Provided courtesy of National Audubon Society, Inc

DOES FEEDING BIRDS PREVENT THEM FROM MIGRATING ON TIME?

Seasonal changes in the length of days, rather than an abundance of food, determine when birds will begin to migrate. Migrations begin in the fall as days shorten (when natural food is still abundant), and commence again in the spring as days lengthen.

Natural food supplies are typically exhausted during winter, as birds consume all the seeds and fruits at one location before moving on to the next. Similarly, if backyard feeders go empty while homeowners are on vacation, birds will look elsewhere for food. If your neighbors are also providing food, birds from your feeders will likely spend more time feeding there. Since feeders only supplement natural foods, most species will not suffer if feeders go empty for days or even weeks at a time.

It may be a matter of hours before birds discover new feeders—or a matter of weeks. The variation depends on the distance to bird habitat, density of nearby feeders and the kinds of birds that might chance on the new feeder (chickadees, titmice, and House Sparrows are especially quick to locate new feeders). If there are many feeders in your neighborhood, birds may find new feeders more readily, as they already associate feeders with an easy meal. If birds are slow to find feeders, scatter sunflower seeds on top of the feeders, and on nearby surfaces such as bare soil. Bird decoys may help to lure the first visitors, and other birds will soon notice the new food source.

Birds visit feeders most often in the early morning, and again just before dusk. They use feeders less often in the afternoon and during rainy weather. In contrast, snow-covered ground forces sparrows and juncos to congregate at feeders as these species typically feed on bare ground.

Provide nectar for hummingbirds. Make a sugar solution of one part white sugar to four parts water. Boil briefly to sterilize and dissolve sugar crystals; no need to add red food coloring. Feeders must be washed every few days with very hot water and kept scrupulously clean to prevent the growth of mold. Store seed in secure metal containers. Store seed in metal garbage cans with secure lids to protect it from squirrels and mice.

Keep the cans in a cool, dry location; avoid storing in the heat. Damp seeds may grow mold that can be fatal to birds. Overheating can destroy the nutrition and taste of sunflower seeds. For these reasons, it’s best not to keep seed from one winter to the next.

Discourage squirrels from consuming feeder foods. Squirrels are best excluded by placing feeders on a pole in an open area. Pole-mounted feeders should be about five feet off the ground and protected by a cone-shaped baffle (at least 17˝ in diameter) or similar obstacle below the feeder. Locate pole-mounted feeders at least ten feet from the nearest shrub, tree, or other tall structure. Squirrel feeders stocked with blends that are especially attractive to squirrels and chipmunks can reduce competition for high-priced foods offered at bird feeders. Locate squirrel feeders far from bird feeders to further reduce competition.

Locate feeders to reduce window collisions. In the United States, approximately one billion birds die from flying into windows each year. Reduce the risk of bird collisions by placing feeder less than three feet from a window or more than 30 feet away. Mobiles, opaque decorations, and fruit tree netting outside windows also helps to deflect birds from the glass.

Keep cats indoors. Cats kill hundreds of millions of birds annually in the United States, often pouncing on ground-feeding birds and those dazed by window collisions. Responsible and caring cat owners keep their cats indoors, where they are also safer from traffic, disease, and fights with other animals. Outdoor cats are especially dangerous to birds in the spring when fledglings are on the ground. Bells on cat collars are usually ineffective for deterring predation.

Clean feeders and rake up spilled grain and hulls. Uneaten seed can become soggy and grow deadly mold. Empty and clean feeders twice a year (spring and fall); more often if feeders are used during humid summers. Using a longhandled bottlebrush, scrub with dish detergent and rinse with a powerful hose; then soak in a bucket of 10% non-chlorine bleach solution, rinse well, and dry in the sun. In early spring, rake up spilled grain andsunflower hulls.