Seasonal Habitat
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Seasonal Changes - Importance of
Year Round Care
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If you enjoy feeding birds, there is no need
to stop doing so in warmer weather. Birds take
most of their nutritional needs from the natural
habitat around them, but each season of the year
has challenges and stress. Easy access to food
(and water and shelter) helps birds defend
territories, mate, raise families, migrate and
survive winter conditions. Life is just more
pleasant and less stressful for birds and folks
when we play host to these little guests.
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Spring
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| In early spring the
natural foods, vegetation and seeds or insects
may not yet be in sufficient quantities to
sustain the birds in your yard (even though it
looks green and the crocuses are up). |
| The male birds are
using lots of energy establishing and defending
their territories. Then comes the gathering of
material to build nests, courting anxieties, and
general preparations to raise a family. Good
nutrition is vital for egg producing and all
those other activities mentioned. |
Summer
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| Taking care of the young is more than a full
time job. First there was the sitting on the
eggs and guarding them from predators period ,
then the search for food and the constant
feeding of open baby mouths, again while
protecting the nestlings. After fledging, the
babies must be taught flying and food
procurement 101. High energy expenditures calls
for high energy nutrition. |
Autumn
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| With colder weather, it's time to eat hearty
and store fat (true, whether, migrating south or
wintering in a soon to be frigid backyard). All
this at a time when natural food sources are
starting to be scarce. Making things even more
tense, the feeding frenzy of the early guest
migrators stopping by refuel. Don't even mention
(although I will anyway) the sneaky squirrels
and chipmunks storing and hiding food stuff as
fast as they can. |
Winter
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| High fat content food
in winter is necessary to raise metabolism and
keep body temperatures up. Guide lines have
been defined for helping birds survive in the
winter. Birders can greatly increase the comfort
level for birds in the backyard by providing
food for energy, shelter from the cold weather,
and a usable source of water. |
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Supply a safe source of food energy:
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Provide a consistent
supply of clean, healthy food-especially
suet for the birds to have the energy to
combat winter temperatures.
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Use different types of
bird food and bird feeders. The more variety
of food choices and holders, the more
variety of dinner guests.
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Plant berry bushes that
ripen at different times of the year.
The regulars and some new, non-feeder birds
will love the additional choices.
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Clean those feeders about once a month,
whenever seeds clump from damp and mold, and
any indication of sick or dying birds.
Non-wooden feeders can be placed in hot
soapy water with a capful of chlorine
bleach. Wooden feeders need vinegar
and water to prevent fading. All
feeders need to be rinsed thoroughly and
completely dried before refilling with
birdseed.
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Place mulch (3 inch
layer) under bird feeders. Excess seed hulls
and bird droppings will sift down, but allow
ground feeding birds to scratch for food.
Rake once a month to freshen the area and
rake up and re-mulch when necessary.
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Provide covers for over
the feeders and drainage holes under the
food. This offers some protection from snow
and ice and from the melting snow and ice.
Don't forget to shelter ground feeder trays
from snow with an evergreen bush or lean-to.
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Don't stock bird food
too far ahead and provide tight covers for
the storage containers. Small garbage cans
stored in a dry area, such as a garden shed
or garage are ideal.
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Provide shelter:
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Clean out birdhouses of
their family life debris- some birds seek
shelter here from the elements. Clean
sawdust on the bottoms adds some insulation.
Huddling in smaller spaces helps conserve
body heat.
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Don't remove dead trees
and fallen branches, as they may offer some
protection from the snow and wind and
provide perches.
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Plant evergreen bushes
and trees. The needles can be used to
shelter the bird directly from the weather
and predators; or shelter some feeders (tray
feeders underneath; strings of cranberries
or peanuts around the outside; and suet or
seed balls and bells or pine cones covered
with peanut butter hanging from the
branches).
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Furnish usable water for
drinking and bathing:
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Regular water sources
may be frozen in cold weather and snow is
also not a long term option for hydrating
the birds. We can furnish birdbaths with
built-in deicers or add a deicer to any
water structure already in the yard.
Bubblers and wigglers keep water moving and
may prolong the need for a heat source (They
have the added benefit of actually
attracting birds who are migrating or who
don't visit our backyards for the feeders.)
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Most birds don't bathe
on the coldest days of winter. However,
clean feathers not only make flight easier,
and promote good health by removing mites
and other insects, but feathers can be
puffed up more easily to insulate body heat,
when they are clean and free of stickiness
and dirt.
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| Sure, the chances are
good, the majority of the birds would survive
left to their own devices, but we can help make
their lives easier. With continued winter
feeding, supplying some shelter and offering
free-flowing water we can help to increase
birds' comfort and decrease stress. And with
careful planning on placement of these
necessities, we get to enjoy and share their
company all through the dreary days of winter. |
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