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How can a Coopers Hawk , plucking and eating a Starling or any bird alive be a positive As you try to scare them into flying with their prey, to not have to here the screams. Red Winged blackbirds were also a favorite for plucking alive. The small hawks lack the strength to kill cleanly I don't hate them for it. They must survive too. But it is not a positive of having g feeders. To help reduce the numbers of some species. A pigeon isn't a rat with wings. And too large for the small hawks. Sorry, but I just don't agree.
My depression would get to me and I would lay in bed all day. I started feeding wild birds and one day they came. The chirping got me out of bed and it brought me joy. It’s a positive in my life.
One significant “pro” of having an increasing number of people putting up feeders in their yard is that it leads to an increased appreciation and concern for birds, which often leads to an increased appreciation and concern for wildlife and nature in general. That prompts people to want to learn about what they can do to help. Then they stop using pesticides in their gardens, they plant native plants, they support environmental protections. A backyard feeder can open a window to the wonder of nature surrounding us and lead to positive actions for change.
Exactly! Since I have put up my bird feeders, I have had a fascination for not just birds, but nature too! I have tried to become more environmentally friendly by recycling plastic, paper and cardboard. In the future, I want to live in a tiny house using solar power and possibly hydropower (If I live near a large creek or river.)
This is exactly how it happened for me. Soon after I put up a bird feeder, I stopped using fertilizers and pesticides. I let the birds do my pest control! Now I am adding more native plants to my small property.
This comment is so underrated. My curiosity was sparked after getting backyard chickens and observing the wildlife that also enjoyed the grains I tossed around. Here I am, a year later, waiting for my first set of Purple Martin houses to arrive...
When we moved into our house 21 yrs ago, you could hear a pin drop outside. No birds no bird song nothing. We have had a well stocked feeder up for 21 years and now the neighborhood is alive with birds. We love them.
I always fed wild birds. Mostly non migrators in my yard. Also had a Running water, heated in winter (to prevent freezing) I never considered a Cooper's Hawk a benefit. They have weaker talons. And pluck and eat victims alive. Same for the Sharpie. But confess to a fondness for one. Long story. I kept feeders and baths spotless and same for filtered bath. We don't all have the woods out our back door.
Lesley, it was quite cold here in coastal Texas a few days ago with night time temps at 17F. Despite my electrical generators running, power outage, bitter winds, and burst water pipes, I still managed to feed the birds here. Those poor things were starved down, so I kept putting out more food. Putting out a few meal worms brought out the Robins. At one point, there were several hundred birds all over my one acre. Regards from Texas!
SantaFeMike99 I live in Houston and it was pretty brutal, right? My feathered friends had huge appetites so it was especially awesome to help them out during a surprise snow!
@@karendiane5 They were hungry, to the point they didn't bicker and chase each other away from the seed feed. I use the Shelled Seed from Tractor Supply Company. Less waste that way. Even the tiny millet seed gets eaten by the Gold Finches. I'm in Galveston County.
After a horrible "Greenaway Fire" last year .my step daughter had a huge influx of Goldfinch's. Having learner from me, she got an extra feeder. She was in the only trailer park that didn't burn.
There’s a little bird that’s been visiting my feeders each day that’s missing a leg. Made me sad the first time I saw the bird but now I’m happy to see it coming by each day. The bird moves around and props itself up by fluttering one of its wings. I have a feeder on the ground on my patio for doves and the disabled bird goes on the patio and eats there with them.
Feeding birds is not just good, it is great! Not just for the birds, but us too! It is a win-win. Especially in the winter and in harsh weather that we have gotten this year, feeding the birds is so important. A couple days ago when we got about 6 inches of snow, I filled up the bird feeders so that they would have a good food source in the weather. Just two days later, the feeders were completely empty. The bird feeders I have hold 4.5 pounds of seed, so all of that seed getting reduced to nothing within just two days was incredible. I have never seen the birds eat so much seed within such a short span of time.
@The Creek Kid I have had the same experience here in Virginia. We have had a stretch of cold, rainy and snowy weather the past few weeks and I have never seen the birds so active at my feeders. I have three seed feeders and two suet feeders. They get cleaned out in days! It is a win for me as I enjoy watching and photographing the birds.
It's the same where I live. There's probably a foot or more of snow on the ground from the past three weeks. The birds are emptying my two 4-5 lb capacity feeders every 2 days! I just went and bought 75 lbs of seed at Tractor Supply yesterday. 😋
I once heard someone say “people protect what they love.” Bird feeding promotes learning about the birds that frequent your backyard, and as you learn more about them so does your desire to protect these precious wonderful creatures.
for bird collisions, i hang up 3 old CD's i don't need anymore, and make a mobile. Hang it in front of my windows. Works great! They move with the wind, and they shine with the sun.
I started a share club. I'm so happy. My little junco comes to my window at 7:30 a.m. gets me up and the goes and tells everybody else. And before ya know it, I have 65 birds in my yard. I LOVE IT! Thank you Judy
My neighbor killed two long standing perfectly good trees within a period of 6 months - I’m so beside myself about it that I have started to feed our birds - this was very helpful
I moved to a more rural neighborhood just this year, and hung my first bird feeders (mostly for the enjoyment of my granddaughter). So this is all new to me. The one line in this video that spoke to ME was the one about the reduction of natural habitat. After all, a few years ago, the land where my new house sits was farm land, or something close to it.
You can help even further by having areas of your property where, instead of grass that needs constant fertilizer and pesticides which aren't good for us either, there can be natural sources of food for birds and pollinators like bees and butterflies. If you can plant some native flowers (best option) or even non-native pollinator friendly flowers that were likely removed when your house was built, that would greatly help out the bee and butterfly populations that are being decimated lately. It's best to have things blooming at different times, too, like they do in the wild. I've read that one of the reasons for the bee population decline is because native early flowering plants are being wiped out. Believe it or not, even leaving dandelions in your grass helps the bees because they are one of the early flowering things they can use. NATIVE milkweed would be great to plant for the monarchs... they really need our help. By planting native flowers or just having a 'wild' area of your yard, you're also helping feed the birds (and their babies!) by providing caterpillars that they eat. You can also help by planting native bushes and trees that provide berries and nesting areas. It just takes a little research to find out what those are for your area. It's amazing how much you can learn just by doing these things... Mother Nature sure knows what she's doing! Thank you so much for being conscientious and helping the birds!
We love our feeders, as they attract hundreds of birds, mostly American and Lesser Goldfinch, and House Finch. I'm also a bird photographer, so its great to have consistent and constant test subjects, for new gear or techniques. About the only negative I can see, is the cost ! WoW ! These little guys sure go through some food ! About 10 lbs a week, in our 4 feeders. I'm looking for cheaper alternatives, but they seem to like the expensive, no waste mixes the best.
During this recent old snap in USA I got a lot more into feeding "my" birds. It puzzles me, though, how on some days - even brutally cold days - where are they? Other days there they are and the seed goes fast. I must say a big thank you to Lesley for these beautiful videos which have given me more appreciation for birds.
Never had a sick bird. Clean my feeder every time I fill it. I’ve had one immature hawk practicing how to catch birds. It was also looking at my little doggie so scared him off. I can’t afford to keep my feeder going all the time but I do keep my suet available. This allows a good rotation around the feeder area. Thanks for the information.
Caught my stray backyard bird killer cat in a trap and she's been in the a/c for 2 years now at my place 🤣 won't even step outside again. Keep your cats indoors!!!
For me it’s even more a win-win situation, because it’s great entertainment for my cats lol. Don’t worry, they’re indoor cats I would never let them hurt a bird. I also made sure no outdoor cat can get to them.
I was recently amazed that a hawk caught a bird at my feeder and proceeded to kill it and eat right there. My feeder is not in any way out in the open. It's in my peach tree between my house and my neighbors house, not a tight space but maybe about 17 feet. I have seen it flying through later and the birds will scatter and not return until it is gone. Thanks, Lesley. Some great information. Always a fan of yours.
My cockatiel was in his cage that allowed him to look out to the backyard. A Red-Shouldered hawk perched on the back of a lawn chair and even in his cage in the house, he freaked out. Apparently, birds instinctively know a predator when they see one.
Wonderful video! Always happy when someone has the courage to cite cats as a problem. Cats are -- by far -- the biggest threat to birds, and kill 3-4B annually. It wasn't until I started trapping and removing cats from my gardens that multiple native bird species began nesting and successfully brooding. Cats are an enormous problem in city and suburban environs and routinely stalk and kill birds and their nestlings. In 2019 a cat climbed my porch lattice and killed an entire nest of Robins, and that's when I got the trap. The results have been transformational. There are videos on TH-cam of cats killing Carolina Wrens, Cardinals, and other birds in their nests, or when they first go to the ground as fledglings. It is something you may wish to cover in a future segment, for the horrific problem that it is. It's not about hating house cats; they just need to be kept in the *house* where they belong.
My cat problem is actually a neighbor problem. They have many outdoor cats that end up at my bird feeders. I started putting food out for those cats & they gobble it down, which tells me they are not getting fed at home. When the weather warms up I will trap them & take them to a spay/neuter clinic. The neighbors are not responsible cat owners. 😐
@@gourddrawing I hear you. What to do with them is a problem. I have had nests destroyed, birds and babies pleasure-killed (that is what house cat do; it's not about hunger/survival as owners like to claim). When I started trapping, it was like my gardens (.16 acre) transformed to wildlife habitat. I have native birds of all sorts competing for the space. There's even air wars (usually Grackles and Robins a little too close for comfort). I was annoyed I didn't do this years ago, but better late than never. You can always tell a feral from a neighbor's cat; they are vicious and even strike at you through the cage. The other huge advantage of trapping is no more cat sh-t and foul disgusting odors permeating my mulch beds. I would be weeding and get handfuls of sh-t -- disgusting.
I have a cat that I keep in doors for this reason and also do take him out supervised. I also have heard that cats also hunt rabbits. Cat hunting birds is no doubt getting worse due to the number of feral cats in our cities. They probably do some good hunting mice and rats though. It all boils down to the stupidity of people in the way they care for animals in general...they no longer want the cat...”hey let’s dump him on the highway or in that empty field!” Don’t blame the animal...blame the stupid cruel person!!
@@areyoukidding1693 So true. In the end, it all comes down to stupid humans. Humans bred these cats as comfort creatures, as with so many other domestic animals. The animal is acting on instinct, even despite it being a pleasure-kill which is maddening. Where people are lazy as you say, we need to take control and eradicate them somehow if we're to help recovery of native species. The hard part is what to do with the cats after trapping them. ASPCA doesn't want them. There needs to be some kind of long term solution that conservationists can look to.
As you probably know, we have had some extreme weather in the south the last few weeks. Sleet, snow, frozen fog, ice. You name it we had it. I had prepared my feeders for the upcoming weather situation. The problem was I could not get to my feeders to refill them. I had so many birds the feeders were emptied out fast but the ice covered ground was too much for my knee replacement joint. So I would go to the back porch and just toss out handfuls of seed every morning. My birds were waiting for this by the third day. I felt bad for them with so much snow that they were unaccustomed too and bird baths frozen over. Again I could not get to the water. But we did the best we could. Thanks for all the great advice !
We solved a problem with birds striking a window near the feeders by using a white glass pen. We simply drew vertical lines from the top to the bottom of the window. Each line is about 5 inches apart. At first it looks a little distracting, but you quickly get used to it and don’t notice it anymore. Much cheaper and just as effective as some of the commercial options for sale.
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane we put it on the outside of the window. We chose white, but you could use any color I suppose. It’s been on a large north facing window since late fall of 2020 and has held up well throughout a wet cold Michigan winter. www.amazon.com/Glass-Pen-White-Writing-WINDOWS/dp/B006MUO6FW/ref=asc_df_B006MUO6FW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=223420522240&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10414426359715984982&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017227&hvtargid=pla-371133480706&psc=1
@@Birdlab Thanks! I live in Michigan, too! Lol! I must be getting old because when I checked out your link to the video I had already 'thumbs upped' it, so I must have watched it a while back and forgot about it...duh! Lol, it looked REAL familiar! 🤣 I went with the window clings a few years ago, which greatly reduce (I'd say 95%), but don't totally eliminate birds hitting our windows, so I was curious how/if the markers worked. Thanks again... I bet your answer will help a lot of people, and birds, out there!
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane we tried the window decals for awhile but they didn’t seem to work. We had a flicker die after hitting window 🙁so we tried the glass pen instead. So far, so good.
Loved your video, just happened to see it on TH-cam. I have been an avid bird enthusiastic since I was 4, 1942. We lived in Muncie, IN. This was the first Christmas I remember. Mom and I were making a Christmas tree ornament. Mom and I walked to the corner grocery store and bought a 16oz. can of Jolly Time popcorn and a sack of cranberries. At Home, we popped the corn, my favorite snack to this day, threaded a cranberry, and then a couple kernels of corn. The bright red and white garland looked so beautiful and we did it together, by ourselves. A couple weeks after Christmas, we carefully took the garland and placed it outside, around a small cedar tree wrapped in snow. We went inside and within a few minutes, here come the Cardinals and black-capped chickadees. That was 78 years ago and that feeling still comes back whenever I lovingly feed and watch all the birds.
Thank you for sharing this video. It's a good reminder for everyone how important hygiene is, even for birds. Everytime I refill the feeders, I check them out first, clean them thoroughly then refill. I truly enjoy the birds visiting my backyard especially when they take their baths. These birds have baths between 7 and 8 in the mornings and evening baths between 6 and 7. It's wonderful and amazing to see a dozen or more birds flouncing their wings against each other obviously enjoying their baths, lol. I clean and refill at least 3 times day their birdbaths, each time the baths are close to empty. It's like looking after children, 😂
I think it's more positive in the winter then negative, especially for the female birds, who struggle to get a fair share at natural sources. Good point about keeping the feeders and area clean. I will have to tick up my frequency on that, thank you.
Really informative and I do agree with feeding them to help them get through the harsh winters. One thing I have become more conscious of is the quality of seeds and food I use to feed birds in my local area. I have been buying from a local place that only sells that higher quality bird food. Always great videos and thanks for sharing.
Luckily, my tiny backyard birds are more winter hardy than my old cat! We're having the coldest January in years with non stop -30°C in Québec. I only started feeding birds at Christmas, when our government announced a new lock down and holiday gatherings were cancelled... I ended up with the happiest guests at the outdoor buffet! They're all very polite and leave at dusk around 4 pm... Love your videos! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing! I have recently started feeding and recording and posting videos backyard birds at the feeder on TH-cam. It is a lovely experience, but also does come with some challenges!
I agree to all noted, Lesley. Thank you for posting. My bird feeding is Important to me and yes, I do take them down to clean and also go out in the depths of snow to make sure the snow is off the platforms on my feeders so the pretty ground feeders like Cardinals can Also Eat their food! Birds are quite Content in my yard! Thank you for posting 💌
I retired to the Ozarks and the home is built on a hillside making the back deck about thirty feet from the ground. The birds here are non stop amazing. Five different kinds of woodpeckers and all of the reg forest birds. The spring migration is really stunning as we get Baltimore Orioles and rose breasted grosbeaks. We have a pileated woodpecker that is here everyday. He is more like a pet. So many. They bring me peace and joy.
thanks for your knowledge and hard work and making my sunday. I pour boiling hot water on my feeder in winter to try and keep it clean and so far so good I think
Excellent, comprehensive video!!! I think another great video would be about encouraging people to research and plant native flowers, bushes and trees in their yards to further help the pollinators and birds in their areas. A lot of people don't get the connection that birds eat catapillars and other bugs that live on those plants and you can't have birds if you only have grass in your yard. Not to mention the amount of herbicides and pesticides we are putting into our environment to maintain grass. We have to learn to work with Mother Nature, not against her! Awesome video Lesley!
@@clb3297 Native plants are ALWAYS, *ALWAYS* more desirable than invasive species. It's NOT just about nectar sources!! Insects, which birds and others use for food for themselves and their babies, have evolved over eons to eat SPECIFIC NATIVE plants. When invasive plants are allowed to take over an area of native plants, those insects disappear, and so does what eats them (birds especially). There's plenty of nectar supply in native plants (especially if humans would quit interfering!)... certainly not a good reason to bring in invasive plants!!! See the work of Douglas Tallamy for more in depth information on this. He has spent his entire life researching the interactions between insects and native plants, and their interaction with the rest of the ecosystem.
A scientific study was done several years ago to determine if birds become dependent upon feeders, and it was found that they get only about 20% of their diet from feeders. The rest, they still get from the wild. Good news!
That’s good to hear. I have to take down my feeders for good. 😢. There is a pair of Cooper’s hawks that are relentless and they come by 6-8 times a day. I tried taking the feeders down before for a week or two, and the hawks are back the same day the feeders go back up. This is so upsetting. I wish I never put up a feeder to begin with. I would discourage anyone from doing it too. But I feel better knowing that the birds will be ok after the feeders come down.
Great presentation as usual Leslie. Small note of caution to those who feed birds in unfenced yards in bear territory. As bears are omnivores, they can gladly respond to the dinner bells we know as feeders. Even if the feeder is out of the bear's grasp, the fallen food can be a gift too. Just a thought, bird nerds beware.
We had a black bear rip in half our heavy metal poles holding the feeders.took off with the suet baskets and one of the feeders...wondering what we will do this spring...when the bears are finished hibernating..
@Tim Brown I had a similar problem with racoons helping themselves to my backyard feeders. Racoons are very clean animals and choose a specific spot to defecate which coincidentally was our front yard by the mailbox and creating a nuisance. After some critical thinking (and common sense) I realized I was causing this by filling the feeders too often. So as a rule I fill the feeder in the early morning and it is devoured by noon. Resisting the temptation to refill them after this caused the raccoons (and one time a hungry opossum) to forage elsewhere during night. Just meant no more afternoon birdwatching for us...
@@Mityob67 I buy Royal Wing from Tractor Supply. The Far Mix blend is what they go crazy for but the sparrows tend to crowd out the cardinals. I set up a separate feeder with just safflower seeds which only the cardinals seem to like
I feed birds the whole winter. This cold time was 7 months! Feeding birds is quite expensive but I find it so positive to watch them and it is my cats favorite too during long winter days❤.
Yes, thank you for giving kudos to Florence! What a change she made in the birding world! I’ve only recently been introduced to her books (I started with “Birding on a Bronco,” which is a great peek into spring nesting).
I will give a Zoom class in a few hours in Portugal about bird feeders, so I searched TH-cam to finetune any detail I missed, BINGO, window collisions, thank you
I get great enjoyment from feeding my birds as my grandparents practiced this when I was young. My only downside is the cost.... I buy seed, bark butter pellets, bark butter paste, peanuts, suet blocks, it goes on and on. My grandparents used to buy real suet from the grocery store but the racoons are enough of a problem so I wouldn't do that even if I had the opportunity. Luckily I have not had an issue with windows. Thanks for the video, Lesley!
I feed the birds in my area only in the winter months. Reasons are the bears in the spring time will destroy the feeders and 2 I live in the country where there is plenty of food on the ground once the snow melts. I love watching my little feathered friends fly in and out for a quick snack. Even when they hide a seed and another bird finds it. There is a peaceful feeling that comes from watching birds in all seasons.
Thank you so much for this video. I am new to bird watching and feeding. I only have suet feeders that are wire, but after your videos, I inspected them and found cleaning and maintenance was overdue. I want to be a good host to my feathered guests!
Been feeding birds in the garden for a few years now and this winter a Sharp-shinned Hawk noticed. So hopefully it's getting a meal too, there are 50 morning doves out there some days. Though it'll make me nervous to put the chickens out in the spring.
Thank you kindly for the guidance, I try to keep things clean but this inspired me to get out there thoroughly with a scrub brush. I am glad to keep my feeders, the joy they bring me every morning is incalculable.
My bird sanctuary this past yr S.W. Michigan -650 lbs black oilers, 60 lbs. thistle, 6!lbs homemade suet, 5lbs cracked corn heated bird bath ... 🌟 all on a 2nd floor balcony -clean -clean -clean ...Thank you for this channel...🙏🏼
Very true about keeping bird feeders clean. Last winter we had a large number of pine Siskins die from disease the SPCA came from bird feeders. I used to feed the birds in winter with a duet feeder- the townhouse strata has banned feeding birds because of the rats and mice, which is bringing coyotes in the yards- very disappointing! Your shows are fantastic and I have learned so much! Thanks! Vancouver 🇨🇦
I hope our neighborhood birds are enjoying the feeders, they seem to finish the food I put out daily. And yes, I am also providing a food stop for a hawk or two, but that's just nature. I chase away any cats who come around. But I am more concerned for my local wild rabbits and the neighborhood dogs who seem to routinely escape their fences. But I guess they're used to being hunted.
Again... thank you so much again! Your information has helped me so much. I hadn't thought about the hawks not having to migrate because there were birds available to sustain them through the cold winter months. I really love your videos! I am addicted to all this wonderful information.❤
Nice 👍🏻 video. I have four posts set in the rear of my property at the wood line. The two center posts have blue bird boxes and suet cages. The two outer posts hang two finch feeders with nyjer seed, two glass feeders with black oil sunflower seeds and two more suet cages. My newest edition is a smart feeder by Soliom. It’s the BF08 with a 2.7 liter (11.4 cups) seed capacity and quality metal construction. It’s awesome! I fill that with 4 cups cracked corn, 3 cups black oil sunflower seed, 2 cups shelled peanuts and 2.4 cups black soldier fly larva. The attraction is amazing! 👍🏻✌🏻💙
We had two ice storms in a row here in MD and Temps in the 20's and low 30's for several weeks. This is not typical. My suet feeder has been emptied every 4 days. I know I helped to save lives.
I've always been kind of reluctant about feeding birds (apart from trying to bribe the magpies to leave me alone during swooping season). Where I live in South Australia, there are lots of open green spaces & winters here are very mild. What I DO help the little guys with is water because it doesn't rain much here. It's quite remarkable the different varieties I've had visit the "Vienna Bowl" (long story) & it can be fascinating to watch the different families come through as the years roll by. And some of them genuinely seem to be having fun as they splash about! Thanks for the interesting video. I might even rethink my position on feeding. :)
Thanks so much, Lesley! As always, you continue to educate as well as delight with your videos! Is the primary risk of disease transmission from the bird's feces that end up on or near the feeder or are there other issues to be aware of as well?
I live by a huge park in the Bronx. I don't own a home,so I can't put a feeder outside,but I do put seed on my windowsill,along with old cookies or crackers,I've trained a group of sparrows who hang around waiting to be fed every morning,a few starlings also! I love them,and they are my joy! We have a red tailed hawk,who appeared on my and several other fire escapes on my block,we were amazed,as they stayed for a few minutes to visit,beautiful bird! I love this channel,I've learned a lit about birds that I didn't know before, including how seed and eating keeps them warm in the winter,and where they sleep in the cold(I always wondered),? Thank you for great videos and information about our feathered friends!
Exactly! Great point. I replace the water in mine every 3 days and throughly clean them with soap and water to get out any stains, bacteria, fungus or algae. She should definitely do a video on birdbaths sometime. I would love to learn more information.
We had a problem with window strikes on the OPPOSITE side of our house from the feeders with birds flying into the windows on their way to the feeders. Stickers helped a bit, but putting out a large plastic owl (like gardeners use to deter pests) has been 100% effective in keeping birds from hitting the windows and it doesn't block the view through the window. Obviously not something you want to put near your feeders, but it's very effective at preventing window strikes away from the feeders.
I have had a platform feeder 2.5 feet from my bedroom window for a few years. Only once when the window was clean did a bird fly into the window and fortunately was not hurt. Since then I have let the window accumulate dirt. Now it is really dirty and no more accidents. If you spray a window with water and don't wipe it off it will accumulate dirt fast. I wash off the platform every day. I enjoy chickadees, kinglets, oak titmouse, sparrows, house finches, and even scrub jays. Although I have accipiters in my neighborhood my feeder is protected from them by being surrounded by and within a large ligustrum. I also have a bare ground area which is visited by doves and towhees. That area is protected from cats by a fence. Thanks for posting....
I live a 15 minute hike out in the woods. I feed mostly chickadees, lightly at the first part of winter and increasing the amounts as winter progresses and especially in extreme weather. Walking through the woods I get a sense of the territory boundaries of what I think of as ‘my’ tribe because they will harass me for food. As the feeding season progresses I see the boundaries shrinking by as much as several hundred meters ( yards for those South of Canada) and have been mildly concerned about disrupting territorial areas. Thanks for the information in this video and for the other wonderful content you put out.
My 30 plus Jays post sentrys and warn everyone when a hawk is near,..you should hear what 100+ birds (mostly large) instantly taking flight sound like...it's awesome
More than once I have seen the local crows police hawks on the prowl. I have witnessed an airborne chase between a murder of local crows and a hawk. It was truly impressive to see how they swooped, dived and soared again giving chase.
I live in a rented cottage, and provide water for drinking, and bathing. I don't provide food, as there is lots of food around, plus there was no one feeding birds before I got here, and there is no guarantee that whoever follows me, will take care of our endemics, or winter visitors. If I lived back in Canada, or Northern California, I would, for sure, put out feeders. Thank you for your work.
May seem obvious, but an additional negative so to speak, is more droppings from the feathered ones. A positive, which I believe you have mentioned in a previous video is the phycological effect on us bi-peds. When I see a less commonly seen bird in my yard it makes me happy and want to watch and focus on them.
Our ground has been snow covered for almost a week (Indiana) In that time our birds have consumed 40 lbs of bird feed, 20 pounds of black sunflower seed, 8 lbs of thistle seed and 2 suet cakes. They are going to break me!
I would be interested in knowing what a sick bird looks like. I have had feeders for many years in southeast Texas, and have seen predation but I don't recall seeing sick birds so I am interested in the signs to look for. I use fresh seeds and clean my feeders. During the recent polar vortex my finch feeders were kept full and did a brisk business which made me so happy!
We have had sick pine siskins spreading salmonella in Oregon and Washing ton. They tend to look fluffed up and ungroomed, lethargic, they sit in the feeder for long periods, they seem to be panting, they can appear 'tame' - they just don't have the energy to fly away, but will if startled. We have been advised to stop feeding for a while. I feel sad about not feeding, and not all neighbors are on board with the no feeding suggestion, so sick birds just go to someone else's feeder. Also, it is advised to use feeders that can clean easily: plastic or metal that can be soaked in bleach water, wood is more porous and difficult to clean. I'm thinking to wait a week or so, then put the clean suet feeder back up. I seldom notice the pine siskins at it, they seem to prefer seeds. All the other birds look healthy, as far as I can tell. The siskins should be migrating soon, they are only here for the winter.
Loved this video and already purchased some Birdsafe collars for my parent's cat's. As for another con to bird feeding that wasn't mentioned is attracting critters of the non-avian variety. I don't mind at all, but people should be aware that racoons, squirrels (obviously), mice, rats, skunks, and it seems just about every other creature in my neighborhood have taken advantage. I love it; non have tried to set up shop inside my house but I'm sure that others would be less enthusiastic.
This is an excellent video!!! Very informative!!! I always wondered many of these things. Someone told me once you start feeding them you can't stop. I used to wonder, birds aren't stupid they will look elsewhere. I would buy 20 lb bags regularly and at times money was lean and she made me feel guilty if I couldn't buy bird seed that week.
Nice video and thanks for taking an objective position by presenting both pros and cons. As one commenter mentioned already, bears can be an issue. They love bird feed. This means that bird feeders draw them close to homes and then they become comfortable hanging out around humans. That’s rarely a good thing and frequently ends up bad for the bear. Here in PA, if you live in “bear country,”the Game Commission recommends only feeding the birds while the bears are hibernating.
Thanks for the advice! One pro that I thought could be derived from feeding birds is that they can help people attract or spot rarities within a bird species, like an albino bird or a bird with leucism, or that yellow cardinal that became viral a couple of years ago. Speaking of cardinals, I knew that their distribution expanding northward was associated with increasing popularity of feeding birds, but I didn’t know something similar occurred with Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, and Anna’s Hummingbirds. Also, another pro, especially in the spring and summer is that feeders could be a helpful food source for birds feeding their nestlings or fledglings. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
WH: When the hummingbirds do battle on the porch I used to have my slider open at times, a few occasions one would dart inside in their haste to get away from the aggressor. They seem to get confused easily once indoors, heading for the first window they see and hovering there expecting to get out. I would shoo the dog outside, Labs being very curious about noisy little birds, and would take a broom stick and hold it up. The bird would eventually land on the end of the broom stick and I would walk it towards the slider and freedom. It would take a few attempts, the birds would get nervous and fly back to the window but once they tired out they would perch until I stuck the stick outside.
I've had sparrows in my house, by flying down the outside chimney pipe for my antique, (functioning) Glenwood 111 coal stove. (In the off season, when not running.) You could hear it flying in the stove, and the 1st time we opened the door, the bird went all over the house, finally landing on a window sill. Was challenging getting it back outside. When it happened the second time, B4 we opened the stove door, we blocked off the rest of the house with a sheet, shut the window shade in the room, and opened the frt door, (which was in frt of the stove.). When we finally released the bird by opening the stove door , it saw the light, and flew directly back outside. Lessons learned. (Also, keep the stove pipe cap screen tight, and serviceable.) :)
Before watching your (previous) video, I did not think about the spread of disease through feeders. Thank you for the information. I immediately changed the popular feeder in the park, it was in poor condition.
I feed mostly in the winter time but I keep a couple of suet feeders out all year. I found a sparrow and a goldfinch dead after the horrible snow here in Texas. A sparrow under one feeder and a goldfinch about 30 ft away from a feeder by my garage. I took the feeders down to soak in soapy water and cleaned up all the sunflower shells around the feeders. I may put them back up after winter even though the snow is gone here now just to be sure. Love your videos and learn a lot.
My dad saw an osprey last month and they’re also not supposed to be where I live. I saw a snowy owl 10 years ago here and they’re not supposed to be where I live either. It was pretty stunning to see both! The owl was flying to different light poles in a Walmart parking lot and perching on them. It was night time and really beautiful looking
The diminishing magnetic field of the Earth is causing large amounts of wildlife to turn up in places where they don't normally go.They usually navigate by it, but the weaker it is, the harder it is for them to figure out in which direction they need to go.
Great video Leslie! Thanks for all the info. I have a cat who is in-door/out-door and I just keep him in during the day when birds are super active at my feeders and let him out at night so he can be his natural nocturnal self. Works for him and the birds. Also thank you for info on disease and how to care for feeders.
This past week the temps here were below freezing and single digits at night. My husband was filling our feeder twice a day and throwing extra onto our deck. They were eating us out of house and home. Today it was near 50 degrees F, and as we expected, they hardly ate anything. As spring arrives we always see less birds at our feeder because they are also looking for bugs too.
Nature is beautiful, all creatures great and small, and especially the birds. Thank you very much for the video, it was very enjoyable! I love watching the birds feeding away which is the least I can do to these finest things in life along with growing all sorts of flowers.
It’s funny Ive actually been considering feeding this year due to all of the negative impacts you mention. Other than one titmouse flying into a car window I started having a Cooper’s Hawk visit this winter in perfect alignment with our first big snow storm. He was cleaning up on House Sparrows and I was surprised to see him with a Blue Jay. I considered taking my feeder down yet was reluctant due to the abundance of birds attracted at the time. Fortunately I haven’t seen it since.
I think a screen of some sort helps with bird collisions with the patio door..I use a fairly see through drape that i can see through but makes it look more like a wall to them…i was not having it lately and a cedar waxwing ran into the sliding door..but after some careful attention it recovered and flew away..now i keep the drapes drawn..it took about an hour for it to recover..i love my outside buddies..
Amazing! Ten minutes of birdfeeder video, without a single sparrow. My winter birdfeeder mainly draws swarms of glutinous sparrows, juncos, and starlings. Few cardinals or blue jays appear. A solitary woodpecker shows up, now and then. A chickadee or two will flit by briefly. Once an out-of-season grackle visited. Wagner's Greatest Variety Blend is supposed to attract all kinds of birds, but I never see one fourth of the variety featured in this video or on the package. Basically, I'm just boosting the sparrow population.
To help avoid window collisions, we use those decals, bought at a local Wild Birds Unlimited store. I did have to use quite a few on each window to stop the collisions, but they're not too expensive.
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Ty hon!!
Great Review.
How can a Coopers Hawk , plucking and eating a Starling or any
bird alive be a positive
As you try to scare them into flying with their prey, to not have to here the screams.
Red Winged blackbirds were also a favorite for plucking alive. The small hawks lack the strength to kill cleanly
I don't hate them for it.
They must survive too.
But it is not a positive of having g feeders.
To help reduce the numbers of some species. A pigeon isn't
a rat with wings. And too large for the small hawks. Sorry, but I just don't agree.
I love your videos, got a pink hoodie!
My depression would get to me and I would lay in bed all day. I started feeding wild birds and one day they came. The chirping got me out of bed and it brought me joy. It’s a positive in my life.
One significant “pro” of having an increasing number of people putting up feeders in their yard is that it leads to an increased appreciation and concern for birds, which often leads to an increased appreciation and concern for wildlife and nature in general. That prompts people to want to learn about what they can do to help. Then they stop using pesticides in their gardens, they plant native plants, they support environmental protections. A backyard feeder can open a window to the wonder of nature surrounding us and lead to positive actions for change.
YES! Exactly what I was thinking!
Exactly! Since I have put up my bird feeders, I have had a fascination for not just birds, but nature too! I have tried to become more environmentally friendly by recycling plastic, paper and cardboard. In the future, I want to live in a tiny house using solar power and possibly hydropower (If I live near a large creek or river.)
I totally agree. With every word.
This is exactly how it happened for me. Soon after I put up a bird feeder, I stopped using fertilizers and pesticides. I let the birds do my pest control! Now I am adding more native plants to my small property.
This comment is so underrated. My curiosity was sparked after getting backyard chickens and observing the wildlife that also enjoyed the grains I tossed around. Here I am, a year later, waiting for my first set of Purple Martin houses to arrive...
When we moved into our house 21 yrs ago, you could hear a pin drop outside. No birds no bird song nothing. We have had a well stocked feeder up for 21 years and now the neighborhood is alive with birds. We love them.
I have fed them for 28 years now. Love doing it. They never become dependant 100 percent. Don't worry guys. They always migrate like regular.
I always fed wild birds.
Mostly non migrators in my yard. Also had a
Running water, heated in winter (to prevent freezing) I never considered a Cooper's Hawk a benefit. They have weaker talons.
And pluck and eat victims alive. Same for the Sharpie. But confess to a fondness
for one. Long story.
I kept feeders and baths spotless and same for filtered bath.
We don't all have the woods out our back door.
Lesley, it was quite cold here in coastal Texas a few days ago with night time temps at 17F. Despite my electrical generators running, power outage, bitter winds, and burst water pipes, I still managed to feed the birds here. Those poor things were starved down, so I kept putting out more food. Putting out a few meal worms brought out the Robins. At one point, there were several hundred birds all over my one acre. Regards from Texas!
I was in the same situation snow ice and no power I still refilled my bird feeder until I ran out of bags.
SantaFeMike99 I live in Houston and it was pretty brutal, right? My feathered friends had huge appetites so it was especially awesome to help them out during a surprise snow!
Way to be guys!
@@karendiane5 They were hungry, to the point they didn't bicker and chase each other away from the seed feed. I use the Shelled Seed from Tractor Supply Company. Less waste that way. Even the tiny millet seed gets eaten by the Gold Finches. I'm in Galveston County.
Bless you for thinking of the precious little birdies, whilst you are suffering such a hardship. 🙏😇🌟
I can only say, it’s more of a positive than a negative.
I agree. with the due precautions shown.
After a horrible "Greenaway Fire" last year .my step daughter
had a huge influx of Goldfinch's. Having learner from me, she got an extra feeder.
She was in the only
trailer park that didn't
burn.
There’s a little bird that’s been visiting my feeders each day that’s missing a leg. Made me sad the first time I saw the bird but now I’m happy to see it coming by each day. The bird moves around and props itself up by fluttering one of its wings. I have a feeder on the ground on my patio for doves and the disabled bird goes on the patio and eats there with them.
Feeding birds is not just good, it is great! Not just for the birds, but us too! It is a win-win. Especially in the winter and in harsh weather that we have gotten this year, feeding the birds is so important. A couple days ago when we got about 6 inches of snow, I filled up the bird feeders so that they would have a good food source in the weather. Just two days later, the feeders were completely empty. The bird feeders I have hold 4.5 pounds of seed, so all of that seed getting reduced to nothing within just two days was incredible. I have never seen the birds eat so much seed within such a short span of time.
Well done!
Awesome job helping out our feathered friends.
Thanks! Only the best for the birds.
@The Creek Kid I have had the same experience here in Virginia. We have had a stretch of cold, rainy and snowy weather the past few weeks and I have never seen the birds so active at my feeders. I have three seed feeders and two suet feeders. They get cleaned out in days! It is a win for me as I enjoy watching and photographing the birds.
It's the same where I live. There's probably a foot or more of snow on the ground from the past three weeks. The birds are emptying my two 4-5 lb capacity feeders every 2 days! I just went and bought 75 lbs of seed at Tractor Supply yesterday. 😋
I once heard someone say “people protect what they love.” Bird feeding promotes learning about the birds that frequent your backyard, and as you learn more about them so does your desire to protect these precious wonderful creatures.
for bird collisions, i hang up 3 old CD's i don't need anymore, and make a mobile. Hang it in front of my windows. Works great! They move with the wind, and they shine with the sun.
That's a fantastic idea! Wish I thought of that. I ended up buying I scare rods off Amazon that essentially do the same thing.
I started a share club. I'm
so happy. My little junco
comes to my window at 7:30 a.m. gets me up and the goes and tells everybody else.
And before ya know it, I
have 65 birds in my yard.
I LOVE IT!
Thank you
Judy
Just made a birdhouse for the first time in my life. Love the birds coming by
My neighbor killed two long standing perfectly good trees within a period of 6 months - I’m so beside myself about it that I have started to feed our birds - this was very helpful
I moved to a more rural neighborhood just this year, and hung my first bird feeders (mostly for the enjoyment of my granddaughter). So this is all new to me. The one line in this video that spoke to ME was the one about the reduction of natural habitat. After all, a few years ago, the land where my new house sits was farm land, or something close to it.
You can help even further by having areas of your property where, instead of grass that needs constant fertilizer and pesticides which aren't good for us either, there can be natural sources of food for birds and pollinators like bees and butterflies. If you can plant some native flowers (best option) or even non-native pollinator friendly flowers that were likely removed when your house was built, that would greatly help out the bee and butterfly populations that are being decimated lately. It's best to have things blooming at different times, too, like they do in the wild. I've read that one of the reasons for the bee population decline is because native early flowering plants are being wiped out. Believe it or not, even leaving dandelions in your grass helps the bees because they are one of the early flowering things they can use. NATIVE milkweed would be great to plant for the monarchs... they really need our help. By planting native flowers or just having a 'wild' area of your yard, you're also helping feed the birds (and their babies!) by providing caterpillars that they eat.
You can also help by planting native bushes and trees that provide berries and nesting areas. It just takes a little research to find out what those are for your area.
It's amazing how much you can learn just by doing these things... Mother Nature sure knows what she's doing! Thank you so much for being conscientious and helping the birds!
We love our feeders, as they attract hundreds of birds, mostly American and Lesser Goldfinch, and House Finch. I'm also a bird photographer, so its great to have consistent and constant test subjects, for new gear or techniques. About the only negative I can see, is the cost ! WoW ! These little guys sure go through some food ! About 10 lbs a week, in our 4 feeders. I'm looking for cheaper alternatives, but they seem to like the expensive, no waste mixes the best.
I find they like the “Gourmet” seed better. Little buggers go through a $15 5 lb bag in two weeks
During this recent old snap in USA I got a lot more into feeding "my" birds. It puzzles me, though, how on some days - even brutally cold days - where are they? Other days there they are and the seed goes fast. I must say a big thank you to Lesley for these beautiful videos which have given me more appreciation for birds.
I don’t have any pets but I consider my wild birds my pets. I love feeding them and watching them up close with binoculars. It just makes me happy. 😃
Never had a sick bird. Clean my feeder every time I fill it. I’ve had one immature hawk practicing how to catch birds. It was also looking at my little doggie so scared him off. I can’t afford to keep my feeder going all the time but I do keep my suet available. This allows a good rotation around the feeder area. Thanks for the information.
Yes hawks would try to eat my doves who came in late afternoon. I had to stop due to hawks
Caught my stray backyard bird killer cat in a trap and she's been in the a/c for 2 years now at my place 🤣 won't even step outside again. Keep your cats indoors!!!
For me it’s even more a win-win situation, because it’s great entertainment for my cats lol. Don’t worry, they’re indoor cats I would never let them hurt a bird. I also made sure no outdoor cat can get to them.
I was recently amazed that a hawk caught a bird at my feeder and proceeded to kill it and eat right there. My feeder is not in any way out in the open. It's in my peach tree between my house and my neighbors house, not a tight space but maybe about 17 feet. I have seen it flying through later and the birds will scatter and not return until it is gone. Thanks, Lesley. Some great information. Always a fan of yours.
My cockatiel was in his cage that allowed him to look out to the backyard. A Red-Shouldered hawk perched on the back of a lawn chair and even in his cage in the house, he freaked out. Apparently, birds instinctively know a predator when they see one.
Wonderful video! Always happy when someone has the courage to cite cats as a problem. Cats are -- by far -- the biggest threat to birds, and kill 3-4B annually. It wasn't until I started trapping and removing cats from my gardens that multiple native bird species began nesting and successfully brooding. Cats are an enormous problem in city and suburban environs and routinely stalk and kill birds and their nestlings. In 2019 a cat climbed my porch lattice and killed an entire nest of Robins, and that's when I got the trap. The results have been transformational.
There are videos on TH-cam of cats killing Carolina Wrens, Cardinals, and other birds in their nests, or when they first go to the ground as fledglings. It is something you may wish to cover in a future segment, for the horrific problem that it is. It's not about hating house cats; they just need to be kept in the *house* where they belong.
My cat problem is actually a neighbor problem. They have many outdoor cats that end up at my bird feeders. I started putting food out for those cats & they gobble it down, which tells me they are not getting fed at home. When the weather warms up I will trap them & take them to a spay/neuter clinic. The neighbors are not responsible cat owners. 😐
@@gourddrawing I hear you. What to do with them is a problem. I have had nests destroyed, birds and babies pleasure-killed (that is what house cat do; it's not about hunger/survival as owners like to claim). When I started trapping, it was like my gardens (.16 acre) transformed to wildlife habitat. I have native birds of all sorts competing for the space. There's even air wars (usually Grackles and Robins a little too close for comfort). I was annoyed I didn't do this years ago, but better late than never.
You can always tell a feral from a neighbor's cat; they are vicious and even strike at you through the cage. The other huge advantage of trapping is no more cat sh-t and foul disgusting odors permeating my mulch beds. I would be weeding and get handfuls of sh-t -- disgusting.
I have a cat that I keep in doors for this reason and also do take him out supervised. I also have heard that cats also hunt rabbits. Cat hunting birds is no doubt getting worse due to the number of feral cats in our cities. They probably do some good hunting mice and rats though. It all boils down to the stupidity of people in the way they care for animals in general...they no longer want the cat...”hey let’s dump him on the highway or in that empty field!” Don’t blame the animal...blame the stupid cruel person!!
@@areyoukidding1693 So true. In the end, it all comes down to stupid humans. Humans bred these cats as comfort creatures, as with so many other domestic animals. The animal is acting on instinct, even despite it being a pleasure-kill which is maddening. Where people are lazy as you say, we need to take control and eradicate them somehow if we're to help recovery of native species. The hard part is what to do with the cats after trapping them. ASPCA doesn't want them. There needs to be some kind of long term solution that conservationists can look to.
@@franciswarnock8977 TNR is the only long term answer -- PERIOD
As you probably know, we have had some extreme weather in the south the last few weeks. Sleet, snow, frozen fog, ice. You name it we had it. I had prepared my feeders for the upcoming weather situation. The problem was I could not get to my feeders to refill them. I had so many birds the feeders were emptied out fast but the ice covered ground was too much for my knee replacement joint. So I would go to the back porch and just toss out handfuls of seed every morning. My birds were waiting for this by the third day. I felt bad for them with so much snow that they were unaccustomed too and bird baths frozen over. Again I could not get to the water. But we did the best we could. Thanks for all the great advice !
We solved a problem with birds striking a window near the feeders by using a white glass pen. We simply drew vertical lines from the top to the bottom of the window. Each line is about 5 inches apart. At first it looks a little distracting, but you quickly get used to it and don’t notice it anymore. Much cheaper and just as effective as some of the commercial options for sale.
Are you talking about a china marker-type pen? And do you use it on the inside or outside of the window? Thank you!
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane we put it on the outside of the window. We chose white, but you could use any color I suppose. It’s been on a large north facing window since late fall of 2020 and has held up well throughout a wet cold Michigan winter. www.amazon.com/Glass-Pen-White-Writing-WINDOWS/dp/B006MUO6FW/ref=asc_df_B006MUO6FW/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=223420522240&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10414426359715984982&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9017227&hvtargid=pla-371133480706&psc=1
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane here’s where we got the idea. th-cam.com/video/UC9xQkUtQ98/w-d-xo.html
@@Birdlab Thanks! I live in Michigan, too! Lol! I must be getting old because when I checked out your link to the video I had already 'thumbs upped' it, so I must have watched it a while back and forgot about it...duh! Lol, it looked REAL familiar! 🤣
I went with the window clings a few years ago, which greatly reduce (I'd say 95%), but don't totally eliminate birds hitting our windows, so I was curious how/if the markers worked. Thanks again... I bet your answer will help a lot of people, and birds, out there!
@@SweetStuffOnMonarchLane we tried the window decals for awhile but they didn’t seem to work. We had a flicker die after hitting window 🙁so we tried the glass pen instead. So far, so good.
Loved your video, just happened to see it on TH-cam. I have been an avid bird enthusiastic since I was 4, 1942. We lived in Muncie, IN. This was the first Christmas I remember. Mom and I were making a Christmas tree ornament. Mom and I walked to the corner grocery store and bought a 16oz. can of Jolly Time popcorn and a sack of cranberries. At Home, we popped the corn, my favorite snack to this day, threaded a cranberry, and then a couple kernels of corn. The bright red and white garland looked so beautiful and we did it together, by ourselves. A couple weeks after Christmas, we carefully took the garland and placed it outside, around a small cedar tree wrapped in snow. We went inside and within a few minutes, here come the Cardinals and black-capped chickadees. That was 78 years ago and that feeling still comes back whenever I lovingly feed and watch all the birds.
Thank you for sharing this video. It's a good reminder for everyone how important hygiene is, even for birds. Everytime I refill the feeders, I check them out first, clean them thoroughly then refill. I truly enjoy the birds visiting my backyard especially when they take their baths. These birds have baths between 7 and 8 in the mornings and evening baths between 6 and 7. It's wonderful and amazing to see a dozen or more birds flouncing their wings against each other obviously enjoying their baths, lol. I clean and refill at least 3 times day their birdbaths, each time the baths are close to empty. It's like looking after children, 😂
I think it's more positive in the winter then negative, especially for the female birds, who struggle to get a fair share at natural sources. Good point about keeping the feeders and area clean. I will have to tick up my frequency on that, thank you.
My cat just sits and watches the show.
Really informative and I do agree with feeding them to help them get through the harsh winters. One thing I have become more conscious of is the quality of seeds and food I use to feed birds in my local area. I have been buying from a local place that only sells that higher quality bird food. Always great videos and thanks for sharing.
I bought some inexpensive feed at a Petco type store and much of it got dropped and sprouted weeds. I better appreciate tge “No-Mess” feed from WBU.
Luckily, my tiny backyard birds are more winter hardy than my old cat! We're having the coldest January in years with non stop -30°C in Québec. I only started feeding birds at Christmas, when our government announced a new lock down and holiday gatherings were cancelled... I ended up with the happiest guests at the outdoor buffet! They're all very polite and leave at dusk around 4 pm... Love your videos! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing! I have recently started feeding and recording and posting videos backyard birds at the feeder on TH-cam. It is a lovely experience, but also does come with some challenges!
I agree to all noted, Lesley. Thank you for posting. My bird feeding is Important to me and yes, I do take them down to clean and also go out in the depths of snow to make sure the snow is off the platforms on my feeders so the pretty ground feeders like Cardinals can Also Eat their food! Birds are quite Content in my yard! Thank you for posting 💌
A good educational video for anyone who feeds birds and a good reminder to clean the feeders and heated bird baths.
I retired to the
Ozarks and the home is built on a hillside making the back deck about thirty feet from the ground. The birds here are non stop amazing. Five different kinds of woodpeckers and all of the reg forest birds. The spring migration is really stunning as we get Baltimore Orioles and rose breasted grosbeaks. We have a pileated woodpecker that is here everyday. He is more like a pet. So many. They bring me peace and joy.
thanks for your knowledge and hard work and making my sunday. I pour boiling hot water on my feeder in winter to try and keep it clean and so far so good I think
Excellent, comprehensive video!!! I think another great video would be about encouraging people to research and plant native flowers, bushes and trees in their yards to further help the pollinators and birds in their areas. A lot of people don't get the connection that birds eat catapillars and other bugs that live on those plants and you can't have birds if you only have grass in your yard. Not to mention the amount of herbicides and pesticides we are putting into our environment to maintain grass. We have to learn to work with Mother Nature, not against her! Awesome video Lesley!
Not all native plants are desireable. Some of best nectar flowers come on bushes that are quite invasive.
@@clb3297 Native plants are ALWAYS, *ALWAYS* more desirable than invasive species. It's NOT just about nectar sources!! Insects, which birds and others use for food for themselves and their babies, have evolved over eons to eat SPECIFIC NATIVE plants. When invasive plants are allowed to take over an area of native plants, those insects disappear, and so does what eats them (birds especially). There's plenty of nectar supply in native plants (especially if humans would quit interfering!)... certainly not a good reason to bring in invasive plants!!! See the work of Douglas Tallamy for more in depth information on this. He has spent his entire life researching the interactions between insects and native plants, and their interaction with the rest of the ecosystem.
A scientific study was done several years ago to determine if birds become dependent upon feeders, and it was found that they get only about 20% of their diet from feeders. The rest, they still get from the wild. Good news!
That’s good to hear. I have to take down my feeders for good. 😢. There is a pair of Cooper’s hawks that are relentless and they come by 6-8 times a day. I tried taking the feeders down before for a week or two, and the hawks are back the same day the feeders go back up. This is so upsetting. I wish I never put up a feeder to begin with. I would discourage anyone from doing it too. But I feel better knowing that the birds will be ok after the feeders come down.
Bluejays are starting to become some of my favorites at my feeders. I had 6 Jay's at once today. But the Cardinals and chickadees are the best.
Great presentation as usual Leslie. Small note of caution to those who feed birds in unfenced yards in bear territory. As bears are omnivores, they can gladly respond to the dinner bells we know as feeders. Even if the feeder is out of the bear's grasp, the fallen food can be a gift too. Just a thought, bird nerds beware.
We had a black bear rip in half our heavy metal poles holding the feeders.took off with the suet baskets and one of the feeders...wondering what we will do this spring...when the bears are finished hibernating..
@Tim Brown I had a similar problem with racoons helping themselves to my backyard feeders. Racoons are very clean animals and choose a specific spot to defecate which coincidentally was our front yard by the mailbox and creating a nuisance. After some critical thinking (and common sense) I realized I was causing this by filling the feeders too often. So as a rule I fill the feeder in the early morning and it is devoured by noon. Resisting the temptation to refill them after this caused the raccoons (and one time a hungry opossum) to forage elsewhere during night. Just meant no more afternoon birdwatching for us...
@@joandemarco1859 A bear's strength is more than many people may realize. Pretty powerful.
@@heathparkhurst3011 What kind of seed do you use that's gone in 1/2 day? Seems like they really love it.
@@Mityob67 I buy Royal Wing from Tractor Supply. The Far Mix blend is what they go crazy for but the sparrows tend to crowd out the cardinals. I set up a separate feeder with just safflower seeds which only the cardinals seem to like
It's also helpful to put a heaated water source out for them. During long streches of dry icy winter weather it can be hard for them to find water.
I feed birds the whole winter. This cold time was 7 months! Feeding birds is quite expensive but I find it so positive to watch them and it is my cats favorite too during long winter days❤.
I liked taking a closer look at this issue, cause we love our "bird buffet".
Yes, thank you for giving kudos to Florence! What a change she made in the birding world! I’ve only recently been introduced to her books (I started with “Birding on a Bronco,” which is a great peek into spring nesting).
I will give a Zoom class in a few hours in Portugal about bird feeders, so I searched TH-cam to finetune any detail I missed, BINGO, window collisions, thank you
I get great enjoyment from feeding my birds as my grandparents practiced this when I was young. My only downside is the cost.... I buy seed, bark butter pellets, bark butter paste, peanuts, suet blocks, it goes on and on. My grandparents used to buy real suet from the grocery store but the racoons are enough of a problem so I wouldn't do that even if I had the opportunity. Luckily I have not had an issue with windows. Thanks for the video, Lesley!
I feed the birds in my area only in the winter months. Reasons are the bears in the spring time will destroy the feeders and 2 I live in the country where there is plenty of food on the ground once the snow melts. I love watching my little feathered friends fly in and out for a quick snack. Even when they hide a seed and another bird finds it. There is a peaceful feeling that comes from watching birds in all seasons.
Thank you so much for this video. I am new to bird watching and feeding. I only have suet feeders that are wire, but after your videos, I inspected them and found cleaning and maintenance was overdue. I want to be a good host to my feathered guests!
Been feeding birds in the garden for a few years now and this winter a Sharp-shinned Hawk noticed. So hopefully it's getting a meal too, there are 50 morning doves out there some days. Though it'll make me nervous to put the chickens out in the spring.
I grt a bunch of doves and quail as well...and in the summer TONS of starlings.
Thank you kindly for the guidance, I try to keep things clean but this inspired me to get out there thoroughly with a scrub brush. I am glad to keep my feeders, the joy they bring me every morning is incalculable.
My bird sanctuary this past yr S.W. Michigan -650 lbs black oilers, 60 lbs. thistle, 6!lbs homemade suet, 5lbs cracked corn heated bird bath ... 🌟
all on a 2nd floor balcony -clean -clean -clean ...Thank you for this channel...🙏🏼
Very true about keeping bird feeders clean. Last winter we had a large number of pine Siskins die from disease the SPCA came from bird feeders. I used to feed the birds in winter with a duet feeder- the townhouse strata has banned feeding birds because of the rats and mice, which is bringing coyotes in the yards- very disappointing! Your shows are fantastic and I have learned so much! Thanks! Vancouver 🇨🇦
I hope our neighborhood birds are enjoying the feeders, they seem to finish the food I put out daily. And yes, I am also providing a food stop for a hawk or two, but that's just nature. I chase away any cats who come around. But I am more concerned for my local wild rabbits and the neighborhood dogs who seem to routinely escape their fences. But I guess they're used to being hunted.
Again... thank you so much again! Your information has helped me so much. I hadn't thought about the hawks not having to migrate because there were birds available to sustain them through the cold winter months. I really love your videos! I am addicted to all this wonderful information.❤
Nice 👍🏻 video. I have four posts set in the rear of my property at the wood line. The two center posts have blue bird boxes and suet cages. The two outer posts hang two finch feeders with nyjer seed, two glass feeders with black oil sunflower seeds and two more suet cages. My newest edition is a smart feeder by Soliom. It’s the BF08 with a 2.7 liter (11.4 cups) seed capacity and quality metal construction. It’s awesome! I fill that with 4 cups cracked corn, 3 cups black oil sunflower seed, 2 cups shelled peanuts and 2.4 cups black soldier fly larva. The attraction is amazing! 👍🏻✌🏻💙
Your channel is amazing
We had two ice storms in a row here in MD and Temps in the 20's and low 30's for several weeks. This is not typical. My suet feeder has been emptied every 4 days. I know I helped to save lives.
Can do this and enjoy the whole show thanks to you and all who love birds
I've always been kind of reluctant about feeding birds (apart from trying to bribe the magpies to leave me alone during swooping season). Where I live in South Australia, there are lots of open green spaces & winters here are very mild.
What I DO help the little guys with is water because it doesn't rain much here. It's quite remarkable the different varieties I've had visit the "Vienna Bowl" (long story) & it can be fascinating to watch the different families come through as the years roll by. And some of them genuinely seem to be having fun as they splash about!
Thanks for the interesting video. I might even rethink my position on feeding. :)
That's a great point! Water is essential too, and it's such a treat to see them splashing around!
Thank you as always dear Lesley! I've nothing to add to your expert advice! Be well and best wishes dear!❤
Thanks so much, Lesley! As always, you continue to educate as well as delight with your videos! Is the primary risk of disease transmission from the bird's feces that end up on or near the feeder or are there other issues to be aware of as well?
I live by a huge park in the Bronx. I don't own a home,so I can't put a feeder outside,but I do put seed on my windowsill,along with old cookies or crackers,I've trained a group of sparrows who hang around waiting to be fed every morning,a few starlings also! I love them,and they are my joy! We have a red tailed hawk,who appeared on my and several other fire escapes on my block,we were amazed,as they stayed for a few minutes to visit,beautiful bird! I love this channel,I've learned a lit about birds that I didn't know before, including how seed and eating keeps them warm in the winter,and where they sleep in the cold(I always wondered),? Thank you for great videos and information about our feathered friends!
I guess the same cleaning and maintenance would apply to bird baths as well? They tend to get quite dirty!
Exactly! Great point. I replace the water in mine every 3 days and throughly clean them with soap and water to get out any stains, bacteria, fungus or algae. She should definitely do a video on birdbaths sometime. I would love to learn more information.
I replace the bird bath water every day and hose out any droppings. I clean tge feeder every coupl of weeks.
Lesley back at it!
That's some very good advice about placing feeders in close proximity to windows. Hadn't thought of that. I keep my cats indoors.
We had a problem with window strikes on the OPPOSITE side of our house from the feeders with birds flying into the windows on their way to the feeders. Stickers helped a bit, but putting out a large plastic owl (like gardeners use to deter pests) has been 100% effective in keeping birds from hitting the windows and it doesn't block the view through the window. Obviously not something you want to put near your feeders, but it's very effective at preventing window strikes away from the feeders.
I have had a platform feeder 2.5 feet from my bedroom window for a few years. Only once when the window was clean did a bird fly into the window and fortunately was not hurt. Since then I have let the window accumulate dirt. Now it is really dirty and no more accidents. If you spray a window with water and don't wipe it off it will accumulate dirt fast. I wash off the platform every day. I enjoy chickadees, kinglets, oak titmouse, sparrows, house finches, and even scrub jays. Although I have accipiters in my neighborhood my feeder is protected from them by being surrounded by and within a large ligustrum. I also have a bare ground area which is visited by doves and towhees. That area is protected from cats by a fence. Thanks for posting....
I live a 15 minute hike out in the woods. I feed mostly chickadees, lightly at the first part of winter and increasing the amounts as winter progresses and especially in extreme weather. Walking through the woods I get a sense of the territory boundaries of what I think of as ‘my’ tribe because they will harass me for food. As the feeding season progresses I see the boundaries shrinking by as much as several hundred meters ( yards for those South of Canada) and have been mildly concerned about disrupting territorial areas. Thanks for the information in this video and for the other wonderful content you put out.
My 30 plus Jays post sentrys and warn everyone when a hawk is near,..you should hear what 100+ birds (mostly large) instantly taking flight sound like...it's awesome
More than once I have seen the local crows police hawks on the prowl. I have witnessed an airborne chase between a murder of local crows and a hawk. It was truly impressive to see how they swooped, dived and soared again giving chase.
Thank you so very much dear LESLEY for your wonderful videos and for sharing your knowledge!...Most appreciated!
I live in a rented cottage, and provide water for drinking, and bathing. I don't provide food, as there is lots of food around, plus there was no one feeding birds before I got here, and there is no guarantee that whoever follows me, will take care of our endemics, or winter visitors. If I lived back in Canada, or Northern California, I would, for sure, put out feeders.
Thank you for your work.
May seem obvious, but an additional negative so to speak, is more droppings from the feathered ones.
A positive, which I believe you have mentioned in a previous video is the phycological effect on us bi-peds.
When I see a less commonly seen bird in my yard it makes me happy and want to watch and focus on them.
Our ground has been snow covered for almost a week (Indiana) In that time our birds have consumed 40 lbs of bird feed, 20 pounds of black sunflower seed, 8 lbs of thistle seed and 2 suet cakes. They are going to break me!
I would be interested in knowing what a sick bird looks like. I have had feeders for many years in southeast Texas, and have seen predation but I don't recall seeing sick birds so I am interested in the signs to look for. I use fresh seeds and clean my feeders. During the recent polar vortex my finch feeders were kept full and did a brisk business which made me so happy!
We have had sick pine siskins spreading salmonella in Oregon and Washing ton. They tend to look fluffed up and ungroomed, lethargic, they sit in the feeder for long periods, they seem to be panting, they can appear 'tame' - they just don't have the energy to fly away, but will if startled. We have been advised to stop feeding for a while. I feel sad about not feeding, and not all neighbors are on board with the no feeding suggestion, so sick birds just go to someone else's feeder. Also, it is advised to use feeders that can clean easily: plastic or metal that can be soaked in bleach water, wood is more porous and difficult to clean. I'm thinking to wait a week or so, then put the clean suet feeder back up. I seldom notice the pine siskins at it, they seem to prefer seeds. All the other birds look healthy, as far as I can tell. The siskins should be migrating soon, they are only here for the winter.
Loved this video and already purchased some Birdsafe collars for my parent's cat's. As for another con to bird feeding that wasn't mentioned is attracting critters of the non-avian variety. I don't mind at all, but people should be aware that racoons, squirrels (obviously), mice, rats, skunks, and it seems just about every other creature in my neighborhood have taken advantage. I love it; non have tried to set up shop inside my house but I'm sure that others would be less enthusiastic.
This is an excellent video!!! Very informative!!!
I always wondered many of these things. Someone told me once you start feeding them you can't stop. I used to wonder, birds aren't stupid they will look elsewhere. I would buy 20 lb bags regularly and at times money was lean and she made me feel guilty if I couldn't buy bird seed that week.
Nice video and thanks for taking an objective position by presenting both pros and cons.
As one commenter mentioned already, bears can be an issue. They love bird feed. This means that bird feeders draw them close to homes and then they become comfortable hanging out around humans. That’s rarely a good thing and frequently ends up bad for the bear. Here in PA, if you live in “bear country,”the Game Commission recommends only feeding the birds while the bears are hibernating.
Thanks for the advice! One pro that I thought could be derived from feeding birds is that they can help people attract or spot rarities within a bird species, like an albino bird or a bird with leucism, or that yellow cardinal that became viral a couple of years ago. Speaking of cardinals, I knew that their distribution expanding northward was associated with increasing popularity of feeding birds, but I didn’t know something similar occurred with Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Carolina Wrens, and Anna’s Hummingbirds. Also, another pro, especially in the spring and summer is that feeders could be a helpful food source for birds feeding their nestlings or fledglings. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
I had a little bird fly into my house through an open door one time. It wasn't fun for either one of us, but it finally got out.
WH: When the hummingbirds do battle on the porch I used to have my slider open at times, a few occasions one would dart inside in their haste to get away from the aggressor. They seem to get confused easily once indoors, heading for the first window they see and hovering there expecting to get out.
I would shoo the dog outside, Labs being very curious about noisy little birds, and would take a broom stick and hold it up. The bird would eventually land on the end of the broom stick and I would walk it towards the slider and freedom. It would take a few attempts, the birds would get nervous and fly back to the window but once they tired out they would perch until I stuck the stick outside.
I've had sparrows in my house, by flying down the outside chimney pipe for my antique, (functioning) Glenwood 111 coal stove. (In the off season, when not running.) You could hear it flying in the stove, and the 1st time we opened the door, the bird went all over the house, finally landing on a window sill. Was challenging getting it back outside. When it happened the second time, B4 we opened the stove door, we blocked off the rest of the house with a sheet, shut the window shade in the room, and opened the frt door, (which was in frt of the stove.). When we finally released the bird by opening the stove door , it saw the light, and flew directly back outside. Lessons learned. (Also, keep the stove pipe cap screen tight, and serviceable.) :)
Before watching your (previous) video, I did not think about the spread of disease through feeders. Thank you for the information. I immediately changed the popular feeder in the park, it was in poor condition.
Thank you! You are amazing with your comments!
Great video. Thanks for the info!!
I feed mostly in the winter time but I keep a couple of suet feeders out all year. I found a sparrow and a goldfinch dead after the horrible snow here in Texas. A sparrow under one feeder and a goldfinch about 30 ft away from a feeder by my garage. I took the feeders down to soak in soapy water and cleaned up all the sunflower shells around the feeders. I may put them back up after winter even though the snow is gone here now just to be sure. Love your videos and learn a lot.
I have noticed two bird species in my state that aren't normal here a snowy owl and an osprey
My dad saw an osprey last month and they’re also not supposed to be where I live. I saw a snowy owl 10 years ago here and they’re not supposed to be where I live either. It was pretty stunning to see both! The owl was flying to different light poles in a Walmart parking lot and perching on them. It was night time and really beautiful looking
@@CenturianEagle cool I live in Kansas I think it awesome to see now birds around.
The diminishing magnetic field of the Earth is causing large amounts of wildlife to turn up in places where they don't normally go.They usually navigate by it, but the weaker it is, the harder it is for them to figure out in which direction they need to go.
If you have a new, man made lake in the area, especially with open water in the winter, that might explain the osprey.
Feeding them helps ME get through the rough winters.
I love feeding the birds. Enjoy them so much. My problem is the squirrels. I have tried every trick that I hear about but the squirrels figure it out.
Man Lesley you are one awsome lady telling us all these helpful braiding facts. I especially need these since I'm a birder my self!
Great video Leslie! Thanks for all the info. I have a cat who is in-door/out-door and I just keep him in during the day when birds are super active at my feeders and let him out at night so he can be his natural nocturnal self. Works for him and the birds. Also thank you for info on disease and how to care for feeders.
Why would you let it out tough?
This past week the temps here were below freezing and single digits at night. My husband was filling our feeder twice a day and throwing extra onto our deck. They were eating us out of house and home. Today it was near 50 degrees F, and as we expected, they hardly ate anything. As spring arrives we always see less birds at our feeder because they are also looking for bugs too.
Loved all the infos about bird feeders and of course all the scenes of those pretty birds coming and going and obviously enjoying the food!
Nature is beautiful, all creatures great and small, and especially the birds. Thank you very much for the video, it was very enjoyable! I love watching the birds feeding away which is the least I can do to these finest things in life along with growing all sorts of flowers.
I was excited to see you mention The Birds at My Table, I just finished reading it!
Thanks Lesley...
Thank you! Good to know and I appreciate tips for cleaning and preventing window collisions.
First time viewer, impressive detail in this video. Subscribed for sure
It’s funny Ive actually been considering feeding this year due to all of the negative impacts you mention. Other than one titmouse flying into a car window I started having a Cooper’s Hawk visit this winter in perfect alignment with our first big snow storm. He was cleaning up on House Sparrows and I was surprised to see him with a Blue Jay. I considered taking my feeder down yet was reluctant due to the abundance of birds attracted at the time. Fortunately I haven’t seen it since.
Gorgeous pictures! Beautiful narration! Thx, Lesley, enjoyed it!! :D
I think a screen of some sort helps with bird collisions with the patio door..I use a fairly see through drape that i can see through but makes it look more like a wall to them…i was not having it lately and a cedar waxwing ran into the sliding door..but after some careful attention it recovered and flew away..now i keep the drapes drawn..it took about an hour for it to recover..i love my outside buddies..
Amazing! Ten minutes of birdfeeder video, without a single sparrow. My winter birdfeeder mainly draws swarms of glutinous sparrows, juncos, and starlings. Few cardinals or blue jays appear. A solitary woodpecker shows up, now and then. A chickadee or two will flit by briefly. Once an out-of-season grackle visited. Wagner's Greatest Variety Blend is supposed to attract all kinds of birds, but I never see one fourth of the variety featured in this video or on the package. Basically, I'm just boosting the sparrow population.
To help avoid window collisions, we use those decals, bought at a local Wild Birds Unlimited store. I did have to use quite a few on each window to stop the collisions, but they're not too expensive.