Mourning Doves; Winter Bird Feeding

MOURNING DOVES 
(Zenaida macroura) 
 WINTER BACKYARD BIRD FEEDING

 Although millions of Mourning doves migrate South during the winter, many
remain in our area.

Mourning Doves are the most successful wild dove in North America, with a range from Alaska, Canada, Maine and as far south as Panama.

Mourning doves range extends as far south as Panama and the Caribbean    

Although most Mourning doves migrate south during the winter months, many stay in our area where they depend on back yard bird feeders for survival.

Joining other winter birds at feeders Mourning doves help clean the fallen seed
on the ground. 

Mourning doves feed on a vast assortment of seeds including weed seeds which makes it a valuable ally of farmers and gardeners. If you keep your bird feeders stocked Mourning doves will stay close, eating off the ground (gleaning) under feeders which helps keep that area clean.

Mourning doves tracking has proven that theses birds mate for life. 

Snow and ice make it difficult for these birds to scratch up seed, but there are a few things that you can do to help them. During the snowfall sprinkle seed on top to keep food in reach. If possible flatten an area and sprinkle the seed on that area. After a big storm I put cardboard on top of the snow and sprinkle the seed on top of that.

 I feed Mourning doves millet which is their favorite seed and black-oil sunflower seed because it is high in protein, also a favorite.

Mourning doves will utilize a heated birdbath for drinking water if you can provide it.

Water is the hardest resound for wildlife to find during the winter.  

Also known as 'Turtle Doves',Mourning doves are medium size birds around 5 to 6 ounces, with brown pointed wings and tail, white & black markings and a crescent on its neck. Males have blue and pink highlights on the head and around their eyes. The pointed falcon like wings give them the ability to reach reach speeds of 40 to 55 miles per hour.

Once in flight these birds fly fast and straight which makes it a hard target
for hunters to hit. One million are killed every year as a game bird. 

Mourning doves are related to the now extinct

 'Passenger pigions' once used to deliver messages.

Once traveling in flocks a mile long, Passenger Pigeons are now extinct. 

During takeoff Mourning doves flapping wings make a loud whirling sound and their strong feet enable then to push off the ground quickly. The call from the male is a hollow mournful coah, cooo, cooo.

Watching and listening to Mourning doves take flight is always fascinating.

Habitat is open farmlands, towns, roadsides, open grasslands and scrubs. 

I'll provide more information on Mourning Doves mating and raising their young in the spring.

Enjoy your garden all year long, 

James

Thanks to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon Field Guide and Wild Birds Unlimited

for the information in this article.

Spring Bird Feeding

SPRING BIRD FEEDING

This male cardinal has caught his own reflection in the camera.
Luckily this devoted father will continue to feed his young.

Almost all mating birds feed insects to their young because the high protein encourages rapid growth.

When winter ends, many winter bird enthusiasts rapidly take down their feeders.  They clean and store them until next winter. Their intentions are honorable.  These actions encourage wild birds to seek other sources of food and not become overly dependent on humans.

When he is ready to leave the nest in a few weeks this young sparrow
will be almost as big as his parents.

On the other hand, many other back yard birders continue to feed high protein foods to birds throughout the mating season. These include: black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts and suet*.  Apples are also valuable due to lack of other fruit naturally available.

Cardinals nest on the ground and in thickets making them easy prey
for cats and other predators  

While the parents incubate the clutch until they hatch, this nearby and available source of high protein food supplies dependable nourishment. This also remains true for the adults as they feed their hungry young.

After the nestlings have left the nest and become fledglings the adults often have only a few days to teach the young how to survive before they are left on their own. 

A chore from sunrise to nightfall, the parents devotion to their offspring has
ensured the survival of birds from the age of the dinosaurs.  

You will often see baby birds following the mother around, wings flapping, begging for food at feeders.

Some of the birds at this winter feeder were born the spring before.

This lesson is crucial for survival when winter comes in just six months.

These Hairy Woodpeckers are a common sight in the northeast
using backyard feeders all year long. 

Early in the season we get to comfortably watch birds close up as they perform their mating rituals. The female cardinal sings while the male feeds her, demonstrating he can be a good provider for their offspring which they will raise together. The male cardinal cares for the first brood while the female incubates their second clutch. During the summer the entire cardinal family will visit your garden.

Perhaps the favorite of all garden birds, it is easy to keep cardinals coming
to your garden. Gray striped and black oil sunflower seeds will do the trick. 

Generally, I let the wild bird seed run out so I don’t waste it, which is mainly millet and corn, low protein fillers for overwintering birds. Wild bird mix doesn’t store well over summer and can attract unwanted visitors or insects to your storage area.

Crows are so intelligent that the young need to stay with the parents for two years to
learn everything they need to know for survival. 

  

Additionally, water is essential. Many birds will come just for clean water. Wrens prefer running fountains while many others prefer still water that they can bathe in. I supply both. Keep your water clean for healthy birds and insect control.

A mother flicker (center) takes advantage of a bird bath to teach her young how to visit them.
For mosquito control empty and clean your bird baths a few times a week.

*Suet is made from fat which becomes rancid at high temperatures. 
If you have extra it can be frozen until next autumn.

Happy Spring,   

James

BLUEJAYS IN YOUR GARDEN

             BLUEJAYS IN YOUR GARDEN               

Winter bird feeding - Peanuts  

Bluejays are native North American forest dwellers, common in our area. They are a familiar and noisy presence around many North American bird feeders.  

If you want to bedazzle friends and family, little is easier then feeding and attracting Bluejays to your garden, seemingly on command.

Once Bluejays have become accustomed to your feedings, they will become a
frequent visitor to  your garden.

Attracting Bluejays is as easy as putting out a cup of *unsalted peanuts every day with some gray striped sunflower seeds. These beautiful creatures will quickly become a dependable and frequent visitors to your garden. If you put peanuts out close to the same time every day you can count on these highly adaptable and intelligent birds to show up within minutes of their regular feeding time. It is truly amazing.  

Why some Bluejays do not migrate is still a mystery, but those that stay add dramatic
color to the winter garden.

If you want to put  out more later in the afternoon there always seems to a 'watch bird' ready to give a call to the rest of the flock.

These beautiful blue crested birds with black and gray wings are easily recognizable . Their bird call is a loud "Jay! Jay!" sound. This is only one of a wide variety  sounds the bird employs—including excellent imitations of several hawk calls. When Bluejays are in your area you will definitely hear them.

Bluejays are known to call for home owners to come out and feed them.

Bluejays are sometimes known to eat eggs or nestling's of other birds making many people hate them.  It is this practice that has tarnished their reputation, but in fact, they are largely vegetarian birds. Most of their diet is composed of acorns, nuts, and seeds.

Most northern Bluejays head south for the winter and join large flocks of up to 250 birds although some do not migrate. The birds that stay add dramatic color and excitement to the winter landscape. Bluejay migration is still considered a mystery to scientist.

Bluejays stay in familty groups throughout their lifetimes.

Bluejays have a special throat pouch that can hold extra seeds and acorns which they bury until later. 

This is why the Bluejays are credited with replanting our woodland forest after the last ice age.

*Don't put out too many peanuts at one time. You will only be feeding the squirrels.

Enjoy your garden all year,                                                                             

James

Winter Bird Feeding- Gleaning

EASY WINTER BIRD FEEDING: GLEANING




Cardinals are attracted to gray striped and black-oil sunflower seeds  

 

Many people would like to help feed birds during the winter but for various reasons do not want to get involved with tending bird feeders.  When the ground is frozen or covered with snow there is a simple technique you will appreciate and birds will love. Simply sprinkle seed on the ground.

 

White Crowned Sparrows prefer millet, black-oil sunflower seeds & peanut hearts

Gleaning is a type of foraging during which a bird will deliberately and methodically pick over an area to collect food; typically insects or seeds.  Many species that overwinter in our area use this method of feeding for at least part of their diet.  Dark-eyed Juncos, White-crowned sparrows, Mourning Doves and even Cardinals will frequent your garden to glean seeds off the ground.



Mourning Doves love Millet and Black-oil sunflower seeds 

 

The best seed for this type of feeding are black oil sunflower seeds or finch mix, without corn. The popular wild bird mixes contain a lot of corn which attracts many larger aggressive birds such as Starlings and Grackles which will chase your smaller, and more colorful birds away. 



Dark-eyed and Slate-colored Junco's like many types of seeds and products like pie crust.



Keep it as simple as possible. Scatter a cup or two of seed in the same area and birds will come back when they need to. I don't sprinkle too much at once because I don't want unnecessary and expensive waste. That will also help avoid left overs at night which will attract mice.



Give your birds an escape route from hawks and other predators

If you have an easily assessable area with a view from a window, that is perfect. Even if you are a devoted back yard bird watcher, tossing some seed on the ground will give your feathered friends more of a choice of areas in which to feed.

Enjoy your garden all year all.
James