Bluebirds and hummers and goldfinches, oh my! ® SUMMER 2018 Birds of Summer The best of warm weather bird feeding in your backyard! eeding birds in the summer seems counterintuitive. will be looking for nectar during the warmer months. The weather is warm, snow is months away, and With no sense of smell, they rely on bright colors to spot birds have ready access to the insects, worms, and possible food sources. Planting flowers is a great way Fgrubs teeming just below the surface of your backyard. to lure them, and hanging a few hummingbird feeders So why flll your feeders in the summertime? filled with sweet nectar will encourage them to stay. Summer Supplementing natural food sources for birds has Goldfinches are another easily spotted bird during the many benefits for the birds and for you. Filling feeders summer, and can be found in most every state. Of the with seed will not cause birds to rely on you for a pri- three species, the American Goldfinch is the most com- Birds! mary food source. In fact, most birds receive less than a mon, and one of the easiest to identify. Adult males are quarter of their diet from feeder offerings. But during the vivid yellow with black caps and black wings adorned The summer season brings the brilliant colors of migratory season, birds will appreciate an extra helping with white markings. Lesser Goldfinches, adorned with From your neighborhood Wild Bird Center Bird Wild neighborhood your From Goldfinches, Bluebirds and Hummingbirds of seed from your feeders, especially in the months more muted, softer hues, live in the western states, and • when seed remains scarce. the least common goldfinch, the Lawrence’s Goldfinch, as they appear in their brightest plumage, Attracting birds to your feeders helps your garden, resides in only two states. These little finches are ready to dine at your feeders. too. Many birds eat garden pests such as aphids and acrobatic flyers, and will be more than happy to perch in mosquitoes, offering an alternative to spraying harsh flocks at your feeder full of Nyjer® seed. chemicals on your lawn and plantings. Birds also help pollinate flowers, and some birds feed on the seeds of many annoying backyard weeds. Wild birds . [an] explosion of color VOL. XXVI1, No. 2 No. XXVI1, VOL. The biggest bonus of feeding wild birds, of course, | is the explosion of color and activity that fills your and activity that fills your backyard. NEWS backyard. During the warmer season, many birds sport Mealworms, fresh or dried, are a great way to attract brighter breeding plumage, making them easier and the pretty bluebird. There are three bluebird species in Look for the arrival of three of summer’s favorites! more fun to identify. They’re also raising families nearby, the US. Eastern bluebirds are predominately found east In this issue, find suggestions for the bird feeders and eventually you’ll find a new flock of not-so-tiny baby of the Rocky Mountains, noted for their bright blue and birds discovering and learning to feed from your bird coral coloring. The Western and Mountain Bluebirds, SUMMER 2018 and food designed to attract them to your yard. feeders. also sporting beautiful blue jackets, live west of the | Common summer birds such as nuthatches, chicka- Rockies with the Mountain species inhabiting eleva- dees, titmice and array of woodpeckers will still frequent tions above 7,000 feet. your feeders, and as the summer progresses, you may Summer is a great time to discover the beauty and also see hummingbirds, bluebirds, goldfinches and fascinating habits of all the birds in your area. other finches. Let us help you bring more color, song and fun back Of the more than 300 hummingbird species in the BIRD your backyard! world, only about 8 species fly north into the United States and Canada. Hummingbirds, the tiniest of birds, WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA, INC.® AMERICA, WILD BIRD CENTERS OF WILD Mother’s Day Don’t forget Mom! Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 13 The Birds of Summer are here! SummerSummer can brings be one threeof the most favorite enjoyable birds seasons up to front watch birdand feeders. center! Keep an eye out for three favorite birds that have arrived to ‘bloom’ into their brightest plumage: Goldfinches, Bluebirds and Hummingbirds. LookingThe shimmer for goldfinches? and shine of gold LoveBeautiful Bluebirds? blues Hummingbirds:Ruby and other fastest little wings ingems the west (north, south & east, too!) Hang a few feeders filled with Nyjer®. Attract them with mealworms. Small and colorful, hummingbirds get their name from the humming sound their Nyjer is a tiny, oily seed that birds, goldfinches in particular, love to eat. Bluebirds eat a diet of insects, wings make when they flap them, from 720 to 5400 times per minute, depending This tiny seed is contained within a thin husk, so the small amount of native fruits and berries, includ- on the species. They’re tiny and fast, some reaching flight speeds up to 33 miles debris you may notice under your feeder is not the birds throwing the Nyjer ing mealworms. Live or dried, per hour - and are the only bird that can fly backwards and upside down! away, it’s the remains of that shell. mealworms are readily devoured With their thin bill and very long tongue, these little guys are designed to dine from For the best results and to gain more birds at your feeders, be sure you and make a perfect treat that can tubular flowers and hummingbird feeders, eating up to half their body weight every always have fresh Nyjer available as birds aren’t as attracted to seed once be served in a variety of bluebird day and stopping to feed from five to eight times an hour. With no sense of smell, they rely on it’s been around for a while. feeders, like the Covered Mealworm bright colors - they love red - to signal the possibility of food. Feeder, right. Best Nyjer feeders: Fill one or several vividly colored feeders with fresh hummer nectar (changing it often) spaced Easy to spot, bluebirds are small and somewhat apart as they’re territorial and will defend their feeder from other hummers. Mesh, with perfectly sized holes allowing birds to easily colorful with brilliant blue feathers. Look Keep the feeder clean with a feeder brush specifically designed for the ports. remove seeds while able to land and cling from any angle. for the Eastern, Western or Mountain Depending on your area, you’ll find one or more of eight hummingbird Nyjer Click’n Clean and Click’n Clean UpsideDown Feeders, bluebird species, depending on where you reside. The return of the bluebird, once on a species found in the US (out of over 300 species worldwide): designed to allow birds to select just the right amount of decline due to lost natural habitat, can be credited to the addition of bluebird houses in Costa’s, Ruby throated ( most common of the eastern states), seeds without spilling extra onto the ground. Both feature an yards across the country. Bluebirds love wide spaces so favorite backyards are those with Anna’s (only one to winter in the US), Allen’s, Black-chinned, easy to remove click-off base that makes cleaning a breeze. expansive open areas and natural cover to use for shelter. Broad-billed, Broad-tailed, Calliope and Rufous. The upside-down version is made specifically for goldfinches The female bluebird nests in spring and summer and prefers natural or man-made cavities. as these little birds are happy to dine while hanging head- Our Bluebird Winged Nest Box and Traditional Cedar Bluebird Nest Box are sized specifi- down! It’s a great sight to see if you’ve never watched them, cally for bluebirds, and feature side ‘wings’ that open for safe observation of nestlings (and WBC Hummer Sugar is an and is a clever way to invite goldfinches make seasonal cleaning easy). easy-to-use, pure nectar mix specifically designed while excluding other diners. Our Convertible Bluebird Box serves double duty as a roosting box in winter and nesting for use in feeders to Offer Nyjer and you’ll find more than just box in summer. Mount houses 6’ off the ground in an open area facing away from the wind. attract hummingbirds. goldfinches alighting on your feeders. Keep Use a pole baffle to discourage predators! No refrigeration needed. watch for house finches, purple finches, pine Gluten-free. siskins, and you may also see nuthatches, ® Wild Bird News downy woodpeckers, chickadees and other ISSN pending Mother’s Day Corporate Edition small-billed birds flying in to feast. Gifts she’ll treasure forever! is a publication of the Wild Bird Centers of Make a date with Mom this Mother’s Day! America, Inc.® 7370 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, Step outside and relax with Mom amid a show of color and song. MD 20812 (301) 229-9585 Gift Mom a bird feeder, seed, bird bath or new bird house. www.wildbird.com ©2017 All rights reserved. Franchise opportunities available. We offer a terrific variety of fun and unique Mother’s Day gifts For information, contact: George Petrides, Sr. to transform her backyard into (877) 945-3247 a bright and beautiful wonderland. e-mail: [email protected] PAGE 2 WWW.WILDBIRD.COM WILD BIRD NEWS® SUMMER 2018 WILD BIRD NEWS® SUMMER 2018 WWW.WILDBIRD.COM PAGE 3.