very territorial – when the first male comes to your hummingbird feeder, he will do his best to chase away all other hummingbirds. To attract more hummingbirds in your yard, provide more feeders and keep them out of sight from each other. You might also try making the nectar in first feeder the territorial male came to stronger than in the others (3 parts sugar instead of 4) so that he always prefers that feeder and only protects it.
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Bird Houses
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♦ There are 85 species of birds in North America who nest in holes or cavities; 50 of these will use man-made nesting cavities. Because natural habitat is being constantly destroyed for development, many birds depend on bird houses provided by man in which to raise their young.
♦ Primary nesters (woodpeckers, some chickadees and woodhatches) make their own holes; secondary nesters (wrens, titmice, bluebirds, swallows) use whatever hole they can find.
♦ Different species of birds require bird houses of different dimensions. To attract specific birds, your garden must be the correct habitat for that bird. For example, bluebirds, starlings and sparrows nest in open areas; chickadees and wrens nest in wooded areas.
♦ Bird houses must be built to specific dimensions for specific types of birds. A bird house with a hole 1-1/2 inches in diameter will provide a nest for the greatest variety of species – but if the opening is more than 1-9/16 inches, unwanted species like starlings can get into the house.
♦ Openings in a bird house that are 1-1/8" prevent house sparrows and starlings from building nests in the bird house. A bird house with a 1-1/8" opening is ideal for small birds such as chickadees or house wrens.
♦ Once you have decided which kind of bird you want to attract, you should research the bird house specifications for that species on the internet or at the library. You can buy a bird house, or buy a kit to make a bird house, or find a book that will help you design and build your own birdhouse to the specifications for the birds you want to attract.
♦ There are a few things to keep in mind when picking or building a bird house:
• Birds perceive color and prefer dull colors to bright ones.
• Birds don't need perches on their houses. Perches can encourage birds you don't want, and may also help predators.
• Your bird house should include a roof overhang to protect the birds from the sun and rain.
♦ Try to make sure that there is a tree or shrub within 15 feet or so of the bird house which the bird can use as a look-out perch to make sure no predators are around before going to the nest.
♦ Birds will not re-use a nest. Be sure to clean out the bird house after each brood of chicks has left the nest since some birds will have multiple broods during a breeding season.
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