How to Attract Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

May 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is one of the most beautiful birds to visit my backyard.  The red, black and white males are stunning.  And, their thick bills make you wonder who are you?  What kind of bird are you?   If you are a backyard bird lover, I have a few tips on how to attract Rose-breasted Grosbeaks to you backyard too.  So, lets get started.

 

 

 

backyard birds

 

I had just switched my feeder, which had a mixture of sunflower, safflower, cracked corn, peanuts pieces and veggies to Safflower feeder.  Safflower seeds helps to eliminate Starlings and Crackles from devouring the feeders.  Most Starlings and Crackles aren’t fond of Safflower.  However,  songbirds love it.  Within days of the switch, I noticed a new bird at the feeder.  I looked at her and thought to myself she looks like the sparrow, but she’s larger.  Is she a new visitor?  Yes, she was.  It was a female Grosbeak.

 

 

backyard birds

 

Her partner appeared a little later and took my breath away. This is the male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  He was stunning, and provided me with hours of joy.  He returned to the feeder again and again to enjoy the treats.   I first noticed the male hanging out on a branch.  His rose colored bib caught my attention.  I wondered if it was a wood-pecker initially.  Finally, he finally made his way to the feeder.  And, I realized I had a new visitor and a beauty at that.  It’s these moments that excite the backyard bird watcher. Always have your camera or binoculars ready, you never know when a new visitor will appear.

 

 

backyard birds

 

 

If you’re wondering how to attract Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, here are a few tips:

  • Offer Black-oil Sunflower Seeds or Safflower Seeds –  Add Safflower and/or Black-oil seeders to your feeders in the spring.  These seeds are their favorite foods.  I have Safflower seeds in mine.  And,  he visited the feeder at least 5 or 6 times to devour the tasty treats.
  • Offer raw peanuts, they love them.
  • Use a hopper or platform feeder
  • Provide fruit – Furthermore, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak love elderberries, blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries.
  • Make sure they have access to a bird bath or other means of water –   I have a wet weather stream that runs through my property.  Normally, it only runs if we have a large amount of rain.  However, it has been running for an entire year.  The birds love it.
  • Leave nesting materials –  Also, the female uses dried leaves, sticks, weeds, and other earth materials to build her nest.
  • Breeding season is from May to September.  Plan accordingly.

 

Note:  I am an Amazon Associate.  If you click on any of the products or purchase, I may be compensated a small fee.  However, there will be no additional cost to you.

 

 



 

 

Additionally, if you’re unable to bring them to your backyard, they love hanging out in parks and orchards.  Plan a morning or afternoon stroll through your local park or a farmer’s orchard.  Get permission first, if you decide to go the farm route.  Furthermore, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak likes woody areas.  Last, you may also like:  How to Attract Catbirds to Your Backyard.

 

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Backyard Bird Nesting Materials You Can Provide

April 29, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m sharing tips on backyard bird nesting materials. Backyard birds are arriving, and looking for a mate.  They will breed tiny little birdies, so they will need bird nesting materials to build a home for their family.  Some backyard birds use mud to build their nest others need items that you have in your home to assist them.

 

 

 

backyard bird nesting material

 

 

 

Backyard Bird Nesting Material: 

 

  • Twigs or sticks
  • Dead leaves
  • Grass clippings or dead grass
  • Yarn, string or thread
  • Human hair
  • Pine needles
  • Straw or other plant stems
  • Tree Bark
  • Shredded paper
  • Broom bristles or mop string
  • Cotton balls
  • feathers

 

 

 

backyard bird nesting material

 

 

 

Birds that need help building their nest:

 

Robins – Dead grass and twigs are great material to leave for Robin’s to build their nest.

Black-capped Chickadee –  Moss and animal fur will assist Black-capped Chickadees.

Carolina Wren –  Twigs, grass, weeds, leaves, moss, pine needles, bits of bark, hair, string, and feathers.

Dark-eyed Junco – Leaves, moss and small roots are great nesting material for the Dark-eyed Junco

House Finch – Burlap, newspaper shreds, coconut fiber, and shreds of facial tissue are good nesting material for Finches.

Gray Catbird – Gray Catbirds love to use twigs, weeds, grass, leaves, and sometimes pieces of trash to build their nest.

Northern Cardinal –  Twigs, grapevine bark, dried grass, stems, rootlets, and pine needles are the preferred material for the Northern Cardinal.

Mockingbird – Dead twigs, grasses, leaves, trash, bits of plastic, and aluminum foil are great material for a Mockingbird’s nest.

 

 

 

 

backyard bird nesting material

 

 

 

Red-Winged Blackbird – Mud, grass or marsh vegetation and wet leaves.

Tufted Tit Mouse –  Hair, fur, wool, and cotton are loved by Tufted Tit Mouse.

Mourning Dove – Twigs, grass, weeds and pine needles are great material for Mourning Doves.  I have a row of pine trees behind my house, so I provide plenty of pine needs for them. However, I did have one nest in my Alberta Spruce tree.

Baltimore Orioles – Grass, strips of grapevine bark, wool, and horsehair are loved by Orioles when building their nests.

Blue Jays – Paper towels, tissues, candy wrappers and pieces of cloth are perfect.  Also twigs, bark, moss, and other man-made materials can be used.  Mud is used as a mortar.

Blue Birds – Grass, pine needles, straw, hair and sometimes feathers.

 

So, you can place the backyard bird nesting materials in a basket, an expensive suet feeder, or in tree crevices. Furthermore, place string on shrubs/bushes and more.  Also, I use a suet feeder that I had hanging around.  I normally place suet cakes in the feeder during the winter.  However, I also use it in the spring to house the nesting material.

Finally, find a place where your kids can watch the birds remove the materials from a window with a great pair of binoculars. I have mine placed in a Dogwood Tree in my front yard.  You can check out the list of best kids binoculars at globo surf.

You may also like:  How to Attract Backyard Birds with Eggshells.

 

 


 

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How to Attract Catbirds to Your Backyard

March 4, 2019 by 4 Comments

Spring is around the corner!  Catbirds are at the top of the backyard birds that birdwatchers want to attract to their backyard.  I have been successful bringing them to my backyard.  As  a matter of fact, they build a nest in my backyard Bradford Pear tree each year or in this huge tree close to my picnic table.  However, in the winter they roost in lower shrubs at the edge of my property.

 

Backyard Catbirds

 

Gray Catbirds mimic several other birds and even other animals.  I remember noticing the catbird years ago.  It was meowing like a cat.  I looked around my property, but there was no cat in sight.  My neighbors have cats; however, they are inside cats.  I do have feral cats pass through the property, but they were nowhere in sight either.  So, I went inside to grab my binoculars and pointed them in the direction of the sound.  There it was, a Gray Catbird.  Oh my they are a beauty.  The pictures don’t do it justice.

 

Catbirds

 

I have learned to keep my camera nearby when I’m outside.  You never know when a photo opportunity will present itself.  I decided to keep these beauties around as long as I could.  I learned that Gray Catbirds love the Dogwood Tree.  So, I was able to capture this photo in the spring when my pink Dogwood was flowering.  What an amazing backdrop it presents to any bird that visits when it is blooming.  Other birds that love the Dogwood are Eastern Bluebirds, Robins, Purple Finches and the Northern Flicker.  I have spotted Robins in the same tree.

The male and female Gray Catbirds look identical, so it is difficult to tell them apart.  Both male and female give the “meow” sound.  They love thick, dense, tangled and low shrubbery bushes.   If you’re out birding, look in that direction.   Notice how they perch on the branch, their tail is always downward.  It is long and makes as statement among the pink or white Dogwood blossoms.

Gray Catbirds

 

 

You can also lure them with grape jelly and raisins.   Baltimore Orioles love grape jelly too.  So, a dish that will hold the grape jelly is recommended.  Start setting the dish out in April or May. In the fall the leaves on the Dogwood turn a beautiful burgundy with red berries that ripen into fall. They are loved by migrating songbirds in the fall, and songbirds that plan to hang around throughout the winter.

 


 

Try enticing them with berries too.  Blackberries, blueberries, oranges and raisins are favorites.  The majority of their diet is insects, so what you offer will be a supplement.  Most Catbirds migrant to warmer climates in the winter.  However, if you see one or two that have remained during the winter, offer raisins and berry flavored suet.

 

 

 

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Bacon Bird Seed Cookies for Your Backyard Birds

November 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Today, I’m going to share my recipe for bird seed cookies.  Winter is fast approaching, and backyard birds will be on the hunt for food. Feeding backyard birds during the winter has become a ritual for me.  Watching birds and providing for them has become a part of my gardening experience.  Especially, in winter months.  I’m also teaching my grandchildren to help mother nature provide for her flock as well. 

 

bird seed cookies

 

 

For the past few years, I have made bird seed cookies and peanut butter pine cones as treats.  This year, I decided to add suet bird seed cookies from bacon grease to the meal plan.  The birds love them, and it’s a great way to use the bacon fat from breakfast.  I only use the suet bird seed cookies cakes during the winter months.  If the temperature is too warm, they will melt and create a mess or become rancid.

 

Cookies for birds

 

 

So, if you want to make these tasty treats for your backyard birds, you will need the following ingredients:

Bird Seed Mixture – I have a combination of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, Safflower Seeds, Cracked Corn and peanut chips in this batch  However, you can use whatever mixture of seeds that you have on hand.

Bacon Grease – I save the bacon grease from breakfast for my suet, and I have also used grease from ground beef.  I strain the oil to ensure there are no particles of bacon or ground beef going into the can when I save it.  I simply want the fat from the bacon and ground beef.  You can also use fat from your local butcher store.

Flour –  1 cup of flour or more.  You can also use oats or grits.

Peanut Butter –   About 2 tablespoons of crunchy or creamy peanut butter to the mixture.  I use the store brand.

Variety of Cookie Cutters – Winter, Christmas or other shapes that you would like to use will be fine.

Drinking Straws – You will want to stick a straw through the mixture once you have the cookie cutters filled.  You will want to make a hole in the cookie so you can run a string or ribbon through it so you can hang it.  Or, you can just place the cookies in a suet cage or dish.

 

 

 

 

bird seed cookies

Suet Cookies for Birds

 

  1. Add the bacon/ground beef grease to the birdseed mixture, as well as the peanut butter and flour.
  2. Mix it until you get a consistency you like.  You can add more of any of the ingredients.
  3. Once you have a consistency you like, place the mixture in the cookies cutters.  My granddaughter had a great time filling the various cookies cutters.  Her favorite was the heart.
  4. Be sure to pack the cookie cutters full.  You want the bird seed cookies to be thick.

 

bird seed suet cookies

 

5. Once you have the cookie cutters filled, place the cookie cutters in your freezer or refrigerator for a few hours. You want the cookies to harden.
6.  You can remove the cookie cutters once the cookies are frozen or had enough,
7.  Use a spatula to remove the cookies from the cookie sheet.  Place the cookies in gallon freezer bags or a freezer container.  You can place them in your refrigerator.  They store perfectly.

 

Note:  I am an Amazon Associate.  If you click or purchase one of the products, I may be compensated a small fee.  However, there is no additional cost to you.

 

 

 

bird seed cookies

 

 

The birds will love them, I guarantee it.  Especially,  on cold, icy and or snowy days.  Oh, who am I kidding.  They devour them on warmer days too.  However, I recommend that you only use these bacon bird seed cookies in the colder months.  They will melt if it’s too warm.  The above picture is a Downy Woodpecker.  He visits everyday for breakfast or  lunch and hangs around for quite awhile.

 

 


 

 

 

Backyard Birdseed Cookies

 

The picture above is a House Wren.  They’re tiny birds that visit daily, usually in a flock.  They hang around for awhile feasting on the bacon cookies or head to the feeder.

This is a great project to make with your kids or grandkids.  Additionally, check out the cookie cutters at the dollar store, yard sales and flea markets for fun shapes to use.

 

 

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How to Attract Backyard Birds with Eggshells

April 5, 2018 by 5 Comments

Today I’m going to share how to attract backyard birds with eggshells.  Spring is the perfect time to share eggshells with our feathered friends.  Spring when backyard birds will be migrating to a new home. So, don’t throw out those eggshells. I crack eggs by the dozen when my family is visiting or when I’m visiting them. My grandson eats 2 – 3 daily either in an omelet or cheesy eggs. Wondering what cheesy eggs consists of? Eggs combined with sharp cheese, milk and a little salt and pepper. He devours them.  So, rather than throw the egg shells in the trash I look for ways to recycle them.

 

attract backyard birds with eggshells

 

Since I love feeding the birds, I decided to include eggshells in my backyard bird feeding regime.  I currently feed my backyard birds black oil sunflower seeds, saffron seed, peanut butter and suet.  But, you can attract backyard birds with eggshells too.  Furthermore, adding eggshells to the food regime is a good idea if you want to attract different birds.

Eggshells help supply female birds with calcium.  Laying eggs just like childbirth can be exhausting.   As a result, female birds are drained of calcium after laying their eggs.  The eggshells help to restore calcium. 

 

Attract Backyard Birds with Eggshells:

 

Birds that love eggshells are:

  • Bluebirds
  • Baltimore Orioles
  • Scarlet Tanagers
  • Tree Swallows
  • Barn Swallows
  • Eastern Kingbirds
  • Finches
  • Wood Warblers,
  • Gnatcatchers

 

I have Bluebirds, Baltimore Orioles, Barn Swallows, and Finches in my neighborhood.  So, I they will enjoy this special treat.

 

attract backyard birds with eggshells

 

 

 

If you want to add eggshells to your current bird seed regime or simply feed eggshells to your backyard birds, follow these instructions:

  1.  Thoroughly wash out the inside of the shells after you crack the egg.  Use warm water to remove any egg inside the shell.  (Store the shells until you have acquired enough to use).
  2. I also use eggshells in my vegetable garden, so I accumulate quite a few shells.  You can dry the shells on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet in my oven.  I use the lowest setting for about 10 – 15 minutes.  The eggshells should be brittle.
  3. Also, you can place the eggshells in the microwave for a few minutes if you don’t have a large number of shells.  Be sure to use a microwavable dish, and monitor them while drying.
  4. Once dried, crush the eggshells into small pieces.  You can place them into a gallon baggie and crush them with a rolling pin. Or, let the kids crush them.

 

Now that we have a supply of crushed eggshells, lets talk about how to attract the backyard birds.   You can  can attract backyard birds by simply  placing them on the ground in your yard.  I always enjoy watching the birds, so I place mind in a place where I can bird watch.  Also, you can use a shallow dish, place them on a log or in a platform feeder.  I have a platform feeder and I also have a bird feeding station that has a shallow dish.  Both are perfect for holding eggshells.  There has been times when I have left the shells uncrushed.  The birds have an easier time retrieving the shells if they’re crushed.  If you decide to crash them, don’t crash them so small that they are basically powder.

 

 

 

attrackt backyard birds with eggshells

 

 

Furthermore, you can add the add eggshells to suet in the winter too.  So, if you want to attract backyard birds with eggshells start cracking and drying them.  Your backyard birds will thank you.  You may also like Birdseed Peanut Butter Pinecones.

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How To Make Bird Seed Cookies

April 21, 2015 by

Winter is here and feathered friends will be hunting for food.  So, we want to share our recipe for DIY Bird Seed Cookies. Now is the time to assist mother nature in feeding your backyard.  My grandchildren and I spent the week-end making bird seed cookies.  The grandchildren had fun, and the birds think they’re delicious.  Check out my other posts on attracting backyard birds before you leave.

how to make birdseed cookies
Making birdseed cookies is a great activity to do with the children on a rainy or cold winter day.  It gets kids involved in nature, and provides an opportunity to discuss school, friends, or any other subject that your children are interested in.  Furthermore, the bird seed cookies are full of protein to help keep our backyard friends warm and their tummy full during the winter.
Once the cookies are made, it provides an opportunity for kids to bird watch.  Grab your binoculars and a camera, and let them start a scrap of the birds that visit.  It also provides an opportunity for them to do research on what birds they are seeing.
Having the kids select the cookie cutters for the project is fun.  Have each child pick out a favorite cookie cutter shape and than get to work.  Here’s what you will need:
    • 3/4 Cup flour
    • 1/2 Cup water
    • 1 Envelope unflavored gelatin
    • 3 TBS Karo corn syrup
    • 4 cups of wild birdseed
    • Mixing bowl
    • Wax paper or non-stick spray
    • Cookie Sheet
    • cookie cutters

 

bird seed cookies

 

This is recipe for DIY Bird Seed Cookies:

 

  • Place all of the ingredients in a bowl except the bird seed and mix until well combined.
  • Mix in the birdseed gradually.
  • Spray your cookie sheet with the non-stick spray or line with the wax paper.
  • Place the cookie cutters on the cookie sheet.
  • Pack each cookie cutter with the birdseed mixture.  (Pack the cookies tightly.  You want the cookies to be thick).

 

 

bird seed cookies

 

So, we used my spring cookie cutters, which include a birdhouse, bird, and the sun to create the treats.  However, use whatever you have on hand.  The kids will enjoy using whatever you have.  Nothing is off limit.  Once the cookies have been created, use a straw to make a hole at the top of each cookie.  Allow the treats to harden over night before you set them out for the birds.  You can place them in the freezer to help things along.  You can also store them in the freezer for future use.  Unfortunately, these cookies don’t do well in the summer.  The summer heat will make them moldy and they will fall apart easily.

Once the cookies have set, lace a piece of twine through the hole of each cookie so you can hang them. Place them on tree branches and bushes, and go bird watching.  My grandchildren think the cookies are cool, and enjoy watching the birds eat the treats through the windows.  Cold, snowy days with a warm fire make the best bird watching days.

 

backyard birds

 

So, be sure to make extra.  You can keep them in the freezer and use them to feed your backyard birds during the winter.  Don’t forget to make a few for friends who love to bird watch too.  They make great gifts.

You may also like:  How To Bring Backyard Birds To Your Feeder or Audubon Birds.  

 

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How to Attract Red-bellied Woodpeckers

October 19, 2014 by

Today, lets talk about how to attract Red-bellied Woodpeckers to your backyard.  It’s getting cold in my area, so I’ve started filling the feeders for my backyard birds.   During the winter months, I get comfortable in front of the fireplace and a window.  I always keep my camera handy.  You never know when the opportunity will arise for a great shot of  backyard birds.

In the summer, I don’t fill the feeders as often because most birds can fend for themselves.  Also, I grow sunflowers in the summer, so most of my backyard birds feast on the sunflower seeds in my garden.  I always thought it would take a few days for the birds to find the filled feeders.  Nope, it only took a few hours. My birds are always hungry and ready to feast.

 

 

Red Bellied Woodpeckers

 

So, I was jumping for joy when I first saw these beautiful woodpeckers.  Below is a male Red Bellied Woodpecker.  Isn’t he beautiful?  Are you wondering how I know it’s a male?  Males have a red crown and nape.  However, the female doesn’t wear the red crown.  She has a batch of red at the nape of her neck. The female is in the picture above.  Notice the red stripe on the female’s belly.  It’s difficult to see unless the bird is in a certain position, but is how it achieved its name.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers love pecking on trees, gutters and siding.  Apparently, the sound resonates and a potential mate will hear a male’s call. The Red-bellied Woodpecker’s habits are fascinating too.  They hide seed for later consumption in the crevices of trees.  This little guy is creating a cache in the picture below.  They also hunt for bugs in the crevices of trees.

 

Red Bellied Woodpeckers

 

 


 

How to Attract Red-Bellied Woodpeckers:

 

  1. Purchase or build a platform feeder.
  2. Add black oil sunflowers seeds, unsalted shelled peanuts, peanut pieces, fruit, and/or acorns to the feeder.
  3. Red Bellied Woodpeckers love peanut butter and cracked corn too.  I add peanut butter to pine cones during the winter.  Check out my post on Peanut Butter Pinecones for backyard birds.
  4. Hang suet feeders in the winter.  Check out my recipe for homemade suet cakes or purchase them.  The woodpeckers visit the feeder, but Red-bellied Woodpeckers have a passion for suet cakes.

 

how to attract Red-bellied Woodpeckers

 

So, if you want to attract the Red Bellied Woodpecker, suet cakes are the way to go.  I make my suet cakes, but I do purchase a variety of no melt suet cakes designated especially for woodpeckers.  You can purchase them from Amazon.   However, if you have time you can make your own using suet from your local grocery store.  I suggest only using this suet during the winter months.  They will go rancid in warm months.  I make mine from saved bacon grease or Crisco as well.  My family loves bacon, and the birds love it too.

Are you a bird watcher?  What are some of your favorite backyard birds?  Check out how to attract the American Gold Finch.

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Sunflowers and Finches In The Garden

July 25, 2014 by
I love sunflowers.  They make me happy, look at their beauty faces.   They dance in the garden and add brilliant color among the greenery.  This is my fifth year growing sunflowers, and I’m in love.  The first year, I didn’t have one seed germinate.  However, I changed my method of germinating  them, and bam!  The key is to use bottle greenhouses to germinate sunflower seeds.  Once the weather is good I transfer them to the garden.  So, today let’s discuss how to attract the American Gold Finch.  I have had great success using this method.  Check out my other sunflower gardening tips before you leave. 

sunflowers

 

Below are some of my favorite sunflowers varieties.  I make sure they have a place in my backyard garden every year.  The Gold Finches love my sunflowers as much as I do.  They bring beauty to my backyard.  I love sitting on my deck watching the Goldfinch feast on the sunflower seeds.  Unfortunately, the lens on my camera doesn’t capture the beauties in the garden.  I guess I shouldn’t blame the lens, I need to learn how to use my camera!

 

 

Autumn Beauty

 

These are Autumn Beauties.  I love their brownish yellow color.  It reminds me of fall, my favorite time of year.  I stagger my sunflower seedlings when planting them in the garden to ensure I have sunflowers for fall.  The Autumn Beauty is beautiful in fall centerpieces.

 

Gardening tips

          Mammoth

 

This variety is the Russian Mammoth.  It grows anywhere from 10 – 12+ feet tall.  The fence behind it is 6 feet.  As a result, it towers above the smaller varieties making a grand display in my backyard garden.

 

lemon queen sunflowers

 

        Lemon Queen

 

 

So, my favorite sunflower is the Lemon Queen.  It’s much smaller compared to the Mammoth.  It only grows to about 5 feet.  I plant the Mammoth between the Lemon Queen and Autumn Beauties so there can be some depth in the garden.

 


 

In a few weeks, the centers will be filled with sunflower seeds and the American Gold Finch will have a new feeder.  Right now they are enjoying the Nyjer Seed in the sock and tube feeder.

 

American Gold Finch

 

 

 

Furthermore, when the sunflowers mature, the finches will eat every seed on the stalks if I don’t remove the heads. Because they are so beautiful the majority of the time I just let them eat until their heart is content.  Take a close look at the pictures, because there’s 2 males and a female in this picture.  The female is the dull colored finch at the top.  However, the males turns the same dull color as the female in the fall/winter.  They “color up” in the spring and summer to the brilliant color shown.

 


 

Also, this feeding station is outside my bedroom window.  I have a Nyjer Thistle feeder and a seed sock at the feeding station.  The finches will come to both.  As a result, I hang both of the feeders.  Some days I may have 10 or 12 American Goldfinch feasting on the Nyjer Thistle.  So, the finches head to the seed sock first for some reason.  They will feed from the tube feeder, which is my preference for them.  Simply because of their aerobatic moves on the perches.

Finally, next year I hope to add additional varieties of sunflowers to the garden.  Do you grow sunflowers? What variety do you grow?  Grab a few packs of sunflower seeds, and use my bottle greenhouse method to germinate them for your garden.  Also, purchase the thistle and feeders.  You’ll be enjoying these beauties in your backyard too.

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Backyard Birds: Barn Swallow

May 29, 2014 by
I was working in the yard, and looked up to find this beautiful bird perched on my gutter.  I had no idea what type of bird it was.  It was new to my backyard.  What really caught my attention was how the feathers seem glossy and the fork tail.  So,  I went inside to check out my backyard birds handbook.   After doing my research, it appeared to be a female Barn Swallow.  Today, I’m going to share a few facts about Barn Swallows.  Fortunately, I have another bird to add to my  attracting backyard birds list.

barn swallows

I thought she was absolutely beautiful.  She sat regal on the gutter, and allowed her distinctive features to be admired.  Look at the long, forked tail and the color around the head and beak.  The top of the head was a bluish/black color.  Around the beak and throat was an orange color.  Her glossy feathers stood out; she was quite striking.

 

How to Attract Barn Swallows

 

 

Also, she had her baby with her.  However, the baby disappeared when I opened the door to go inside to get the camera and phone. Interestingly, momma bird seemed pretty content right where she was.  When I googled the features of a Barn Swallow, I learned some interesting facts.  They like to build their nest under eaves.

 

Facts about Barn Swallows:

  • Barn Swallow migrate between South America and North America.  No this is not a typo, they can travel 14,000 miles between winter and summer.
  • They usually live around 8 years.
  • Insects are a favorite.  They feed mostly in flight since insects are a large portion of their diet.  However, they will eat egg or oyster shells from a platform feeder.  Especially, in the spring.
  • Barn Swallows make their nests are made of mud and grass.  They are usually built on man made structures.
  • Barn Swallows habitat across most of the country.
  • They are very difficult to attract.  They like to be near streams, ponds and other sources of flowing water.  (My wet weather stream just happened to be running after 4 inches of rain).  Lucky me!

 

As I was writing this post I spotted a male Barn Swallow.  It was just as beautiful, but it was more black and blue in color.  Yet, the orange color on his breast was more defined than the females.  The male was gathering mud from my stream bed.  Again, Barn Swallows build their nest out of mud and grass.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me.  I am glad that I was able to get an opportunity to see this beauty up close and person.  According to what I have read, it is  rare to get this close to them.  I hoped you enjoy the facts about Barn Swallows.  What backyard birds are prevalent in your area?  You may also like:

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How Attract Tufted Titmouse

May 22, 2014 by

Today, let’s talk about how to attract the Tufted Titmouse to your backyard.    Meet my Tufted Titmouse.  I love these backyard birds.  They’re a beautiful gray and white with a little tuft on top of their head.  They are marked with a touch of orange on their sides.  They’re abundant in my backyard.   

 

 


Tufted Titmouse

 

So, I keep them coming back by providing them with lots of black oil sunflower seeds. They flock with Chickadees and nuthatches.  Furthermore, they are funny birds.  They don’t eat directly from the feeder.  No, they take their sunflower seed and crack it on a nearby branch.  After they consume the seed, they head back to the feeder.  I enjoy watching them cling to the smallest branches while they wait their turn at the feeder.  Tufted Titmouse will eat from the platform feeder as well as the tube feeders.

How to Attract Tufted Titmouse:

 

Tufted Titmouse

 

 

The Tufted Titmouse likes to nest in holes in trees or a vacated woodpecker nest although they will also use nesting boxes.  I have plenty of woodpeckers around, so they have lots of holes to nest in.  They are known to pluck hair from live animals or humans for their nest. They mate for life.  The male does most of the singing, but the female will sing a softer version at times.  I will continue to supply black oil sunflower seeds, as they are permanent backyard residents that I can enjoy year round. Their young are ready to leave the nest in 16 days.

 

 

attracting tufted tit-mouse

 

 

 


 

 

I’m currently having problems with Starlings devouring the sunflower seed in hours.  So, I’m in the process of purchasing a new feeder and Safflower Seeds.  I’m thinking about a feeder that is enclosed in a cage, so only small song birds will be able to enter and eat from it.  I will be filling the other tube feeders with black oil sunflower seeds and thistle for the finches.  I’ll still use my platform feeder for the cardinals, but I will be mixing in the sunflower seeds with safflower seeds as well.  Cardinals love Safflower Seeds, and they will eat from the platform feeder.  Squirrels and Starlings don’t like Safflower Seed. I’ll keep you posted on this change at the feeding station, and how it works out.

Check out my other posts on attracting backyard birds.  You may also like Suet Feeders For Backyard Birds

 

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