April is the month of greatest transition

An April tableau: a robin tugging at a meal

Changes in bird life accelerate dramatically in April. Each day brings new surprises. April is the peak month of migration for songbirds and waterfowl alike.

Say good-bye to the Dark-eyed Junco, the "snowbird" that has been foraging beneath our backyard feeders all winter. The juncos are heading to Canada. The American Tree Sparrow has left. White-throated and white-crowned sparrows are getting ready for their flights north.

On the lakes, Snow Geese are congregating, preparing to fly in flocks of tens of thousands to the Arctic tundra.

Other birds will take their place. Great Blue Herons will return to the area—and your koi pond if you let them. The herons can wipe out an entire koi population in less than an hour. Place a net over the pond unless your pond has deep niches underwater where the fish can hide.

Belted Kingfishers and Wood Ducks are back.

Expect House Wrens, Purple Martins and Tree Swallows very soon.

Robins are here, busy searching for earthworms on your lawn. Invertebrates are their primary food source at this time of year, fruits and berries having yet to emerge. Many robins actually stay here all winter. (Being omnivores, you may also see robins eating millet or peanut pieces or hulled sunflower seeds.) You may not have noticed them because they locate in woods where berry-producing trees and shrubs were relatively plentiful.

Another year-round bird that seems more numerous in backyards at this season is the Common Grackle. Loud and gregarious, grackles strut around the backyard as if they were kings and queens. They're known to push aside smaller birds at the feeder.

And of course the voracious starlings are here. Some stayed the entire winter, others returned here after spending the season farther south. 

Deal with these pesky birds by switching your seed exclusively to safflower. Grackles and starlings don't eat safflower seed but cardinals, Mourning Doves, House Finches, chickadees, Tufted titmice eat safflower.

By mid-April, the champ migrator, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, will arrive. Beating its wings 53 times per second, the hummingbirds already have crossed the Gulf of Mexico from Central America. They are now in the Carolinas; once they cross the Potomac, it's an easy flight to the Lehigh Valley.

At around the same time, you may begin noticing that the male goldfinch is changing from winter's drab, olive-brown color to summer's bright yellow. The female will continue to carry the olive-brown upper parts, with a touch of dull yellow underneath.


Seed and Suet

A good seed mix welcomes more birds. Continue using 60 percent black oil sunflower seed and 30 percent white millet. The remainder should consist of sunflower chips, safflower seed or shelled peanuts. This is a good general mix that should appeal to most backyard species.

Nyjer is the goldfinches' favorite seed

To attract goldfinches, offer Nyjer (the thin black seed sometimes called "thistle") in a special feeder. The narrow ports of these feeders enable the goldfinch to pick out a single seed without the rest of the seed spilling out. Goldfinches also enjoy a special finch blend consisting of Nyjer and crushed sunflower chips.


Other foods

April is the time to start offering mealworms to bluebirds, robins, orioles, wrens, thrashers and wrens. These birds are searching for protein at a time when little is available. Insects, grubs and larvae are hard to find in the cool springtime weather.

Suet is another important food for April. Continue to use fatty high-energy suet. Larger birds such as flickers may scare away smaller suet-lovers such as Downy Woodpeckers. One solution is to feed suet in multiple locations in the yard.

Fruits and berries are important for orioles, robins, cardinals, mockingbirds and grosbeaks. By April fruits and berries in nature are scarce. Attract these species by offering them a seed blend that contains dried cherries or cranberries. Try placing raisins in water overnight to plump them up. Offer these treats on a tray or small bowl. Grape jelly is another favorite, especially for Baltimore Orioles; catbirds like it too. You also can attract orioles if you slice an orange and spear the slices onto a specially designed fruit feeder. Mockingbirds and grosbeaks favor apple slices.


Nesting

This month, all male birds are singing to find a mate. Searching for a nesting location is a priority. 

Not all birds nest in houses. Many build open nests in shrubs, trees or porch overhangs—even hanging flower baskets. Bluebirds, chickadees, wrens, Purple Martins, House Finches, Barn Swallows and House Sparrows are among those that use houses. Robins use open nesting platforms. 

By now, debris should be emptied from bird house that were used last year so new occupants can build their own nests. If you'd like to add bird houses, now is the time to do it. Keep some distance between bird houses. Birds of the same species usually need some "elbow room." Nesting pairs also want some distance from feeders. The busy activity at feeders may discourage nesting.

When installing a bird house, make sure to orient the openings away from northwesterly  winds and rain. The house will stay drier and nestlings will enjoy a healthier environment.


Bird Baths

Birds need water for drinking and bathing. Nighttime temperatures are moderating, so April is a fine time to set out a bird bath. Use a bubbler or Water Wiggler to entice birds to the bath. Birds are attracted by moving water.