A phenominally miniscule "feeding niche"

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Certain birds can share the same tree as a 'food source' by looking at it from a different perspective. The Downy Woodpecker and Brown Creeper, for instance, will hunt for insects while going UP a tree. Conversely a Nuthatch will hunt for insects on the same tree(s) while going DOWN.

Downy Woodpecker

All birds find food, and the available food supply is spread out fairly and used efficiently.








Check out this Screech Owl video;

What is the magnitude of the oil spill in the Gulf? (Not just the beaches but the whole Gulf)?  For a comparison, the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1989 was 11-million gallons. It's estimated to have killed between 100,000 and 250,000 seabirds.

The recent Deepwater Horizon spill ("leak" actually) let about 210-million gallons of oil pour into the Gulf. Dead birds are still being counted, and more deaths will occur for decades; the bird deaths may total well over a million.

Safely cleaning gunky, wooden suet feeders

"Before"  (Yellow-throated Warbler)

After several years, oil from suet and/or peanut butter will leach into wooden suet feeders. The bacteria that can then grow on the wood can harm birds.

You can use a simple solution of water and bleach (10 to 1) to safely clean it. I'd soak it in the solution for about an hour, scrub it, rinse it with fresh water, then let it air dry.

In case you're thinking that any bleach residue will hurt birds; Household bleach from the bottle is diluted to 5 to 9 percent already. If you then dilute it further, at 10 to 1, any bleach residue (sodium hypochlorite) will be negligible.


Privacy fences can have unintended consequences. Cats instinctively use them to trap young birds (that are unable to fly yet).l


Rather than eliminating the fence or the cat, I suggest planting some sort of dense vegetation at the base of a fence, allowing the fledgling bird to hide, or climb up the vegetation instead of being fatally trapped. In north Texas, vines such as Coral Honeysuckle, Virginia Creeper, grape or even annual Morning Glory will do the job. Excellent dense plants for Texas yards are Lantana and Mistflower.

"That hawk doesn't look tired to me"

Swainson's Hawk

Swainson's Hawk

Spring migration is underway. So Swainson's Hawks will be here soon, arriving from their annual migration. Thousands and thousands of hawks of all species, from all over North America, have spent the winter in a small area in northern Argentina that's about the size of Arizona. That means a round-trip migration of around 12,000 miles.

A reader reported that a flock of Pelicans has settled in at the Southlake Park Lake, near McMath Middle School. Nobody can remember them landing in Denton before, although flocks have been seen on Lake Lewisville in the past.

These are the species "White Pelicans", not the Brown Pelicans that dive underwater for food. White Pelicans, as they swim, strain the water with their large bills, catching fish. Several of them will swim in a line or an arc to trap small fish.

Most birds aren't faithful at all

Ruddy Ducks

Carolina Wrens

It may come as a surprise, but very few birds are monogamous. There's a lot of hanky-panky going on in the trees, wetlands and shrubs of north Texas.  Recent DNA research shines a light on the "playing around".

Of course, birds' primary concerm when mating is passing on good genes; those that enable better flying, more endurance, better hunting for food etc. In a typical nest of four nestlings, only about two have the genes of the parents raising them.  The other two have a different mother or father or both (usually it's the father that's different - for logistical reasons).

In other words, it's not uncommon at all for a bird to copulate with a bird that's not its mate; sometimes birds will even incubate an egg laid by another bird. It's all for the sake of the genes!

Passenger Pigeon (extinct)

Early in the last century, Passenger Pigeons were found in great numbers - in most parts of the country. Millions and millions of them - flying wild in their rural habitat.  Now the bird is extinct.

It was hunted to death, and its natural habitat (and food sources) was going away. The last one died in a zoo in 1914.

Which reminds us, especially during a cold spell like north Texas is having now, to make sure your birdfeeders are full, and (when the weather's better) to plant more "birdscape" plants to provide fresh food for our birds.

Go ahead; pick up that baby bird if you must

Carolina Wren

Fledgling

Fledgling

Bunting

Momma can't "smell" if someone has handled it.  That's just a silly myth. In truth, birds have no sense of smell (although Vultures can smell somewhat, to locate food). But the songbirds we see in north Texas (Bluebirds, Wrens, Cardinals, Robins, Titmice etc) just can't smell at all.

So pick up the bird if it's absolutely necessary. But don't "kidnap" it. Keep in mind that the vast majority of the time, a "fledgling" bird  is being monitored carefully by a parent in a nearby tree. Most young birds spend around a week on the ground, still unable to fly, after emerging from the egg and growing larger and stronger.

If a human frequently goes and looks at it though, the human will leave a scent trail that a hungry predator (raccoon, snake??) can follow.


Ninety-five percent of Texas' Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge (in the lower Rio Grande valley) was obtained through the purchase of "Duck Stamps", which are used not only for Duck habitat, but for acquiring habitat for all kinds of birds.

Lessening the number of birds smashing into your windows.

Bird strikes into windows kill or injure a ton of birds each year, especially during spring migration (starting about now). Short of redesigning your house or renovating your windows, you can take actions to lessen this;
First, identify the windows that are the major culprits; probably the most reflective ones.
Second, apply patterns to the windows (see above) using water-color paint or tape or window films.  They'll say "careful - there's something here"
Third  an option is to fasten something onto the window that will move around in the breeze. Motion is what alerts birds. You might try long foil strips, ribbons or balloons.
Fourth, keep in mind that there still may be a few bird strikes due to birds "not looking where they're going" (sound familiar, parents?).

The window pattern is limited only by you and your imagination. It addresses the fact that birds have no understanding of "glass". Feeders near windows should be OK if they're within 2 feet of the glass, or farther away than 7 feet.


Suggestion to add something to your backyard birdwatching:  Keep a 'Yard List".  All the species you see within the confines of your yard (or maybe a neighborhood park?).  You're not competing with anyone or trying to set some sort of record; it's just for interest's sake.


In north Texas, you might start with the very common birds - maybe Chickadees and Wrens. Of course, reducing the size of your lawn and adding "birdscape" plants will almost certainly lengthen your yard list.

Why Ducks are big on north Texas / Toxic birdseed?

Wood Duck (male)

Wood Ducks  (male, female)

Mallard & chicks

Wild Ducks, particularly Wood Ducks, must love north Texas. They love to eat acorns, and north Texas is naturally covered with Oak trees. Every fall, the Oaks produce millions and millions of delicious acorns.

Muscovy Duck

Nestboxes for ducks can be rewarding; just make sure they're protected from tree-climbing predators. Ideally, putting it on a tree over water, or on a small island, works well. In Texas, avoid plastic boxes - they get very hot here, and the inside temperature can kill the embryos in the eggs.

Scotts Miracle Gro Co. has agreed to plead guilty to charges in federal court and pay $4.5 million in fines in two incidents
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/01/27/scotts-to-pay-4-5m-in-fines.html
The complete article from the Columbus Dispatch can be read by pasting the above address into your browser. Or by doing an internet search using the words "Scotts  guilty  pesticide  fine"

The Scotts company, makers of Songbird Essentials, will plead guilty to violations including knowingly selling birdseed coated with toxic pesticide. Charges also included falsifying E.P.A. pesticide registration numbers on their products, although the E.P.A. hadn't cleared them.