Deal with those pesky pests

A Song Sparrow parent struggles to feed cowbird chick

When it comes to pests in the yard, it can seem as if all you attract are the critters that you may not want. Many know the frustration of planting vegetable plants and finding them all eaten thanks to the local groundhog. Planting new perennials almost ensures the arrival of hungry rabbits.

Starlings and grackles are at the top of the list for birds not wanted. Starlings can eat a suet cake in about two days, depriving woodpeckers from eating. Upside-down feeders starlings down. Starlings cannot cling and eat upside down for very long but woodpeckers and nuthatches sure can. You also can try suet feeders in a cage which keep starlings at bay.

Grackles love shelled sunflower seeds and shelled peanuts. Feeders that have cages around them keep starlings and grackles from reaching the seeds but smaller birds dine in relative peace. Neither starlings nor grackles like safflower; try switching to just safflower.

As parasitic nesters, Brown-headed Cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests, alleviating themselves of any parental duties. This may result in the original birds' chicks either being kicked out of the nest or not getting enough food since cowbird chicks are bigger and aggressive. It can be very taxing for a small warbler or Chipping Sparrow to feed a chick that can grow two to three times bigger than the "parent." Eliminate white millet from ground or platform feeders to keep cowbirds away.

Keeping cats out of the backyard should be easy--keep them indoors! If you have roving cats taking out birds, try orange peels. I understand that if you grate or grind up orange peels, you can sprinkle them in the area you want cat-free. It does not take much and you need to do it a few times a year. You can store the grated peels in the freezer until needed.

Getting rid of those pesky grackles

As we look out the kitchen window at the feeder in the yard, a common sight is grackles … many, many grackles. Their iridescent heads poke up, followed by their young brownish brood, loudly squawking as they beg for food. 

Many of us are seeing these big birds taking over their feeders, scaring smaller birds away, swishing seed and making a mess! A common question in the store is, “How to I get rid of these pests?”

If you are a fan of grackles, the good news is that they eat almost anything—caterpillars, grubs, snails and beetles. They also love chopped fruit, bread, corn, grapes, millet, chopped suet, peanuts and wheat.

However, if you want a greater variety of birds, there are ways of discouraging grackles from hogging your feeder.

• Use tube feeders that have short perches with no tray on the bottom.

• Use feeders that are designed for smaller birds.

• Replace your existing feeder with a caged feeder. Smaller birds can get through the  mesh cage but grackles—and other hogs such as starlings and squirrels—can't reach the seed or suit.

• Try an upside-down feeder for suet. Small clinging birds and woodpeckers can feed, but grackles don't like to eat upside down.

• Avoid platform trays.

• Do not spread food on the ground. Wait until the grackles move on. 

• Try safflower seed. Not only does safflower discourage squirrels, but grackles, too.