Although hummingbirds are usually here in the Midwest from April until as late as October, the months of August and September are the busiest time at the feeder. It's at this time they have fledged their young and are fattening up for migration. Even if you haven’t seen a hummer all summer there is a very good chance that you’ll have them in August and September. Unfortunately many people who don’t see them in June and July give up too soon and bring their feeders in. If you do this, you really are missing out on a great opportunity. We get many questions about hummingbirds, so Melody has written a comprehensive article on the Feeding and Care of Hummingbirds.
Click here to view the article. Tip: It is a good idea to leave your hummingbird feeder up for about two weeks after you think they have left (around the end of September). This will give any migrators passing through a rest stop!
Where Are My Goldfinches?
A question I am frequently asked is where are the Goldfinches? Have they migrated? The American Goldfinch is a year round resident of Kansas. It is the only member of the family Fringillidae that molts twice a year. It molts in the spring, usually around April when the male grows the striking yellow feathers and black wings and black cap on top of his head, and the female changes into a lighter yellow-brown color, but not as bright as the male. In the fall, usually in September, the male loses his black cap and bright yellow color and becomes an olive green or yellowish brown, and the female a soft yellow-brown. (See picture above right). But they don't go anywhere, except maybe out in the woods or to your neighbor's house because you, thinking they were gone, quit feeding them. They do seem to be a little scarcer in April and September, but this is thought to be because they are more secretive when they are molting, and in the fall, they form flocks rather than the small family groups they hang out with in the summer.
American Goldfinches are late nesters. Most experts believe this is because the thistle plant matures in summer, not spring. Goldfinches depend on the seed of the thistle for food, and the thistle down (fluffy dandelion-like stuff) for a soft lining for their nest. Our hummer helper nesting material is great to offer for the finches. They usually lay eggs in early August. Incubation is 12-14 days and the young leave the nest at 11-17 days.
Because thistle is considered an invasive weed and is controlled by the US Department of Agriculture, a similar looking seed called Nyjer(also known as niger-pronounced NY-jer) is used in its place. It is a small black seed, just like thistle, and the inner meat is moist and oily, much like a walnut meat. This replacement has been marketed here for about 40 years. Some distributors still call it thistle to avoid confusion, but it is not the purple or pink flowering native weed that we know as thistle. The Nyjer seed flowers are yellow (see picture) and it is cultivated in India, Nepal or Ethiopia and imported. The USDA requires that all Nyjer imported in the US be heat treated for 15 minutes at 250 degrees to devitalize any weed seeds. We believe this heat treatment also causes the seed to dry out after 6 to 8 months. So if you are feeding your Goldfinches the Nyjer (or thistle) you had left over from last year, and they are not coming to your feeder, this may be the reason. Goldfinches also eat sunflower meats, and other small seeds found in the wild.
Todd and I live in the country and we can't seem to keep the Goldfinches coming to the feeder in the summer months. As soon as it greens up in the spring they leave only to reappear in the fall in small flocks and stay all winter. They are usually the first birds at the feeders on winter mornings. What they lack in color in winter, they certainly make up in sheer numbers. Watch for Pine Siskins in the flocks of Goldfinches. They are also a type of finch and often travel together with the Goldfinches. At first glance, they look very similar to the Goldfinch, but if you look closely, you will notice a streaked breast and belly, and some streaking on the back and wings and they have yellow on the wings and tail. We had alot of pine siskins in the area last year. They are a winter resident that arrives in October and departs in May. A few pairs occasionally remain to nest.
So if you're missing your Goldfinches, they probably haven't gone very far away. Feed them and they will come.
If you water they will come. Especially in the winter!
There is no better way to get birds flocking to your yard than a good source of ice-free fresh water. In the cold of winter when our ponds and creeks freeze over, birds will flock to an ice free birdbath.
Click here to read an article on providing water to birds in the winter.
Fascinating Facts about Bats
Bats help us control pests. In fact, some species feast on as many as 1,000 mosquitoes an hour while other dine on thousands of pest beetles and moths a night.
There are more than 1,000 species of bats in the world. All of these bats
make up about a quarter of all mammals in existence.
Bats help many plants: Hundreds of plant species rely on the pollinating and seed dispersal services of bats including bananas, avocados and mangos.
Bats are the most diverse group of mammals: The smallest weighs less than a penny and the largest has a wingspan of up to six feet.
Bats are the only mammal that can truly fly.
Click here to view answers to many of the most commonly asked bat questions we get.
Disease prevention
Click here to view an important article on some common diseases in birds and what you can do to help prevent them!
How can I keep Grackles and Starlings away from my feeder?
This has to be the most commonly asked question we hear (especially in the early summer months!). Starlings and Grackles can eat a lot of seed and they tend to drive other birds from the feeder.
Click here to view an article on effective strategies for dealing with these un-welcome summer guests.
Fall maintenance for Purple Martin Houses
Now that the Martins have left for the year, it is important to lower the housing, thoroughly clean it out and plug it up for the winter. Not only will cleaning remove any parasites and bacteria, but plugging the holes will prevent unwanted guests like Sparrows and Starlings from taking up residence.
Click here for more info...
Attracting Orioles
Not many birds catch your eye the way Oriole's do. Their vibrant orange and black colors are almost surreal.
To go along with their striking appearance, Orioles have a beautiful song. Which they like to sing in the early morning. For those of us that are lucky enough to have them,
we certainly want to keep them. And for those who don't have
them, I'm always asked how to attract them. There are many things you can do to attract them, but first
you should understand their habitat and when they are here in our area.
Where they live
Orioles prefer open woodlands, river groves and tall shade trees with shrubby undergrowth.
Although, they have adapted well to yards, parks and avenues of trees along streets.
They like to nest in tall trees like poplars, willows and cottonwoods. They are also often found near lakes.
What they like to eat & drink
As with attracting any bird, start with a good fresh water supply.
Birdbaths are an inexpensive way to enjoy birds. To attract Orioles there are 4 foods that you can offer ... nectar, jelly, oranges/fruit and mealworms. Orioles love nectar.
They will often drink from hummingbird feeders, but an Oriole nectar feeder is a better design for them. The feeding ports and perches will be the appropriate size. Oriole nectar is typically a little less sweet than hummingbird nectar. Orioles also love grape jelly, and they will eat a bunch of it! The Audubon Oriole feeder, (Pictured left)
feeds nectar and jelly. It also has a built in ant guard. Oranges are another favorite of Orioles (Woodpeckers love them too!). The Woodlink Going Green Oriole feeder (pictured right) works with both oranges and jelly. You can also use it to offer mealworms. There are a wide variety of fruit feeders availble, but I find a suet cage works well for orange halves.
Here's a video we've done on attracting Orioles to your backyard ...
