Questions and answers

DO BIRDS COME TO A FEEDER BECAUSE THEY SEE THE SEED OR BECAUSE THEY SMELL IT?

Most backyard birds have some sense of smell but it is poorly developed. They come to feeders because they see the seed or they see other birds feeding. Some birds are naturally inquisitive that they investigate something new, such as seed.

HOW DO I GET RID OF STARLINGS THAT OVERRUN SEED AND SUET FEEDERS?

Non-native European Starlings are a huge problem not just for us but ecologically. They take over nest cavities from woodpeckers and bluebirds, often killing nestlings and even parent birds. 

You can close the feeders down for a week or two in the hope that the starlings will move on. 

You can try using safflower seed—the white-color seed—which starlings and native grackles do not eat. 

You can use tube feeders that are protected by a cage. Smaller birds such as chickadees, titmice, wrens, finches and Downy Woodpeckers can easily get in to reach the seed but the larger starlings cannot. 

Starlings with their softer bills cannot crack striped sunflower seeds but cardinals, chickadees find the appealing.

WHEN DO GOLFINCHES CHANGE COLORS? HOW CAN YOU TELL FEMALES FROM OTHER SPECIES?

Male goldfinches already are in their bridge yellow color bodies and black and white wings. First-year males have a paler color without the black cap. Female goldfinches do not change color. They remain a general buff color with black wings and a noticeable stripe on them.

WHICH BIRDS USE BIRD HOUSES? WITHOUT A HOUSE, WHAT WILL THEY USE?

Not all backyard birds use bird houses, which are also known as nesting boxes. Chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, wrens, bluebirds, swallows, House Finches, Purple Martins, various woodpeckers and some owls use nesting boxes. In the absence of a house, woodpeckers will create their own cavities by pecking a hole in a tree to excavate a nesting area. Some birds will move into old woodpecker homes to build nests there.

CAN I PUT OUT DRYER LINT FOR THE BIRDS TO USE FOR NEST BUILDING?

Dryer lint used to be a recommendation but researchers have found it actually is a bid idea. Lint makes nests very unstable. Take a ball of lint and wet it. See how it shrinks? As it dries, it becomes crushed and loses its fluffy quality altogether. 

Instead you can put out dog or cat hair that has not been treated for fleas or ticks.

You can use string or yarn but make sure that the pieces are only 4 to 6 inches long so birds don't get tangled.

Bird fun facts

Archaeopteryx

The oldest bird, the Archaeopteryx, lived about 150 million years ago.

An ostrich egg must be boiled for 2 hours to get a hard-boiled egg.

Ostrich eyes are about as big as a billiard ball and are larger than the bird's brain.

When ducks sleep in groups, the ones on the perimeter keep guard by sleeping with one eye open.

Native to New Zealand, the kiwi is sometimes called an "honorary mammal" because its feathers feel like hair.

Most hummingbirds weigh less than a nickel.

In ancient Greece, pigeons delivered the results of the Olympic games.

Some swiftlets build their nests almost exclusively from their hardened saliva. The saliva nests are a delicacy in some countries despite having little flavor and no nutritional value.

Brown Kiwi of New Zealand

There are many names for flocks of birds. A group of crows is a murder, congress or horde. Finches come in charms, penguins in huddles and geese in gaggles. The most creative may be a pandemonium of parrots or a flamboyance of flamingoes.

Birds' lungs are more complicated and more efficient than mammals' lungs. Human lungs, for instance, comprise one-twentieth of the body; the bird's, one-fifth.

The bird with the most feathers is the Whistling Swan with 25,000 feathers. Hummingbirds, due to their tiny size, only have about 1,000 feathers.

The feathers of a bird weigh more than its skeleton.

The Bald Eagle builds the biggest tree nests. The largest was 10 feet across and weighed close to 3 tons.

A huddle of penguins takes daily stroll from zoo in Scotland in 1950s

Approximately two-thirds of all bird species are found in tropical rain forests.

Owls cannot move their eyes. Instead they swivel their heads.

Who knew?

The Kiwi, the only wingless bird

A few thoughts about birds, bird behavior and the language of birds …

When a group of hawks rides a thermal, the birds seem to swirl upward like the steam rising from a boiling kettle. That's why a group of hawks is called a "kettle."

In winter, the Ptarmigan in Alaska grows special feathers on the tops and bottoms of its feet. These work like snowshoes, allowing the bird to walk across the surface of the snow.

Many birds line nests with feathers to help warm the eggs. It is from this practice that we get the phrase "to feather one's nest," which means to stock up on goodies for oneself, often at someone else's expense.

The natives of New Hebrides, a small group of western Pacific islands, used feathers for money. One honeyeater feather was worth one pig or two wives.

Overheated birds don't sweat but some pant. Herons, for example, rapidly vibrate their throats to increase evaporation. Ornithologists call this gular fluttering.

Although there are 46 species of flightless birds, the Kiwi of New Zealand is the only wingless bird.

Migrating ducks and geese often fly in V-shaped formations. Each bird flies in the upwash of its neighbor's beating wings. This enables the bird to fly 70 percent farther than on its own.

Flamingoes strain food out of their water through horny plates inside their beaks. The Lesser Flamingo has a filter that can trap single cells.

Birds have enormous eyes. Our eyes make up less than 1 percent of the weight of our head. Owls have the biggest eyes relative to the size of their heads. If we were an owl, our eyes would weigh several pounds.

Greek legend says that just before the Mute Swan dies, it bursts into a beautiful song. Today, any artist's last work is called the "swan song."

Birds sing or squawk with a syrinx, stretchy membranes located at the bottom of the windpipe. Birds can sing with their mouths full; they also can sing two different notes at the same time. The two sides of syrinx use air from a different lung.

Why aren't birds visiting my feeder?

It's disappointing when birds suddenly disappear from your feeding station. There may be several good explanations for their departure.

KEEP THE FOOD FRESH. Is the seed still fresh? Bird seed doesn't stay fresh forever, you know. All seed eventually will dry out, losing its nutritional value. Most seed has a high oil content. If you store your seed in a sunny shed or a sunny metal container, the heat and humidity can taint the oil. The seed may even become rancid. Birds will avoid seed that is no longer desirable.

Black oil sunflower seed—either straight up or in seed blends—should have a sheen. The same is true with Nyjer seed (commonly known as thistle). At this season, birds seek out the fattiest foods because they are raising hungry chicks or fledglings right now. If your feeder isn't giving them what they want, they will visit feeders elsewhere.

One solution is to store seed in a metal container, a shed or an indoor garage that is protected from the brunt of the summer sun. Is a shady location possible? Another alternative would be to keep seed in the basement where it will be cooler. However make sure the basement is not overly humid. Humidity can produce mold. Yet another option is to buy seed in smaller quantities. Long before the troubles begin, the birds will have happily consumed the entire bag.

Suet or suet dough should be tossed in the garbage if it is moldy. Seed cylinders or large suet blocks should be discarded if they are mushy. If you buy multiple cakes of suet, keep them in the refrigerator—even the freezer compartment is suitable—until you're ready to place them in the feeder. That will maximize freshness.

Hummingbird nectar should be changed every few days. If it looks cloudy, get rid of it immediately, clean the feeder thoroughly and replace with fresh nectar. Hummingbirds always will seek out flowers instead of nasty nectar.

KEEP YOUR FEEDERS CLEAN. Are your seed and suet feeders clean? Birds don't like to eat out of dirty feeders anymore than you'd eat off dirty dishes. Be prepared to clean your tube feeder several times during the course of the summer. The frequency can depend on weather conditions and the amount of use the feeder gets.

When cleaning the feeder, use a brush to dislodge moldy shells and other debris. Rinse the feeder thoroughly in a mild bleach solution (1 part bleach to 10 parts water). That should kill the bacteria. Then rinse completely with clean water and let the feeder air-dry before refilling with seed or suet.

If the tube feeder is so crusted with seed residue, mold, seed sprouts or bird poop that it cannot be cleaned thoroughly, discard the feeder and buy a new one. 

A starling gobbles an insect—instead of your seed!

THE OPTIONS BIRDS HAVE. During the summer, natural food sources are plentiful. Activity at feeders may decline as natural food sources become widely available. During the summer, insects and other invertebrates provide a rich protein diet. Birds depend on this protein to feed chicks in the nest. They also have sources of fat besides bird feeders. Nuts, buds and berries are coming into season. When these are plentiful and easy to find, many birds will choose them.

Look in your neighborhood. Do you see swarms of gnats or mosquitoes? Are crawling bugs—anything from ants and spiders to millipedes—readily visible? Have blueberries or other fruit begun ripening? Birds may find these food sources easier to find than a bird feeder. 

Do not give up. Eventually food will become scarcer. Birds will find it more convenient to return to your feeder for sustenance.

At this time of year, birds are raising and feeding chicks. You can make the job easier for them by offering suet that is rich in fat. Chicks need to put on a lot of weight before they can leave the nest on their own.

PREDATORS. Is there a new predator in the area? Are you seeing cats around your bird feeder? Do you see scatterings of feathers on the ground? Feral cats kill approximately 480 million birds annually in the United States, according to researchers at the University of Nebraska. There are an estimated 60 million feral cats nationwide. Feral cats can produce up to five litters per year, with two to 10 kittens per litter. In addition, house cats that are allowed to roam outdoors kill additional numbers of birds.

If you see cats hanging around your feeder, don't expect ground-feeding birds such as Mourning Doves or sparrows to remain in your backyard. If they aren't killed outright, they'll soon learn to avoid your feeding station.

Cooper's Hawk

Don't take it out on the cat. Cats are trained by instinct to kill birds. He is being the predator that nature designed him to be. But you do have some control over the situation. If you have a house cat, keep it indoors. Your cat will live longer and remain healthier. If you see "stray" cats roaming in the neighborhood, get a trap to catch them. Take them to a veterinarian to have them spayed or neutered. At least that will end the cycle of reproduction.

If cats aren't the problem, perhaps it might be another predator—a Sharp-shinned or Cooper's hawk. These raptors are part of the cycle of nature. They must feed too. If you notice that birds suddenly vanished from your feeding station, that may be the reason. The birds will move on to other territories where they will feel safer. Eventually the hawk will move elsewhere to find his meal. After a couple of weeks or so, birds will return to your feeders.

CHANGING TIMES. Nature constantly changes. Birds move on to other areas. They establish new territories. Families develop then dissipate. Birds migrate. They die. That is the cycle of life.

You do have the ability, however, to make your environment more enticing to birds. Create a habitat that invites them to stay. Consider your backyard or your neighborhood. Is there a source of clean water? Are there plenty of trees or dense shrubs that offer protection from heat, rain, wind or predators? Are there enough nesting sites? 

Serviceberry, a favorite of waxwings

To provide water, get a bird bath. Birds need water for drinking and bathing. And keep in mind, an attractive bird bath can be make your backyard aesthetically pleasing even when the birds are away. If you're really ambitious, you might wish to build a small pond or recirculating stream. 

You might wish to add trees or shrubs to your backyard, especially if most of the yard is nothing but lawn. For the perspective of many types of birds, lawns are vacant spaces. Fill in those gaps with vegetation for protection, nesting and eating. Try adding berry-producing plants such as dogwood, holly, juniper, serviceberry, viburnum, cherry or crabapple. Some birds prefer fruit and berries rather than seed. By expanding the types of food in your backyard, you may see more species such as catbirds, mockingbirds, Cedar Waxwings or Baltimore Orioles.

BE PATIENT. It may take a week or two (or even longer) for birds to return to your feeder. In the meantime, fill your feeder only partway until the activity resumes. If you have a tray feeder, you might wish to offer a few blueberries or sliced strawberries. The new food may bring birds back a little sooner.

How to count birds in a flock

QUESTION: I've seen a flock of migratory birds heading north. I'd like to know how many are in the flock but there are a lot of them and they're moving rapidly. I can't count them one by one. Experienced bird-watchers seem to know how to do this. What's their technique?

The birds are in motion ... Can you count all of them?

ANSWER: You're right. During migration, a species fly in flocks, sometimes hundreds at a time.

You can try taking a photograph and counting them at your leisure. But even with photography it's not always practical. You'll soon have sore eyes!

E-bird recommends this technique for calculating the size of a flock. E-bird is the online service that enables people to record the kinds and numbers of birds they see.

Identify 10 birds and use them as a template

Count 10 birds individually. This becomes your template. Then calculate how many of these templates will occupy the flock as a whole. For instance, you estimate that there are 12 groups of birds, each occupying the same size or density of the flock. Multiply 12 groups by the 10-bird template. The total number of birds in the flock is 120.

If the size of a flock is enormous—perhaps covering an entire sector of the sky—it will becomes a difficult challenge to come up with an accurate tally. Make a guesstimate of how many birds there might be in a particular sector of the flock. Then extrapolate from that. Again, it will be a rough estimate. The birds are in constant motion and some may be swirling about in three dimensions.

Starlings are notorious for these mesmerizing clouds of dips, swirls, pulsations and congregations. This phenomenon is called murmuration. Not even a photograph will do justice to the calculation. There may be two or three or four birds abreast, but the photo shows an image of just one bird.

While it's best to be as accurate as possible, it's better to err on the conservative side when estimating the size of a flock.

Orioles are an occasional wintertime visitor

Bullock's Oriole

Why do orioles appear in the region at this time of year? Aren't they supposed to be enjoying their winter in Central America?

It's unusual for an oriole to be seen this far north during winter but it does happen. In fact, orioles have shrugged off snow and cold in at least four out of the past five years in northern Montgomery County.

In January and early February, a female Baltimore Oriole was seen at a feeder at a house near Green Lane Reservoir.

A Bullock's Oriole was spotted at a feeder in January and early February 2015 in Gilbertsville. A similar sighting was reported around the same time at the same site in 2014 and 2012. In both cases, the orioles were seen at feeders.

Orioles are neotropical birds. They spend the summer in their breeding range in the United States or Canada, then migrate to the neotropical region of Mexico, Central America, Cuba or the Caribbean islands for winter. 

Orioles favor insects, nectar and ripe fruit, foods commonly available around flowering trees and vines. For an oriole to have an abundant supply of food, the bird must migrate before winter sets in.

But there are exceptions to this rule. 

Orioles that choose not to migrate are found primarily at feeding stations, according to Gerald M. McWilliams and Daniel W. Brauning, authors of The Birds of Pennsylvania. 

Baltimore Oriole

Over the years, wintertime orioles have been reported in Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery, Northampton and Philadelphia counties. Most sightings are of single birds but up to seven wintered in 1969 at Pennypack Park in Philadelphia, according to the book.

Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity, which is published by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, said there have been several recorded sightings of Baltimore Orioles in our region during winter. 

Oriole-lovers should not expect to see the birds locally in any numbers until at least the third week of April. As the years go by, that timetable could change.

A study by wildlife biologists Benjamin Zuckerberg and Karine Princé, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, say global warming may be expanding the wintering range of migratory birds such as orioles. 

Using two decades of data derived from Project FeederWatch, the biologists found that birds typically found in more southerly regions are gradually pushing north. The researchers ruled out the possibility that birds are staying north longer simply because of the existence of feeding stations. The number of stations has in fact declined slightly since 1991, indicating that environmental factors beyond the availability of food sources are at play.

"People will likely start seeing new species in their backyards," said Princé, a UW-Madison post doctoral fellow. "There can also be subtle changes in species abundance."

Oriole eats from a sliced orange

ORIOLES' DIET
Orioles may come to your backyard if you have the right habitat: open woodland, leafy deciduous trees, groves of trees, orchards, or fruit-producing vines. 

During the breeding season, their primary diet is insects, which are rich in protein needed for their young to thrive. Offer mealworms in spring and fall, nectar and ripe fruits become a larger portion of their diet. These sugars are converted into fat, which supplies energy for migration. Orioles prefer soft, ripe fruit. 

To attract orioles, plant fruit-bearers or bright nectar-bearing flowers in your yard. Fruit-bearers include raspberries, mulberries, blackberries, elderberries, serviceberries, blueberries, huckleberries and crabapples. Orioles choose trumpet vines, honeysuckle, petunias and other nectar-producing flowers. 

If you don't have fruit-bearing vegetation in your yard, you might lure an oriole with oranges. Cut an orange in half and hang them from trees or spear them onto specially designed oriole feeders. Peaches also work.

Another option is to place small amounts of grape jelly or orange marmalade into a cup-like feeder. Don't put out too much jelly at a time, however. It can soil the birds' feathers, impinging their flight ability. Also, do not use sugar-free jellies; it is the jelly that gives the birds the energy and calories they need for flight.

Other food options for use in feeding cups include berries and fresh peas. Mealworms are especially valuable during the height of breeding season when protein is essential.

Sugar water offered through a feeder also will attract them, though with less success. 

Odd Blue Jay reported in Bangor last week

Leucism chiefly affects this jay's crest (file photo)

A Blue Jay that was seen in Bangor this past week was not quite as blue as it should be.

The jay had an unusual condition called leucism, which is an abnormal plumage disorder caused by a genetic mutation. Pigmentation cells in the feathers fail to develop properly. 

Birds with this mutation may have white patches where there shouldn't be any. Or, the plumage overall may be pale, making the feathers seem faint or bleached. In rare cases, the feathers are entirely white, with no discernible color.

The sighting of the leucistic Blue Jay was reported to Dave DeReamus, of the Eastern PA Birdline, which is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society. The bird was seen on January 15.

It's important to note that a leucistic bird is not an albino bird. There is a difference between the two genetic conditions, says birding writer Melissa Mayntz. Leucism affects only the bird's feathers. The bird may show some bright colors while other areas are pale. Only in extreme cases will all the pigment be lost, giving the bird a white appearance.

Edges of wing bars indicate this jay is not an albino

An albino bird has no pigment whatsoever in its feathers. Moreover, the genetic mutation extends to other parts of the bird. For instance, albino birds show pale pink or reddish eyes. The legs, feet and bill are pale. Leucistic birds have normally colored eyes, legs, feet and bills.

Leucism is most visible among brown and black birds. They lack melanin, which is deposited in the growing feathers by color cells. It's especially startling to see a leucistic crow with patches of white or plumage that is entirely pale!

Leucism has been seen among Bald Eagles, Hairy Woodpeckers, sparrows, starlings and Northern Cardinals. The condition even extends to animals with hair such as squirrels and giraffes. Aquatic mammals such as whales and dolphins may be affected too.

Pale crest and head on leucistic Blue Jay

Leucistic birds are rare not only because genetic misfirings are infrequent in general. These birds also face an uphill struggle in life. The fainter plumage robs them of protective camouflage. Hawks and feral cats have an easier time spotting them. Male leucistic birds may fail in courtship rituals because they lack the vivid coloration that females prefer.

Between 2000 and 2007, just 1,605 unusual-looking species were reported to ProjectFeederWatch, a program sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. That's a tiny minority compared to the 5.5 million birds reported during each winter's bird count.

Power struggles

Quite a discussion at the feeder!

Birds do a lot more than feed when they visit our feeders. As they come and go, they also interact with each other in a well-established pecking order. At your feeder, watch for displacement, threat displays and appeasement behaviors.

Displacement occurs when one bird gets out of the way of another bird. It also shows when one bird waits on the sidelines for another bird to finish eating and fly away. Within the same species, males tend to dominate females, and older birds dominate younger ones. But you can see bigger birds displacing smaller ones.

Threat displays are when one bird does not need to displace a subordinate one to exert influence. Certain displays convey aggressive behavior. A dominant White-breasted Nuthatch performs a wingspread display and sways side to side in the direction of the subordinate bird.

Appeasement displays by subordinate birds are the opposite of threats. Watch for birds that lean away or look away from a newly arrived bird. Watch positioning when three Black-capped Chickadees work out their positions at a feeder. If two birds tolerate each other, they may be mates.

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Dominance at feeders is more than bullying; it can be life or death. Research shows that dominant birds forage in safer spots and at safer hours of the day when there is less predation. They get eaten less often by predators, are able to maintain a better body condition through leaner winter months, and have higher survivorship.

Temperament also plays a role. Red-breasted Nuthatches are notoriously aggressive and will dominate chickadees when given the chance. Carolina Wrens appear oblivious to other birds and don't move until ready. On the other hand, watch a flock of Cedar Waxwings. These birds appear to get along with one another very well.

Weather affects bird migration

Geese migrate despite the odds

Fall migration peaks in October but continues into December for many species, especially those short-distance flyers (sparrows and blackbirds for instance). During peak migration, birds are on the move every day, particularly as days become shorter. 

The volume of migrating birds is greatly affected by local and regional weather patterns. In addition to precipitation, wind direction plays a major role. Wind at a bird's back makes flying much easier than flying into a wind. When weather systems create favorable winds, birds move en masse.

As strong cold fronts pass through, there is a surge in flights of migrating birds. Behind a typical autumn cold front, the air is dry and cool, and the wind direction is generally from the north and west. Migration is most intense on the day after the passage of a front.

By watching the weather, you can increase your chances of encountering migrants. You may also see an increase in birds at your feeders or water sources.

Tips for October bird-watching

White-crowned Sparrow arrive in October

Another transitional season is underway. Chipping Sparrows, Gray Catbirds, Scarlet Tanagers and most warblers have left. Dark-eyed Juncos, and White-crowned and White-throated Sparrows are arriving, and we may see Pine Siskins soon.

Cardinals, chickadees, Tufted Titmice, House Sparrows, nuthatches, House Finches and Goldfinches, Carolina Wrens, Mourning Doves, and Blue Jays stay for the winter.

Water is crucial during this period for all birds and especially migrating birds. As always, keep water shallow, no more than 2 inches deep, to encourage small birds. Remember, a clean bird is a warm bird. Consider a heated bath or a heater for the bath so water won't freeze overnight.

You probably have seen Goldfinches or House Finches hanging onto cornflowers, black-eyed susans, cosmos and sunflowers. You may also see juncos, towhees and sparrows scratching at leaves looking for insects and fallen seeds. 

Song Sparrows stay the entire year

This is the time of year to increase millet in your seed mixture for juncos and sparrows. A good mixture for the fall is 50 percent black oil sunflower, 40 to 45 percent white millet and 5 percent to 10 percent white millet, safflower, striped sunflower or shelled peanuts. 

Cold weather increases the need for more calories to stay warm. It is a good idea to refill feeders in the late afternoon or evening as well as early morning to give the birds a boost of energy before or after the cold night.

Add suet to your feeding regimen for woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and Carolina Wrens.

Are your feeders clean? We've had weather and we've had hot weather in September. Both can create mold and bacteria in the feeders. A good cleaning with mild dish soap, followed by a lot of rinsing and air-drying in the sun will benefit the birds.

Bird houses can be cleaned out and a 1-inch later of wood shavings placed in the house. On cold nights birds may huddle together for warmth.

Migration is at its peak

Arctic Tern: pole to pole traveler

For bird enthusiasts, October's bird event is spying on birds as they migrate. In North America, most species migrate to some extent, with more than 350 species traveling to the tropics each fall. October is the perfect time to spot winged travelers.

At least 4,000 species of North American birds are regular migrants. Some travel long distances; others move shorter distances, such as the span of several states or simply from higher elevations in the mountains to lower elevations. 

Birds can reach great heights as they migrate. Bar-headed Geese regularly reach altitudes of up to 5½ miles above sea level while flying over the Himalayas in India.

The Arctic Tern has the longest migration of any bird. Terns can fly more than 49,700 miles in a year, making a round trip between breeding grounds in the Arctic and Antarctic. During a life span of 30 years, the flights can add up to the equivalent of three trips to the moon and back.

Great Snipe: Speed king

The Northern Wheater travels up to 9,000 miles each way between the Arctic and Africa, giving it one of the largest ranges of any songbird. This bird is a tiny bird weighing less than an ounce.

The bird with the fastest migration is the Great Snipe. It flies 4,200 miles at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. No other bird travels at such speeds for long distances. The Great Snipe usually utilizes tailwinds to help them go faster, but their speed does not seem to be the result of that.

The Bar-tailed Godwit can fly for nearly 7,000 miles without stopping, making their migration the longest recorded non-stop flight. They do not stop for food or rest.

Migration can be very dangerous. Harsh weather may play a role but on many occasions human activities are the cause of untimely deaths. In the United States alone, nearly one billion birds die each year from window collisions.

To prepare for the long flight, birds bulk up on food during the preceding weeks to build up fat reserves. These reserves are later used for energy on their long journeys. The Blackpoll Warbler doubles its weight before flight.

Even birds that don't fly migrate. In Australia, Emus often travel for miles on food to find food. Also, many populations of penguins migrate by swimming.

October arrivals and departures

Scarlet Tanager have left the Lehigh Valley

As October nears, daylight has become noticeably shorter and the sun has become weaker in the sky. As the winter nights grow colder, insect prey becomes scarcer. Birds instinctively know it's time to move on. 

By early October, watch out for these changes in your backyard:

Vireos and veeries probably have departed. And Eastern Phoebes, Eastern Kingbirds and Eastern Wood-pewees. Consider yourself lucky if you are still seeing Baltimore Orioles, Gray Catbirds or Scarlet Tanagers.

In early October, Indigo Buntings and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks will be southbound. Eastern Towhees will depart in the middle of the month.

By mid-month it's safe to bring your hummingbird feeders indoors. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually are gone by then. Be sure to clean the feeders throughly before storing them; that way, they'll be ready for next April.

Blue-gray Gnatcatchers soon will be absent; there aren't enough gnats and other flying insects to be found in sufficient quantities in October.

Chipping Sparrows will be gone by end of October

Chipping Sparrows have begun migrating. By month's end, they will be gone.

Most warbler species have departed for warmer regions where their diets are richer in insects, spiders and other invertebrates. One exception is the Yellow-rumped Warbler. It spends its breeding season in northern Canada and is now arriving for the winter. In the depth of winter, watch for Yellow-rumped Warblers at your bird feeder, foraging for seed.

Other bird species soon will arrive from Canada. You may see Pine Siskins in the first part of October. By mid-month the first Dark-eyed Juncos may be here. White-crowned and White-throated sparrows will be arriving as well. 

Chickadees are year-round residents

Species that will remain through the winter include Northern Cardinals, House Finches, Purple Finches, American Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, American Crows, Common Grackles, Song Sparrows, House Sparrows and European Starlings. 

Most woodpecker species will remain: Downy, Hairy, Pileated, Red-bellied and Red-headed. Flickers will stay, too. They survive the winter eating nuts that they cached in tree crevices.

Many owl species remain in the area all year. If you are lucky, you may begin seeing Arctic-breeding Snowy Owls in December.

Mallard (male)

As for raptors, Red-tailed Hawks stay through the winter, preying on small rodents in the wild and avian visitors to your bird feeder. Broad-winged Hawks will be gone in early October. So, too, will Ospreys. Red-shouldered Hawks and Northern Harriers are passing overhead as the new month begins. American Kestrels will remain in October but in greatly reduced numbers.

Canada Geese have become year-round inhabitants, although some still take their instinctive cue and travel southward. Cackling Geese and Gadwalls will reach the Lehigh Valley region in October.

In ponds and lakes, Mallards remain all year. You may notice fewer Wood Ducks. Most herons will soon head south in October but Great Blue Herons stay through the end of the month.

In the woods, Wild Turkeys and Ruffed Grouse remain all year long. But most Wood Thrushes will have migrated by now.

Black Vulture has a taste for cat food

File photo of Black Vulture

Vultures are scavengers, soaring high above the landscape while they look for carcasses of dead animals on the ground. A birdwatcher in Haafsville, Lehigh County, got a close view of the bird, which apparently had become wise to his habits.

Dave Neimeyer was placing cat food on the open porch of his house on August 7. "As soon as I went back inside, the Black Vulture landed and started eating," he said. "When I went back outside, it moved a few feet away and shuffled a few feet further when I approached."

After deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, the vulture finally flew to the roof of a shed 30 feet away and perched there for awhile.

Cat food? How is that for about opportunistic behavior!

Black Vultures usually feed exclusively on carrion, including road kill. They've been known to eat the bodies of feral hogs, poultry, cattle, donkeys, raccoons, coyotes, opossums, skunks and armadillos. They may kill and eat the young of some birds or mammals. The vultures also investigate humans' trash, be that in dumpsters or landfills.

Black Vultures depend on keen eyesight to find their meals. They have a relatively poor sense of smell compared to their relative, the Turkey Vulture. Sometimes they'll watch the behavior of Turkey Vultures for the signal that carrion is available.

Both species are common in the Lehigh Valley, especially during the warmer months, according to Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity.

Bugged by bugs?

Birds love to eat Japanese beetles

In August, we see more insects in the yard. Some are beneficial to the garden; some aren't. Most backyard birds eat insects, which are high in protein in easy to feed nestlings. But who eats what?

Cardinal: beetles, crickets, katydids, leaf hoppers, cicadas, flies, centipedes, spiders, butterflies, moths.

Chickadee: insects and spiders.

Tufted Titmouse: caterpillars, beetles, ants, wasps, stinkbugs, tree hoppers, spiders and snails.

Mockingbird: beetles, earthworms, moths, butterflies, ants, bees, wasps and grasshoppers.

Catbird: Japanese beetles, midges, grasshoppers, caterpillars and moths.

Common Grackle: beetles, spiders, grasshoppers and caterpillars.

Starling: grasshoppers, beetles, flies, caterpillars, millipedes, spiders, and the adult and grub of Japanese beetles.

Downy Woodpecker: beetle larvae that live in tree bark or wood, ants, caterpillars, bark beetles and apple borers.

Carolina Wren: caterpillars, moths, stinkbugs, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers and cockroaches.

House Wren: beetles, caterpillars, earwigs, daddy longlegs and flies.

Northern Flicker: ants, beetles (gathered from the ground or "cow patties"), flies, butterflies, moths and snails.

White-breasted Nuthatch: weevil larvae; wood-boring beetle larvae, click beetles, tree hoppers, scale insects, ants, gall fly larvae, tent caterpillars, gypsy moths, stinkbugs and spiders.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: mosquitoes, gnats, fruit flies and spiders. (Ruby-throats catch insects in mid-air or they pluck them from spider webs.)

So you see, songbirds are another natural benefit when you entice birds into your backyard.

Better red than dead

Strongly colored male House Finch

Back in the dark days of the Cold War, there was a commonly heard exhortation: "Better dead than Red." A new study flips that saying on its head, at least as male House Finches are concerned. For them, it's better to be red than dead.

Several studies have linked bright colors as a sign that an individual bird has superior foraging abilities, the ability to recover from diseases faster and, in general, a body that is in better overall health. It also better able to attract a mate.

Researchers in Sweden put those findings to the test with House Finches. They placed a number of male House Finches in an large avian compound encased by a net. Then they tested the ability of the House Finches to escape when a human came too close.

The researchers found that males with redder feathers escaped faster than the duller colored finches. ""The superior flight performance of redder birds would be an important asset in escape from predators, as well as when foraging or maintaining a territory," they said. 

They also surmised that redder finches would be better able to survive the winter.

The study was reported in the July 2014 issue of The Auk, which is published by the American Ornithologists' Union.

So there you have it: If you see a very red male House Finch on your feeder, chances are that he will be back many times to visit. 

Oh, and keep in mind one of the distinctions between House Finches and Purple Finches. A Purple Finch has a pinkish red (not purple) color on its head and breast, mixing with brown on its back. The House Finch tends to have a more intense, rosier color, though it's limited to its head and upper breast. 

Maybe that's why the House Finch has largely replaced the Purple Finch on the East Coast of the United States. The Purple Finch is native to this area; the House Finch was introduced from the Southwest as house pets in the 1940s. The House Finches were let loose and have been gaining territory ever since.

The cardinal's beak tells the story

Beak of male cardinal

Have you ever tried to crack open a nut by chomping on it between your teeth? Northern Cardinals do this all the time with their cone-shaped beaks, as do sparrows, grosbeaks and finches.

These beaks have special features to make it easier: the edges of the lower beak fit into special groves in the upper beak. The bird uses its tongue to maneuver the seed into the groove to be crushed so the bird can eat the seed within.

Beaks meant for cracking seed usually are thicker and stronger than other beaks. The size is an indicator of what seed the bird eats. The goldfinch, with its smaller beak, prefers Nyjer seed while birds with larger beaks such as cardinals eat sunflower seeds. Look at the beaks of birds at the feeder and also look at what they are eating. While not all birds can crack sunflower shells, many more will eat sunflower chips (without shells).

About 90 percent of a cardinal's diet consists of seeds, as well as grains and fruits. It supplements these with insects, such as beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers and snails. During the summer, cardinals seem to prefer seeds that need husking, although they're less picky during the winter, when seed is scarce. At the feeder, you'll see cardinals eating mostly sunflower seeds (both black and striped sunflower seeds) and safflower seed. We've watched many cardinals on the patio break up peanuts and mash raisins to eat.