Contemporary homes and modern office buildings often use insulated and reflective glass in their windows and even to replace entire walls. Although these windows may be aesthetically pleasing to humans they are lethal to birds. Unfortunately, many birds cannot distinguish the difference between the real sky and a reflection of the sky in a plate of reflective glass.

In the United States alone, it is estimated that each year during migration, millions of wild birds fly full force into windows and are seriously injured or instantly killed.

You can minimize these collisions by breaking up the reflection on the outside of the window with a window screen, flash tape and bird netting or a combination of all three.

Life-size, animate scare devices such as plastic falcons, owls and balloons, or the falcon and owl silhouettes attached to windows with suction cups are not effective deterrents.

You could also try planting trees and installing window awnings to block the sun from hitting the window to eliminate some of the reflective qualities of the glass.

But wild bird migration seasons aren’t the only time homeowners have trouble with birds and window collisions. Birds may hit your windows during breeding season, for territorial and instinctual reasons, and in the winter as well.

During breeding season, male cardinals, woodpeckers and mockingbirds may ‘fight’ their own reflections in windows (and car mirrors). Readers of this site have also claimed to have yellow and gold finches acting in the same manner. Generally these birds will stop banging into the window (or fighting with the window) as the breeding season ends. You can discourage them with screens and other barrier techniques.

Regardless of the season, birds can also fly into your house windows when they’re frightened while visiting a feeding station. Try moving the feeders a considerable distance away from the window, or immediately adjacent to the window so that wild birds don’t get up to flight speed before hitting the window.

That’s all for today!

Veronica

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders, Wild Birds

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Check here for the absolute best deals on tube feeders right now!

Verdigris Finish Big Tube Seed Feeders

This big feeder has a capacity of 3.5 quarts. The seed tube is 4″ diameter x 18″ tall. Metal parts on this feeder have a durable verdigris finish. 6 feeding stations. Can be hung or post mounted. Order Now.

Brass Big Tube Seed Wild Bird Feeder

This bigger feeder also has a capacity of 3.5 quarts (It is the same as the verdigris version, just a different metal product used – both long lasting, both beautiful).

Metal parts on this wild bird feeder are plated with brass! Makes a great gift idea. Heavy zinc die-cast top, bottom and feed stations. 6 feeding stations.

A deflector in the base of the feeder directs the seed to the bottom seed ports so the birds are able to reach every last seed. Can be hung or post mounted. Polycarbonate seed tube is 4″ diameter x 18″ tall. Brass Tube Feeder – Order Now.

More Big Tube Wild Bird Feeders

The feeder on the left features a 3.5 quart seed capacity. Six individual perches at the reinforced seed ports. Clear, UV stabilized polycarbonate feeder tube keeps the seed level visible. Simply slide the die-cast metal cap up for quick, convenient cleaning and filling. Feeder may be hung on the included metal loop hanger or pole mounted. Internal seed baffle design directs seed to the ports. Made in the USA with a lifetime guarantee. Order this model here.

Brass Big Tube Wild Bird Feeder

The feeder on the right is the same as the model directly above on the left, only of brass. Made in the USA with a lifetime guarantee. See this and related wild bird feeders here.

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders

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I know, I know, they aren’t entirely practical, but they sure are beautiful and will look great in your garden! Who says practical always wins anyway?

Dreaming of the seaside? Try the Lighthouse Bird Feeder in your backyard and see if it doesn’t make you smile every time you find the wild birds taking a break there! Made of glazed ceramic in true historic East Coast style. Each feeder has six feeding stations and wood perches. Suitable for use with all standard seed mixtures. Grab your own lighthouse bird feeder!

More lighthouse deals here!

Fun Terracotta Feeders. These feeders fill up with seed by a removable plug on the top of either design. Choose between Old Sol (featured above), or Mr. Moon. Better yet, buy both and hang them in the east and west! Old Sol holds approximately 3.5 pounds of seed. Mr. Moon holds about 1.75 pounds. See the Mr. Moon design here.

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders

Search by: wild birds

First up, The Nuttery! (featured above left) Squirrel resistant and dishwasher safe. A great name and classic styling but it seems a little over-priced when compared to some other squirrel ‘proof’ feeders I’ve used in the past. If you’re interested, check it out here. And, if you have this product, please let me know how you feel about it!

Check out all the squirrel proof feeders currently on sale – starting at $5.99!

The real star – in my opinion – is a few dollars more, but is squirrel proof. You see it above on the right. Not only is it squirrel proof, but it is absolutely beautifully designed! This tube feeder features heavy-duty construction in either stainless steel or copper. It is virtually indestructible by squirrels and can hold a total of 10 pounds of seed which makes it great for those hard to reach hanging places or to continue feeding the birds while you’re on a winter holiday. Twelve feeding stations in all with one independent thistle and two seperate sunflower tubes. As well as mixed seed. The built-in funnel and a quick release seed tray allows for fast and easy filling and clean-up. My favorite, the copper finish, is shown above. Click here to see the stainless version or to order online.

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders

Search by: squirrels, feeding the birds

The first, double-purpose tubular squirrel-proof feeder (above left) handles both seed and suet feeding. At 20 3/4″ tall, the 10 1/2″ diameter cage keeps squirrels and large birds away from the seed. The feeder has 4 seed ports and 2 suet cake holders. Song birds love the cage, which they pass through easily and also use for perching. This squirrel-proof feeder arrives at your door fully assembled and ready to hang. Includes the “Squirrel-Lock” seed protection which keeps seed out of squirrels’ reach so less is wasted. Seed is also protected from weather and snow build-up by the domed roof. A durable all-metal construction provides a long life for this top of the line feeder. Order yours today!

The Globe Squirrel-resistant feeder (above right) provides a safe feeding haven for small birds. This product was researched with the British Trust for Ornithology, and is a well-designed bird feeder that keeps average sized gray squirrels out yet allows chickadees, finches and other small birds in – just what you’re after!

The innovative design also keeps other predators like cats and large birds away from the seed and gives the smaller birds a safe feeding zone. Polycarbonate locking central food tube with four feeding stations is designed to hold sunflower and wild birdseed. The ‘cage’ is made with heavy-gauge powder-coated steel to ensure long life, feeding your backyard songbirds for many years to come. 12″ diameter x 11″ H. Order the Millenium Globe Squirrel Proof feeder – or check for recent reviews – by clicking here.

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders

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The Grandview and The Evenfeed Bird Feeders – Comparison and Reviews

The Grandview Wild Bird Feeder (above left) features twelve seed ports and a clear, hexagonal feeder tube that holds more than 5 quarts of your favorite wild bird seed. You’ll be able to see, at a glance, the the seed level in the tube at all times.

Innovative design and classic styling. Plus, all the feeding ports have individual perches. May be hung with included metal bracket hanger. 7.5″ square plastic seed tray. Easy to clean and fill. Made in the USA. To learn more about the Grandview, click here.

The Evenfeed Feeder System (above right) allows you to fill less often and feed more birds. How? This isn’t like a traditional feeder. Traditional feeders dispense seed from a single cavity, reducing the number of available ports as the seed level goes down. That will decrease the number of birds you can feed at one time and may discourage them visiting your feeder regularly.

On the other hand, the Evenfeed System is composed of three separate chambers that empty equally into 12 feeding stations. This allows birds to feed at all 12 ports until the feeder empties. Easy-fill Evenfeed System allows uniform feeding. Plastic feeder disassembles for easy cleaning. Tray reduces seed waste. Drain holes keep seed and tray drier. Holds up to 8 lbs. of black oil sunflower seed or seed mix.

If you’re looking for something a little more fun and unique, you simply have to check out the Metro below!

A little upscale, a little metropolitan…Looking for something a little different? This feeder holds 2.25 pounds of seed, is made of clear, sturdy plastic and U-shaped perches provide four feeding stations for your feathered visitors. 2-in-1 ports allows for switching from mixed seed/sunflower to thistle, niger or finch mix in seconds.

The sure-Lock cap system also helps to keep the squirrels out. Measures 7 inches in length with top cap measuring 9.75 inches in diameter. Includes a sturdy wire hanger. Get your own Metro here.

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders

Perky Pet’s Festival Wild Bird Feeder is constructed of acrylic with zinc cap and perches to resist squirrel damage. And it comes with a full-color poster to help you and your family identify the birds that will be seen at your feeder!

The attached cap slides along the hanging bail for easy filling and cleaning. Four feeding stations and a detachable feeding tray allow a wider variety of birds to feed and the tray reduces waste and mess. The clear see through construction allows you to monitor seed level to be sure the feeder is never empty. You can hang this model or use the handy pole mount. Some assembly is required. Order this model and get the free poster here.

Pretty, pretty feeder. A silver-ringed feeder with a cobalt blue seed tube. Designed to accommodate many backyard bird species. Big ring perch is particulary appealing to cardinals. Seed capacity of 3/4 gallon of wild bird seed mix. Seed tube is about 4 inches in diameter. A great gift idea for bird lovers! Buy it now on amazon.com.

Filed in: Wild Bird Feeders

The chapter I’m on now is discussing nesting box success (dimensions, placement and predator prevention), but the fact that escaped me on the first read, and that shocked me the most is this:

“Everyone engaging their lives with the lives of birds should understand that 90 percent of the birds born in any given year fail to see the next. Nest failure is the first major cut on the way to maintaining the population at a healthy level that does not outstrip resources.”

You see 90% of the birds born this year won’t make it to the next year and nest failure is the biggest reason for the mortality rate.

90%!

Nest failure takes the most, with these secondary causes: natural predators, starvation, hypothermia and insect infestation (these ‘killers’ can be kept at bay with your intervention as well – all with correctly placed and maintained bird houses).

Those numbers are shocking, but I don’t doubt Pete Dunne for a moment. As Vice-President of the New Jersey Audobon Socieity and the director of the Cape May Bird Observatory, I’m sure he has his numbers right.

With all the adversity our wild birds have to cope with in North America I think the more we can help our wild birds, the better.

Providing, maintaining and protecting nesting boxes is one huge step in the right direction and it serves us as well. More birds in our backyards and gardens means less bugs and insects. It’s fun and rewarding to know that we helped a few birds get their start – many of which (if all goes well) will return to our property the following year.

Now is the time, in fact it may even be a little late for the first clutch of some species.

• With the return of spring and warmer weather most wild birds have already scouted out their nesting selection, if you’ve got boxes get them cleaned or re-hung.
• If you don’t have nesting boxes you can buy some really cheap (here’s a $10 off coupon – use promo code: SW-8937 in the category Bird Houses).
  Even if the birds don’t arrive on your doorstep for a few weeks you are still helping. Many birds will have two or more clutches per season and may be looking for a more suitable spot than they had on round one.

I thank you all, who happen upon these pages, and who make a concerted effort to assist our backyard birds, both at the feeding stations and with their nesting needs.

Veronica

p.s. Here is the Pete Dunne book that I reference above, just for your info. If you don’t have this, but love birds, you’ll enjoy this book for years to come.

Filed in: Wild Birds

Search by: bird houses, wild birds, nesting boxes

Now I don’t keep a birding log or journal for my backyard bird visitors – and I’m sad about that this year – because for the first time in years, I feel that something is not right with our wild bird count.

All things the same – the feeders, the frequency of feeding, the type of wild bird feed I put out – and yet the wild birds who frequent is not the same.

Plus, living here in rural Ontario, there is no more competition for the birds in our area (the human population here doesn’t grow). So what is amiss? Could it be the avian flu?

I’ll tell you whom I’ve missed this winter…

Blue Jays

Where I’d been used to their squawks and reminders that the feeder was empty daily, this year we only had one blue jay. One. Usually we have 5-10 regular visits per day.

Chickadees

The numbers were down, but at least they came and brightened each day.

Juncos

The juncos were late and in short supply. This time of year there are usually 20-30 feeding daily for over a month. They finally arrived, and there are only 6 of them.

Gray Jays

We affectionately call these friendly and silly birds Whiskey Jacks. Like the blue jays they’re usually here in good numbers. This winter I’ve seen a total of none. Zero, nilch, nada.

Other Changes

I have noticed other wild birds at the feeder this winter that are not regulars in our area. I’ll tell you more about them, and hopefully have a photo for you, tomorrow.

Cheers!

Veronica

p.s. If you’ve also noticed changes at your feeder this winter, leave a comment below. I’d be interested to hear what region you’re in and what changes you noticed. I think the birding world has been thrown for a whirl this year – what’s happening at your wild bird feeder?

Filed in: Bird Specific, Wild Birds