Dos and Don'ts of Spring Bird Feeding

It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, I'm not talking about the holidays.. it's SPRING! Arguably the most exciting time for backyard bird feeding as so many species are returning, and you just never know who will show up at your feeders. Check out our "dos and don'ts" of spring bird feeding to ensure your backyard birds stay happy & healthy during this exciting season.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak feeding on Cranberry Cylinder

DO: Clean your feeders regularly
Many illnesses are contracted through bird-to-bird contact, or through contaminated surfaces such as feeders, baths, and feeding station surfaces. Because of this, it is extremely important to thoroughly clean and disinfect all feeders, birdbaths, and feeding equipment on a regular basis (at least once every two weeks). To properly disinfect your bird feeding equipment you will need to thoroughly clean with a brush to remove any visible dirt and grime. Once you are finished the initial cleaning, submerge the equipment in a 10% bleach solution for a minimum of 10 minutes, this acts as a disinfectant and also helps to loosen any grime build-up. Next, scrub again with a brush & rinse thoroughly for at least 15 seconds in warm water. For equipment that can't be submerged in the solution, a spray bottle and brush outdoors will work fine, just be sure to rinse thoroughly. 

DO: Grow native plants
Growing native plants in your yard is key when it comes to attracting wildlife and creating a truly bird-friendly habitat. We are fortunate in Ontario to have a plethora of native flora available to us to not only make our yards pleasing to the eye, but to create habitat for our wildlife species to thrive in. Why choose native over non-native - a plant's a plant, right? Not quite. Native plants help to stabilize soil, and typically require less water and management in comparison to non-native plants. Native plants know the land. They know our wildlife, and our wildlife knows them. They co-exist with our natural species, rather than compete with them. Studies have shown that our native bird species will actively seek out native fruit-bearing species to feed on before non-natives. To learn more about native plants and what species would do well in your yard, click here. 

American Goldfinch, Purple Finch, and Indigo Bunting eating Sunflower Chips

DO: Offer a variety of foods
Migration periods are the best times to offer a wide variety of foods in your yard. Seed and suet are great, but think bigger for this season if you want to really wow the birds flying through. In addition to the basics, try sunflower chips, BirdBerry Jelly, Bark Butter spread on trees, Bark Butter Bits, live mealworms, nectar, and fruit like oranges or blackberries. Many birds who don't typically visit feeders like Pine Warblers and other warbler species, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, and Scarlet Tanagers will stop for fuel if the right food is presented.

• BirdBerry Jelly & fruit will attract: Gray Catbirds, Tanagers, Orioles, Robins
• Sunflower chips will attract: Indigo Buntings, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Titmice
• Bark Butter will attract: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Brown Thrashers
• Live mealworms will attract: Eastern Bluebirds, Orioles, Gray Catbirds, Grosbeaks

Feather Friendly Bird Collision Deterrent Markers

DO: Make your windows bird friendly

Window strikes kill an estimated 100 million to 1 billion birds each year across North America. Injuries from these strikes are often fatal, but thankfully, they are largely preventable. There are several ways to reduce the risk of window strikes including proper feeder placement, turning out the lights at night, and applying window strike deterrents to windows. Window strike deterrents are decals that adhere to windows and limit the amount of reflective surface area on the glass, greatly reducing the risk of window strikes. There are several window strike deterrent markers available to purchase in stores, but the best options on the market are Window Alert, and Feather Friendly Bird Collision Deterrent Markers (shown in photo above). Feather Friendly decals are easy to apply, and work well for any size and shape windows with an option of white markers (for standard windows) or black (perfect for glass deck railings) Note that Feather Friendly decals must be applied when temperatures hit a consistent 10C or higher.

Mallard Duck

DON'T: Feed birds if your feeders are open to poultry or waterfowl
Avian Flu has been a hot topic this year, with many cases being reported across Ontario. We would like to express that there is no need to stop watching, feeding or attracting birds to your yard because of the avian flu unless feeders are located in areas that are open to poultry and other domestic animals. In North America, the wild birds most likely to harbour avian flu or spread it are gulls, ducks and other waterfowl. The backyard birds that visit our feeders appear to be significantly less susceptible and much less likely to become a source of the virus. No human avian flu infections have occurred in North America as a result of the current outbreak in wild birds or domestic poultry. Click here to learn more about backyard bird feeding and Avian Flu.

DON'T: Offer dryer lint (or any of these other things) as nesting material
Offering birds nesting material is a great way to help out during nesting season, but many materials are unsafe for birds to use in their nests. Avoid using materials such as dryer lint which is full of toxic chemicals from detergents & microplastics shed from our clothing, and is extremely harmful to birds. Not only that, lint has a tendency to hold moisture leading to bacteria and mold growth. Also avoid using yarn, string, plastic strips, cellophane, aluminum foil, tinsel, pet or human hair, or any other long and stringy materials. Birds can easily become entangled in materials like these, leading to limb loss or death. Many of these items are also synthetic, which pollutes the environment once the nest disassembles. Instead, opt for natural nesting materials designed specifically for wild birds such as Wild Birds Unlimited Nest Building Material, or Hummer Helper Nesting Material. Both of these options are composed of all natural fibres that have not been treated with pesticides or other harmful chemicals.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on nectar from High Perch Hummingbird Feeder

DON'T: Use nectar with artificial colours or flavours
Dyes have been included in commercial oriole and hummingbird nectar mixes for years, with claims to better attract the birds to your feeders. While the colours red and orange certainly are attractants, adding them to the food is unnecessary and harmful. There have been no official studies published on the effects synthetic dyes have on birds, but there is enough information about their negative effects on humans that it is best to err on the side of caution and ditch them all together. Instead, opt for feeders like WBU Oriole and Hummingbird Feeders that have orange and red on them, and be sure to include brightly coloured native flowers like cardinal flower in your gardens. Many ornithologists and wildlife organizations around the world, including Cornell Lab of Ornithology, condemn the use of synthetic dyes in nectar. "There is no research that proves red dye is safe for hummingbirds, and very compelling anecdotal information from experienced, licensed rehabbers that hummers who have been fed dyed food have higher mortality and suffer tumors of the bill and liver. - Cornell Lab of Ornithology". While this was strictly speaking of hummingbirds, no studies have been done on orioles either so the same could be true for them.

Here is our recipe for the best and easiest oriole and hummingbird nectar:

• Add 4 parts boiled water to 1 part white table sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool before filling feeder. Nectar can be stored in the fridge for one week. It is important to use only white table sugar (no substitutes; brown sugar, organic sugar, etc) as this is what is most similar to sugars found in natural nectar. 

Happy trails!
- Shayna