The Great Horned Owl

Image courtesy of Rosemary Ratcliff at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One of the largest birds in our area is the Great Horned Owl.  I have often heard them at night, especially in the late summer, when they can be heard calling to their young (especially on foggy nights).  It is a very distinct call, similar to "whowhowho-who-who-whoo."  Sometimes they also fly into the yards late at night, where they can be seen perching on top of the tallest trees and even on street lights.  I have also seen them on several occasions in the late afternoon, when I have walked through Mandan Park, and they have floated across the road in front of me like large grey ghosts.

National Geographic says mature great horned owls have a wingspan of up to 4.8 feet.  Having seen them up close, I have no trouble believing this...their wingspan looked like it was 6 feet to me! I always experience a slight thrill of fear when I see them, simply because they are so large, although I have never had one threaten me in any way.  In fact, they hardly seemed to notice me.

They always seem impervious to the human activity around them, especially when they are hunting or sitting high on top of a tree or a light pole.  Even when we have pointed at them, and walked around trying to get a better glimpse of us, they simply ignore us (or at least pretend to!)  The only time they seem reluctant to remain in my yard is when I let my very large dog outside, whereupon they usually will fly away.

Great Horned Owls are known for their hunting skills, and I have even heard about them preying on other large birds, but in this area, their favorite prey seems to be rodents.  It is the only thing I have actually witnessed them preying upon in all the years I have lived near them.  In spite of this, I still make sure to walk very close to my small dogs when I let them outside, just in case one of them happens to be lurking nearby!

Do you have any interesting information/stories to share about Great Horned Owls? If so, please leave a post!

White-Tailed Deer

                                                   Two Fawns by Mandan Park (filmed by SCB)

Some of the most popular backyards visitors in our area are the white-tailed deer that live in and around Mandan Park.  They are numerous enough that we often see groups of them at dusk and even late in the afternoon, as well as early in the morning.  Some of them have even been bold enough to jump my fence and come into my yard to eat my shrubbery (sand cherries seem to be a favorite of theirs).

I have read that deer like corn, and putting it out in the winter may attract them, but I have never had them come into the yard for it when I have put it out.  Some of the neighbors put leftover apples out for them (which I have never actually seen them eat, but the apples do eventually disappear).  Other people have put out salt licks, and they do frequently visit these.

There are deer feeders available at hardware stores (which I have periodically considered purchasing, and may end up doing someday soon).  There is also grass seed available you can purchase and plant that they tend to favor (and which also tends to be healthy for them).  I have also heard that deer absolutely love acorns (so if you happen to have an oak tree, you may be in luck!)  The only drawback about feeding them is that they will sometimes dash across roads to get to urban backyards, causing numerous near accidents and some actual ones.

No matter when I see them, I am always pleasantly surprised.  They are certainly one of the loveliest animals that live in the Mandan Park area, and one of the most exciting to see.

The Blue Jay

Blue Jay (Image Courtesy of  Ron Bird at FreeDigitalPhotos.Net)

One of my absolute favorite backyard visitors is the Blue Jay.  In spite of their aggression (yes, I have been attacked by them when passing too close to one of their nests) and their unsavory habit of stealing other birds' babies for food, I still love to see them, and their antics never fail to amuse me.  My mother calls them "the big-mouthed" birds, and I have to admit that this description really does fit them.

Blue jays love sunflower seed.  They love mixed nuts even more and peanuts in the shell are one of their absolute favorites.  They are also fond of cat food, and when they find it scattered about, they will noisily call to all of their relatives until everyone has had a chance to get some.  When they find peanuts, they are usually more discrete, knowing that everyone loves peanuts (especially squirrels)! Instead of their usual raucous cry, they will make a cry that, for lack of a better description, sounds almost like they are saying "toodle-doodle-do."  In years past, when I would put the peanuts out for them, I would make my poor imitation of this call, and they would actually notice and come to get the peanuts.  If I put the peanuts out at a set time, they would hide nearby and call each other in the same way to let each other know the peanuts were about to magically appear.

I have heard that blue jays will imitate the noises hawks make in an attempt to scare other birds away from feeders, and I can vouch for this, having heard them do this myself.  When the other birds scattered in terror, they would swoop down, grab a mouthful of seed and hurry off.

Blue jays will also gang up on hawks in their family groups, gathering in various parts of the area where the hawk is and literally yelling at it until the hawk get tired of it and leave (whereupon the blue jays will pursue it and continue to make yell at it anyway).

I often wonder why I like them so much in spite of their awful behavior, and have to concede at least part of it must have to do with their looks.  On winter days, their plumage is like a little bit of blue sky, and can brighten even the gloomiest weather.  When you add their often comical antics into the mix (they are one of the few birds that literally make me laugh), you get an irresistible combination. No wonder they are one of everyone's favorite backyard visitors.

Cope's Gray Tree Frog

                                            Cope's Gray Tree Frog (Filmed by SCB)

In the Mandan Park area, it isn't just birds we hear singing in the trees.  At night, we also hear the frogs singing, and yes, they really are in the trees!

When I first heard the frogs at night, I actually thought they were birds, and couldn't figure out why they would be making so much noise in the dark.  Several years later, my sister found a tiny frog on top of her door, hunting mosquitoes, and when she looked it up on the Internet, she found out it was a tree frog.

Cope's Gray Tree Frog is native to Nebraska, and is usually found near wooded areas where there is water. They lay their eggs in shallow ponds or pools.  The frogs that sing at night are actually the males, who sing in a chorus.

When I first began listening to the frogs and figured out what they were, I really only noticed them in my ash and hackberry trees.  This summer, however, I have heard them all through my yard, and we have even seen them in the front of the yard, on the lilac bushes.  Needless to say, this makes mowing interesting. Sometimes when the bushes get shaken, it appears to be raining frogs...which makes the mowing a very delicate operation indeed.

Most of the best years for frogs have, perhaps not surprisingly, been some of the best years for mosquitoes, as well.  I used to wonder what kind of benefit mosquitoes could possibly bring, especially when I was swatting and slapping at them, but the preponderance of frogs in a bumper mosquito year almost makes the mosquitoes more tolerable.  These frogs also eat grasshoppers, crickets, moths and flies.

If you would like to have tree frogs in your yard, there are 2 things that should do the trick...trees and bugs! Leaving a little water out might not hurt, either!

The White-Breasted Nuthatch

                                                White Breasted Nuthatch at Feeder (Filmed by SCB)

One of my favorite birds (that fortunately remains in this area year round!) is the white-breasted nuthatch. These extremely interesting (and very smart) birds are a common visitor to bird feeders, especially feeders containing seeds and suet.  They are not only pretty, but fun to watch, being some of the most acrobatic of backyard birds.  Nuthatches can perform the most amazing feats with the greatest of ease, including running and jumping backwards, racing down trees headfirst and even hanging upside down from practically any surface.  The sounds they make are unique, as well...a very rapid and faintly nasal eh-eh-eh.  Males and females have an  identical appearance.  In the winter, nuthatches will often travel with chickadees, titmice and Downy woodpeckers.

If you would like to lure these very interesting little birds to your yard, here are some tips to help you do so:

Food
Nuthatches like sunflower seed, safflower seed, suet and even peanuts (which they will not hesitate to grab even when other, larger birds are around).  They are also especially fond of ants! Years ago, there was a colony of carpenter ants in my ash tree, and the nuthatches were constantly hanging out in it.  Eventually I hung a hummingbird feeder in front of it, which the carpenter ants simply loved, and would travel to it in hordes...until the nuthatches noticed.  Every night, there would be numerous ants milling around, and in the morning, there would not be a single ant left! If you would like to get rid of your ants once and for all, don't buy a pesticide...just attract nuthatches to your yard!

Habitat
Nuthatches like to hang out in any and all trees (probably at least partially because of the bugs!).  The more of them you have in your yard, the more likely you are to have nuthatches drop by.

Nuthatches are very friendly, and don't seem to mind any other birds (or dogs, or squirrels, or even people, for that matter!). Unlike many of the other little birds, nuthatches are not easily intimidated, and will even peck back at sparrows who peck at them.  They are often one of the first bird species to notice a new feeder, and thus may be one of the first birds to visit your yard if you hang out a new one!

Do you have a tip for attracting nuthatches? If so, please leave a comment!

Squirrels

                                               (Filmed by SCB)


No discussion of feeding birds would be complete without discussing the ever present and always ingenious squirrels who never fail to raid any and all bird feeders that have not been squirrel proofed.  I have never tried to prevent squirrels from getting into my feeders, because I never expected to succeed, and I actually enjoy watching them.  I have tried offering them alternative food sources, as various publications recommended, but all this accomplished was to attract more squirrels.

Squirrels like every type of bird food I have put out except for thistle seed.  They like all other types of seeds, nuts, suet, peanuts and even jelly.  They can access any type of feeder, whether it hangs by a string, hangs upside down or sways violently whenever something bigger than a bird touches it.  They can even access feeders that sparrows have a hard time getting to, with occasionally disastrous results.  If a feeder is too hard for them to reach, they simply destroy it and eat everything that was in it, leaving the debris to be picked up by the unfortunate individual who tried to outsmart them.  Their solution for feeders on strings is the same...they bite through the string so that the feeder crashes to the ground and they can raid it.

I'm not the only person in my neighborhood who gets a little weary of their greediness.  There is a blue jay family on my block that for years would visit my yard, especially when I put peanuts out.  Each time a squirrel would take one and prepare to bury it, they would come up behind him, grab him by the tail and pinch him in an effort to make him let go of it.  While this tactic never succeeded in causing the squirrel to actually lose his peanut, it did slow him down a tad.

If you would like squirrels in your yard, the only really necessary step to take is that of hanging out a feeder...of any kind!  They like trees to run up if danger threatens, but fences, power line poles and roofs will do just as well in a pinch.  Sometimes they can be persuaded (briefly) to leave the birdseed alone if you put out corn cobs for them, but usually, as I mentioned above, this just leads to more squirrels.  My solution has been to sit back and enjoy them...and buy a little more birdseed and suet the next time!

The Downy Woodpecker

There are many different types of woodpeckers in the Omaha/Mandan Park area, including the Red-Headed Woodpecker, the Red-Bellied Woodpecker, the Hairy Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker.  Of all of these, the Downy is the smallest, and also, at least in my experience, the friendliest.  They are the only woodpeckers I feed who will actually come to eat when I am sitting nearby (albeit after several nervous glances and some slight hesitation).

Male Downy Woodpeckers have a bright red spot on the back of their heads.  This is the easiest way to distinguish between the males and the females, who otherwise pretty much look alike.  In the winter, Downy Woodpeckers tend to group up with birds of other species, including titmice, chickadees and nuthatches, so if you see one of these birds at your feeder, the others may very well be nearby.

If you are interested in attracting these very pretty (and engaging) little birds into your backyard, the following tips are helpful:

Filmed by SCB

Habitat
Downy woodpeckers love insects, and the more trees you have with insects on them, the more likely they are to hang around.  They are especially fond of ants and other wood burrowing insects, so having them in your yard serves a practical purpose, as well!  Sometimes they do leave marks on the bark of my Bradford Pear Tree, but the tree thus far at least has not exhibited any ill effects from this.

Food
Aside from bugs, of course, there are some other foods that these little woodpeckers are especially fond of. They like sunflower seeds, they like peanuts, and they love suet!  They are the most common visitors at my suet feeder, and are so proficient at extracting the suet that other birds will shadow them and pick up what they drop onto the ground (especially sparrows!).  They like all kinds of nuts, but tend to be a little shy, so never really seem to get their share of these when I put them out.

Keep in mind that if you do put nuts out, you will attract other birds who are fond of them, especially blue jays!  I love blue jays, but really do not want them in my yard during the breeding season because of their unfortunate appetite  for other birds' babies.  Therefore, I only feed them in the fall and the winter.

Another visitor who adores nuts, of course, is the squirrel, so I try not to put nuts out during the spring and summer for the same reason (squirrels also have an unfortunate tendency to raid birds' nests).

Putting suet out in the winter will attract even more Downy's, because there are less available food sources, so if you are thinking of feeding them, the upcoming months are a good time to start!  Another plus about suet feeders is that they leave no mess!  There are various types and flavors of suet, ranging from orange to berry to peanut and even bug, and they are commonly available in hardware stores and many grocery stores.  All of these are equally popular with the woodpeckers.

Remember to hang your suet feeder upside down, or the starlings will come and clean it out in a matter of hours!

Do you have at tip about attracting or feeding Downy woodpeckers? If so, please leave a comment!

The House Wren

Our Wrens Feeding Their Babies (video by SCB)

I have always been partial to house wrens.  Years ago, I purchased a wren house and set it up in my backyard near the top of one of my old laundry poles.  Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the house wasn't nearly high enough, and the nest was destroyed by raccoons.  After this, I determined I would be better off not having wrens nesting in my yard, but this spring, a pair of wrens decided otherwise.

My sister had purchased a purely ornamental birdhouse for me, and on a whim, I hung it outside. When I first noticed a male wren sitting on top of it, I assumed he was just using it as a decoy, but I was mistaken! He and his mate built a nest inside of it, and they are currently in the process of raising their fledglings (which I have heard but so far have not gotten a really good look at).  In order to prevent another unfortunate accident, we have been checking on them throughout the day and night, and letting our dogs out frequently. Hopefully our luck will hold!

Habitat
If you would like to attract wrens to your yard, the best way to lure them in and keep them around is to provide nesting houses.  These are available in many different stores, and usually have a detachable underside so that the house can be cleaned out when the nesting season is over.

One of our Wrens (photo by SCB)

Wren houses need to be hung up high, out of the reach of predators (unless you have a lot of time to babysit).  By putting out several houses, you will increase your chances of attracting a nesting pair, as the male wren will build at least 2 and sometimes 3 different nests in his efforts to find a mate.  Once one of the nests has been chosen by the female, the male will bring sticks and bar the entry to the other nests he has built in order to deter other wrens from nesting in them.

Food
I have read that wrens can be offered meal worms to feed their babies, but have not actually done this as I am extremely hesitant of luring in any other birds (especially blue jays!).  Just yesterday a jay was in my yard searching for the nest, but fortunately did not figure out where it was.  If you would like to feed wrens, just be sure not to let any other birds become aware that there is food around.

One of our Wrens Getting Ready to Feed the Babies (photo by SCB)

Our wrens have benefited from the slightly weedy areas in the yard, which are a prime insect hunting spot. They have found numerous caterpillars here.  They have also eaten all of the ants that used to congregate around the back porch, as well as the flies!

If you would like to have wrens nest in your backyard, please do not use pesticides!  These could poison the babies, and the wrens will do a better job of clearing out insects than any spray would, anyway.

I have not read anything about whether or not wrens will return to a yard once they have raised their babies in it, but I certainly hope they do!

The House Sparrow

It's a familiar mantra to anyone who feeds birds as a hobby:  "Sparrows don't like it."  For years, I was puzzled as to why, until I began to attract more and more sparrows to my feeders, to the extent that other birds were scared away.

Sparrows are aggressive.  I have seen them attack grosbeaks at my safflower seed feeder even though they do not care for safflower seed, presumably because they think there might be something there they want to eat.  I have seen them attack orioles at my oriole feeder in order to get most of the jelly.  The one bird they always seem to get along with is the Northern Cardinal, which for some unbeknownst region has a tendency to come eat when the sparrows are around (maybe because the sparrows serve as lookouts).  Other than that, practically any other bird is a suitable target for their bullying.

Sparrow by thistle feeder (photo by SCB)

With that being said, I have a confession to make:  I feed sparrows.  I don't feed them all of the time, and sometimes I feed them resentfully, but I do feed them.  Some of it is due to choice (I feel bad for them) and sometimes it is not (sparrows will find a way to access almost any feeder, whether it is sparrow proof or not).  Years ago, I was told the way to make sure only woodpeckers could access my suet feeder was to hang it upside down, and it was true...except for sparrows.  They have learned to hang upside on the feeders just like the woodpeckers and pull suet loose.  They have also learned to attack the woodpeckers at the precise moment they manage to pull suet free, causing them to drop whatever they have managed to extract.

Sparrows will also bully other birds out of their next boxes and take over them for their own fledglings. Since sparrows have several broods a year, this is a fairly common practice, making nesting more challenging for native birds such as bluebirds.

Sparrows, however, do have some advantages.

If you like hawks, you will definitely see them whenever you have a lot of sparrows around.  Hawks seem to have a special fondness for them, and will often pursue them, especially in the winter months, when their other prey is harder to find.

Sparrows are also good at keeping insect populations in check, probably because there are so many of them around!

Finally, I have to admit they are pretty (even if they do have very bad manners!)  While they may not be my favorite bird to watch, I have to admit I do enjoy them at times.

The Northern Cardinal

One of the cheeriest sights during the long, cold winters here in Omaha is the Northern Cardinals that come to visit our feeders.  Cardinals were one of the first birds that came to eat in our yard, and through the years, they have been some of our most constant visitors.  Fortunately, cardinals are easy to attract, and easy to keep around.  Below are some of the tips I have learned through the years to attract cardinals.

Food
Cardinals like both sunflower seed and safflower seed.  If you are interested in attracting many different birds, putting out black oil sunflower and striped sunflower seed will grant you your wish, as well as attracting cardinals.  If you would like to be a little more selective, cardinals are one of the few birds that really enjoy eating safflower seed.  The advantage of this is that grackles and sparrows will avoid your feeder, thereby ensuring less spillage and less waste.  Cardinals also eat many different types of insects, so leaving a section of your yard slightly long, so insects can hide in it, is a great way to lure them in.

Plants
Another appealing thing about cardinals is that they make a lot of nests, and are not especially worried about humans being nearby.  One of their favorites in my yard, which they have nested in on a regular basis, is my lilac trees.  They have also nested in my evergreens and even, earlier this year, my willow.  Having a variety of small trees in your yard can lure more cardinals in.  This year we actually had two different pairs of cardinals nest in our yard!

Male Northern Cardinal (photo by SCB)

Winter Feeding
Another thing I have noticed about cardinals that I have always found interesting is that their appetites seem to change during the winter months.  I say this because if I put out corn for them in the spring through fall months, they mostly ignore it, but if I do so during the winter, I can attract numerous cardinals, both male and female, and during this time of the year, they will eat together without fighting.  It was a visual delight last year to look outside and see them gathered in the snow, and on the bushes near where the corn was, like little Christmas tree ornaments.

Another thing I like about cardinals is that they are fairly friendly birds.  They will sometimes come and chirp at us when they feel that their babies are threatened by other animals, and watch as we chase the predators away.  They will also quickly grow accustomed to your presence.  Years ago, we had a vegetable garden in our backyard, and one particular male cardinal would find each tomato just as it became ripe and take a peck out of it.  Even though my boyfriend would always shout at him in mock anger, calling him "Red Bird," he never seemed fazed in the least, and continued this game even when we were in extremely close proximity to him.

Do you have a tip for attracting cardinals? If so, please leave a comment!

The Brown Creeper

One of the more unusual birds that visits our yard on a yearly basis is the Brown Creeper.  Brown Creepers migrate to the Omaha area during the winter months.  The ones in our yard usually appear on either our ash tree or on the wood of our overhang in the back of the house.  The first time I saw one, I almost mistook it for a mouse, because of the rapid way in which it moved up and down on the tree so rapidly.

Years ago, I had hung a suet feeder on our ash tree, but I never saw the Brown Creepers go anywhere near it.  Their primary interest has always been the insects.  During the winter months, they burrow beneath the bark to extract the bugs they want to eat.

Brown Creepr Burrowing for Insects (photo by SCB)

I think the primary reason we see Brown Creepers here during the winters is because we live in a heavily wooded area.  Some of the other birds that visit our yard only in winter include the red-breasted nuthatch and even redpolls.

If you would like to attract Brown Creepers to your backyard, the primary way in which to do so is to have mature trees.  Sometimes this is more easily said than done...for years, the ash tree in our backyard was a favored spot for many birds, some of which ate the bugs living in it and some of which nested in it. Unfortunately, as the tree aged, it sustained a great deal of damage, to the point that eventually we had to have it cut down to a stump.

After the tree was cut so low, I was under the impression that it was dead, and was planning to have it taken out completely in the spring.  To my amazement, when spring finally came, the tree began to sprout again, and is now a small, bushy tree that actually provides quite a bit of shade.  It also has again become a favorite spot for many birds, which like to perch in its branches and explore it for food.  When the Brown Creepers came back last winter, they were still as interested in it as they had been when it was a bigger tree, and seemed to find just as many insects in it.

Brown Creeper Hunting for Insects (photo by SCB)

All of this led me to the conclusion that as troublesome as trees may be, they serve an extremely important purpose, especially for the birds who live in our area.  Unattractive as my ash tree may be in comparison to how it looked before, it continues to be attractive to many birds, and obviously still serves an important purpose as they continue to return to it, year after year.

The American Robin

Who doesn't love robins? For most people, their presence is a welcome reminder that Spring is on the way. While robins can be seen almost everywhere, they are especially prevalent in the Mandan Park area because of the forest.  Every year, large groups of them flock together and winter in the park area, gradually moving back up to the neighborhood yards as spring approaches.  While robins are expert foragers and rarely come to bird feeders, there are some ways to increase their presence in your yard, so you can see them even more often.

Robin Fledgling (photo by SCB)

Food
While robins seem to subsist primarily on a diet of bugs (mostly worms!), there are several other food types that they do eat. The first is dry cat food.  I spread some of it out on a rock surface in my yard especially for them, and the same birds show up to eat almost every day.  (Incidentally, cardinals are also especially fond of cat food!)

Another food that robins like is grape jelly.  Every time I fill my oriole feeder, I somehow manage to spill some jelly underneath it, but I never give it a great deal of thought because it always quickly disappears. I assumed that the orioles and catbirds were eating it, but one morning I noticed a robin by the feeder.  Since then, I have noticed them around the feeder more, and now I know why!

Robins also like meal worms.  In the past, I have put them out for them, but all of the other birds like them so much, as well, that the robins actually got very few of them.

Water
Another way to attract robins to your yard is by putting out water.  Robins love birdbaths, and will also flock to any collection of water that you have in your yard, such as rain water collected in an old lid or even a dog dish.  Even a slightly dripping water faucet will attract them.

Robin Fledgling (photo by SCB)

Plants
Another good way to attract robins is by providing trees for them to nest in, and bushes and trees that provide food.  One of their favorite trees in my yard is my Bradford Pear.  Every fall, when the tiny fruits remain on the branches, they will literally strip the tree clean of them.  They also like crab apples, cherries and many different types of berries.

Do you have a tip for attracting robins to your yard? If so, please leave a comment!

Wild Turkeys

One of the most interesting (and slightly intimidating) birds that we have encountered in our backyard is the wild turkey.  Several summers ago, a hen with her chicks ( called poults) flew into our side yard and proceeded from there to explore the rest of the property before they all flew back back into the forest.  With that being said, while I have seen the poults flying frequently, I have rarely seen the adults do so.  The majority of the time they will simply run if they feel threatened.  A neighbor witnessed several turkeys being pursued by a coyote near our homes, and even in this instance, they were jogging instead of flying.

Wild turkeys are know to eat a wide variety of foods, some of which can be provided for them in a backyard setting.  A word of caution, however:  Wild turkeys can be aggressive, and if they feel threatened by domestic pets, may attack them.  This can be more serious than it sounds, because turkeys have spurs on their legs which can seriously harm another animal.  They are especially aggressive during the mating season.

Wild Turkeys Near Mandan Park (photo by SCB)

If you would like to attract wild turkeys into your yard, here are a few tips that may make it easier to accomplish this.

Food
In the wild, turkeys eats a wide selection of plants, insects, and small animals, but two of the foods they will come into a backyard for are corn and birdseed.  Since I own a very large dog, they tend to avoid my yard, but several of my neighbors with bird feeders have awakened early in the morning and found wild turkeys strutting around their back yards.  Since they didn't lure the birds in intentionally, they were less than pleased, but still impressed by the birds' sheer size and attitude.

Habitat
One thing I have noticed myself with wild turkeys is that they seem to have some difficulty navigating chain link fences, especially if they get caught between them (hawks have this same difficulty).  Most of the turkeys I have seen in people's yards are in yards where there are no fences, just wide expanses of open lawn.  In the right setting, I have seen multiple turkeys in one location.

Wild Turkey in Backyard (photo by SCB)

Timing
A good time to see wild turkeys is early in the morning, when they tend to be actively out and about.  I have seen them at other times during the day, as well, but this time seems to be a particular favorite for them. Dusk is another time when they are fairly active.  Another good time to see them is after a rainstorm.


Do you have tips for attracting wild turkeys? If so, please leave a comment!

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

One of our favorite backyard visitors is the ruby-throated hummingbird.  For years, I had known they were prevalent in our area, but had never actually seen one.  Even after I purchased my first hummingbird feeder, I spent an entire year waiting to see one and never did.  Fortunately, after talking to several different birding experts and reading numerous articles, I came up with a list of ways that made attracting them easy:

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird (Photo by SCB)

Feeders
There are numerous feeders for hummingbirds available, most of which are red.  The reason for this is that hummingbirds are especially attracted to red and purple flowers, although I have noticed they like orange and pink flowers, too.  With that being said, a red feeder is a good way to get their attention when you first put out a feeder.  I have had glass feeders and plastic ones, and both of them worked equally well.  The only important point to keep in mind is that the feeders need to be cleaned each time the liquid is replaced, because they tend to get mold built up inside then.  I try to replace my hummingbird feeder every year, as well.  They can be purchased at hardware stores and even many grocery stores and are fairly inexpensive.

Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird near Impatiens (photo by SCB)

Food
If you read about the ingredients for making hummingbird food, you will notice that there are a lot of recipes that say to mix 4 parts water to 1 part sugar.  In actuality, the recipe is 3 parts water to 1 part sugar.  As far as the hummingbirds are concerned, the more sugary it is, the better, and if there is not enough sugar in the solution, they will simply not drink it.  It should be replaced at least once a week, especially in cool, damp weather, when it tends to mold more quickly.

Female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (photo by SCB)

Plants
Hummingbirds really like red and purple flowers.  For years, I would buy fuchsias to hang by my hummingbird feeders, in hopes of luring them in, but I never actually saw any hummingbirds at them, and fuchsias are both expensive and delicate (a perilous combination in Nebraska).  After my mother told me she often saw hummingbirds at her geranium boxes, I replaced the fuchsias with red geraniums, and the hummingbirds began to arrive in droves.

The nice things about geraniums are that they tough, and they can be kept indefinitely.  Some people remove them from their pots over the winter, hang them out in a basement and repot them in the spring, but I like to take them inside and treat them like a houseplant for the winter months.  That way, I can have flowers year round.  While they do look a little peaked by the time spring comes around, they quickly rebound when you put them back outside, and they can live for years!

Other plants I have noticed hummingbirds like are impatiens (which are difficult to keep alive inside) and hibiscus.  While hibiscus are a little expensive, they can be kept alive for years, too, as long as they get enough sun and water.  Finally, hummingbirds also really like begonias, and like geraniums, begonias are inexpensive and tough.  I keep my begonias inside during the winters months, too.

I have heard people say that hummingbirds will return to a feeder year after year, and I have noticed as the years have gone by that each year, I have more of them.  Whether this is because some of them return, or because they are attracted to the plants I put out, is a matter for debate.

At any rate, if you would like to have your yard visited by these gorgeous little birds, following the above tips should make it easy for you!

Do you have a tip for attracting or feeding hummingbirds? If so, please leave a comment!

Other Backyard Visitors - Creating a Habitat

Did you know that bird feeders not only attract birds, but other small animals, as well?

One of the most common visitors to bird feeders (aside from birds!) is squirrels, but the seed that the birds leave behind is also attractive to bunny rabbits.  While they mostly visit in the early morning hours and late evening, occasionally they will also appear during the day.

Young Rabbit near Feeder (photo by SCB)

What I've always found interesting is that the birds seem to know what they are, and never show the slightest fear of them.  While birds are fairly comfortable around squirrels, too (except during breeding season), they seem even more confident around rabbits, and will eat right by them.  I have always wondered if they aren't grateful for the extra pair of eyes in watching out for predators.

What exactly the rabbits are eating when they visit the bird feeders is something I have never actually figured out, but I have noticed that the rabbits are most commonly around those in which I have put a variety of seed.  One possibility is that they may be consuming some of the small seedlings that always seem to crop up underneath my feeders.

Attracting Wildlife
Years ago, I read an article that suggested leaving a small part of the yard untended, in order to attract birds and other wildlife.  I have noticed that on the edge of my yard, where the weeds occasionally grow too high, birds will sometimes visit that I rarely see at my feeders, and sometimes they will even go on to the feeders after landing there.  Allowing part of the yard to grow up a little is also a big help for fledglings, which will often hide there before they perfect their flying skills.

Young Rabbit (photo by SCB)

Another plus in leaving part of the yard to grow a little wild is that a lot of insects tend to hide in these areas, making it a prime hunting ground.  Just last night, I noticed several birds hunting in the area near the border of my yard, in the immediate vicinity of a grazing rabbit  One cardinal, in particular, repeatedly hunted the area near where the rabbit was eating, and hopped all over next to it.

If you would like to have other visitors like rabbits by your feeders, another precautionary tip to keep in mind is that baby rabbits, especially, are very vulnerable to herbicides, and even exposing them to the pellet form can kill them.  Having a slightly weedy yard will not only spare them, but will also be a huge attraction for the birds and even many beautiful (and beneficial!) insects.

Have you noticed any unusual creatures attracted to your backyard feeders? If so, please leave a post!

The House Finch

One of the first birds I noticed when I started to feed birds was the House Finch.  I had hung up a feeder and filled it with black oil sunflower seed for the benefit of an elderly housebound friend who lived next door.  When I first saw these very pretty little red birds, I asked her what they were, and she told me they were House Finches.  Since then, I have learned that the males are the ones who are red, and the females are brown with white stripes on their wings.  There is also a larger, redder finch that resembles the House Finch called the Purple Finch, but these tend to be in the area more during the winter.

House Finches are actually the descendants of pet finches that people have let go through the years, and have adapted readily to living in the wild.  Unlike other introduced species, however, (such as starlings and sparrows) they are a popular backyard visitor.  They also have a tendency to make their nests in hanging pots, so if you do manage to attract them to your yard, you will have to keep an eye open for this!  If you are interested in attracting these lovely little birds, they are actually fairly easy to lure in.

Male House Finch Eating Safflower Seed (photo by SCB)

Seed
House Finches enjoy a wide variety of seed.  They love black oil sunflower seed, striped sunflower seed, thistle and safflower seed.  When I first began to feed them, I provided them with plenty of the first three, but the sparrows eventually took over these feeders and drove them away (although they stand up to the sparrows a lot more than other shyer birds do).  Eventually I decided to simply go with the safflower, because this is also one of their favorites, and they have very little competition for it.  A plus about putting out safflower seed is that you will also get other visitors who like it, such as cardinals, mourning doves, chickadees, tufted titmice and even some of the less common birds in the area, such as red-breasted grosbeaks and indigo buntings.  Another plus is that other less welcome visitors, such as grackles, starlings (and, of course, sparrows) don't really care for it, so they will either avoid the feeder entirely or merely pick at it when nothing else is available.

Plants
I have never actually noticed House Finches being attracted to any particular type of plants, except, of course, the hanging pots they like to borrow.  They do like to perch in small trees and bushes, but I have hung all of my finch feeders from old clothesline poles for years, and they seem just as happy perching on those as any branch they might find.

Male House Finch Eating Safflower Seeder (photo by SCB)

Feeders
House Finches will use any type of feeder you choose to put out.  They seem to be more attracted by what is in the feeder than its appearance!

Another plus about House Finches is that they are relatively friendly, and are one of the most easily observable birds.  They not only ignore me when I'm outside, they also ignore my dogs, and this is something I honestly couldn't say about many of the other birds that visit my yard.

Baltimore Orioles

If you are interested in seeing Baltimore Orioles in the Omaha area, Mandan Park is a really good place to start.

There are two reasons for this.  First, there are many extremely tall trees, such as cottonwoods, which orioles prefer to make their nests in.  If you have never seen an oriole nest, it looks like a ball caught in a mesh sock hanging from the very tip of a branch.  The nests are normally not able to be seen until fall, when  the trees become bare, because the orioles will hide the nests in the midst of the leaves for camouflage.  Placing the nests at the very ends of the branches also makes it more difficult for predatory birds (like crows) to steal the nestlings.  I have watched orioles building nests in the same cottonwood tree near my yard for years, and only once did the crows find one.

The other reason orioles like Mandan Park is the preponderance of natural foods they are able to access there.  One of their favorites is wild  grapes, which are common throughout the park and also (somewhat unfortunately) at the edges of the yards near it.  They will frequently perch on the top of these and tear the grapes off.

Male Baltimore Oriole (photo by SCB)

Male Baltimore Oriole at homemade feeder (photo by SCB)

When I decided I wanted to attract orioles to my yard, I went about it in all of the wrong ways.  Fortunately, reading about them and talking to people at bird stores enabled me to find the right ways to attract them.  I have been lucky enough to see as many as 20 Baltimore orioles in my yard at one time trying to access my oriole feeder (which they do not share well) and an additional plus is that Orchard Orioles are attracted by the same things, so I can see them, too.  In case you are not familiar with them, male Orchard Orioles are somewhat smaller than the flashy Baltimores, and are primarily black and a deep orange, almost red color.  Females of both species are primarily yellow, and the juvenile Baltimore Oriole males are yellow and grey.

Below are some useful tips to attract Baltimore and Orchard Orioles to your yard.

Food
Don't make the mistake I did and purchase a sugar water feeder for orioles.  Yes, sometimes they do drink from them, but they do it so rarely you will almost never see them.  Sugar water feeders are great for hummingbirds, but not orioles.

The best way to get orioles to come into your yard is to put out grape jelly and orange slices.  They are not particularly picky about the type of feeder that you use.  They are also not particularly picky about the brand of grape jelly you put out...practically any regular grocery store brand is fine, EXCEPT for the one dollar brands.  They are not especially particular about the type of orange they prefer, either.  When I first started feeding orioles, they primarily ate the jelly, and I thought that the oranges were superfluous, but I was definitely wrong.  They DO eat the oranges (ravenously) and perhaps even more importantly, they are attracted to a feeder by the orange color.

Feeders
There are many oriole feeders for sale, mostly orange colored, but we actually made one ourselves from an old hummingbird feeder.  There is a small dish that holds grape jelly in the bottom portion, and on each side of the little roof over the jelly dish (which you will need) there is a nail for half of an orange.  You MUST have a roof over the jelly, because if it rains, the jelly will become diluted, and the birds simply will not eat it...which means you will have to empty the jelly dish and replace it, which can become expensive.  Your feeder, however, does not have to be orange colored...the orange slices will be enough to attract them to a feeder of any color.  My feeder is actually made of wood.

Plants
When I first put out my feeder, and had a difficult time getting the orioles to notice it, I planted a grape vine by it.  Orioles, of course, love grapes, and I now think that this might have attracted their attention to my feeder in the beginning.  Other plants I have heard they are attracted to are peas and sweet peas...so, if you don't have room for a grape vine, simple peas or sweet peas should do the trick (and yes, I planted these, too).

Other Guests
Once you have your oriole feeder up, you will more than likely discover that orioles are not the only birds that like grape jelly.  I have had Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals and, of course, sparrows take advantage of my feeder.  There is NO WAY to keep the sparrows out of it...I have tried many times, and finally simply gave up.  Another bird that you might be lucky enough to attract is the Catbird.  This is an oriole sized, black and grey bird that really does meow like a cat.  When I first heard them, I actually thought there was a cat in the yard, but it turned out to be this initially shy, but now actually friendly, bird.

Once you have orioles at your feeder, they will come back year after year...as will the catbirds.  One point to keep in mind is that you will see most orioles when they first return...approximately the last week of April or first week of May.  After almost a month, they will establish their breeding territories and you will see fewer of them, at least until the breeding season ends, when you may be lucky enough to see them bring their babies to the feeder.  The catbirds will do this, as well.

Do you have a tip for attracting orioles or catbirds? If so, please post it!

The American Goldfinch

When one thinks about "hot" birding spots around Omaha, some of the places that come to mind are Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods.  But another often overlooked area with a surprising variety of bird life is Mandan Park.  In the years since I moved to Omaha, near the Mandan Park area, I have encountered a number of birds that I was never even aware of until I became a birdwatcher, and almost all of them nest in or near the Mandan Park forest.

One of the first birds I set out to lure to my feeders was the American Goldfinch.  A neighbor of mine had told me they were around, but I had never seen one, and thus began reading about how to lure them into my yard, what they liked to eat, and so forth.  Below is some of the hard-earned knowledge I picked up from

Male and Female Goldfinch (photo by SCB)

books, magazines and actual experience that enabled me to see them not just occasionally, but on a daily basis.

Seed
Any publication about birds with information about goldfinches will immediately inform you that one of their favorite seeds is Nyjer Thistle.  This is available at any birding store, hardware stores and even grocery stores (although it tends to  be a bit expensive).  Since it comes in a large bag, it's best to store it in a dry place (the birds will not eat it when it gets wet, because it will mold).  Another recommended favorite is sunflower hearts, but I have learned that putting out sunflower hearts for goldfinches is a wasted endeavor...primarily because house sparrows will eat it all before the goldfinches ever get a chance to get near it.  House sparrows will bully other smaller birds away from feeders, and since goldfinches tend to be a little shy, they won't, for the most part, even bother to try.  Thistle is another favorite of house sparrows, so a feeder has to be selected with care.

Finch Feeders
There are a wide variety of finch feeders, many of which I have purchased, with holes that are supposedly only big enough for the finches to get the food from.  I say supposedly because sparrows will eventually figure out how to worm the seed out, whether the holes are supposedly too small for them or not.  In this scenario, once again, they will eat all of the thistle and/or bully the finches so that they will be afraid to come to the feeder.  I found the perfect solution to this by accident.  In addition to the regular sized feeders for thistle seed, there are small tubes you can purchase in bird and hardware stores with very small perches that only a bird of the goldfinch's size can balance on.  When a feeder of this type is used, the sparrows simply cannot perch on it, and therefore, the bullying stops.  The feeders are not supposed to be refillable, but they are...you just have to pry loose the top, fill it, and then fasten it tightly before you hang it back up.

Female Goldfinch (photo by SCB)

Incidentally, the goldfinches drop enough seed that there is plenty for the sparrows, too, so they really aren't missing out on anything.

Attracting Goldfinches
When I bought my first finch feeder, I though the goldfinches would immediately appear, but they had a harder time finding it than I had anticipated.  What I did to attract them to it (which worked very well) was plant sunflowers by it.  Goldfinches will land on sunflowers to pick the seeds out when they are ready to harvest, and they are easy to lure in with this plant.  Another plant they are extremely fond of is the purple cone flower.

The good thing is that once they find a feeder, they tend to return to it year after year, especially if you can ensure that they will not be bullied by sparrows.

Do you have a another tip for attracting/feeding goldfinches? If so, please share it by posting a comment.