Our mild—even warm—fall weather has impacted backyard bird feeding activity. With such pleasant weather conditions, wild birds haven’t been stressed, and there is plenty of natural food available to them. These two factors have resulted in wild birds being less dependent upon human-provided food sources.
However, the sudden onset of cold weather earlier in the week might change all of that. Typically, as the days grow shorter and nighttime temperatures get colder, wild birds increase their food intake to maintain their metabolism. This is true for seed eaters, suet eaters, and nectar eaters.
Each fall, at The Lookout, we are asked the same question over and over again, “When should I take down my hummingbird feeders?” Unfortunately, while the question is very straightforward, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. There are many homeowners in the quad-city area who have hummingbirds that winter over each year.
There are certainly two schools of thought. One strategy is to take your nectar feeders down to encourage hummingbirds to leave. The opposite theory is to leave your feeders up for stragglers and older hummingbirds that might be too frail to migrate. Is there a right or a wrong decision? Probably not.
Sometimes customers worry that their feeders might go empty while they are away traveling. I reassure them that everything will be fine. The fact that birds have wings makes it possible for them to go and find food in someone else’s back yard.
My rule of thumb is to take down my feeders if I haven’t seen a hummingbird at the feeders for a two-week period. If you still have one or more hummingbirds frequenting your feeders, then I recommend leaving out at least one feeder this time of year.
I am frequently asked, “Is it okay to feed birds, or are we harming birds by feeding them?” My personal philosophy on the topic of bird feeding is this: We feed birds, not because they need us to feed them, but because we want to invite nature into our lives.
Any food we provide just supplements what they are finding out in nature. There are certainly times when feeding birds might be instrumental in helping them survive, such as when we have extreme weather events. In the last five years, we’ve had two snowstorms each producing over twenty inches of snow. I’m confident if you feed the birds during times like this, your actions greatly benefit the wild birds in your yard.
As we approach winter, it is more important than ever to provide quality wild bird food—blends that are nutritious and good for the birds. If you are an ingredient label reader for the food you consume, I invite you to check out the ingredient labels for the wild bird food you put out for your feathered friends. Not all bird food is created equally.
Healthy food makes a difference. Fat and protein are essential ingredients for winter survival for wild birds. Recently we’ve struggled with an infestation of Indian meal moths in our bags of seed. Having grain moth larvae, or webbing, in bird seed blends is not pleasant, but it doesn’t affect wild birds one bit.
This past Sunday, I heard a cardinal making “chipping” call notes in my yard. With a little patience I was finally able to find it. It was a female, which is the first time I’ve ever seen one in my yard. I’ve had males in my yard in summer on several occasions, but never a female.
Until next week, Happy Birding!
Eric Moore is the owner of The Lookout, in Prescott, where you will find a Hallmark Gold Crown Store, wild bird products, and Vortex and Swarovski optics. Eric has been an avid birder for over 55 years. Eric can be contacted at eric@thelookoutaz.com.
