Wild Bird Centers: Birding Frequently Asked Questions

News & Events

Search for Local Events!

Staff & Bird Store Videos

Meet our franchisees and staff here!

Exclusive Bird Supplies

Questions You Always Wanted to Ask

Are crushed eggshells good to put with the bird seed?

There are times when birds cannot find enough natural calcium, especially in the spring when females need it for their own eggshells and to feed the resulting nestlings. Wash empty eggshells, bake for 30 minutes at 250 degrees and scatter crushed pieces on a platform feeder.

Birds Will Be Back

The negative effect that West Nile Virus is having on bird populations is unusual in one respect. It is one of the few problems causing bird declines not caused by mankind.On the positive side, effects of the virus could well turn out to be less persistent and therefore less of a long-term problem than those we create.This is because, while mosquito-borne West Nile is known to have killed members of more than 120 different bird species, birds resistant to the disease eventually will move in and replace those lost.And there is no reason to believe that entire species are being wiped out. Consider the area in and around Chicago. Black-capped chickadees have been lost in huge areas of north and south suburban Cook County. In all other areas of the six-county metropolitan area, chickadee numbers run from low to average -- but not gone.Naturalists in Greater Cleveland agree that the decline at backyard feeders is apparent. But they are not ready to lay the problem at the feet of any particular cause. For one thing, while seed feeder traffic is down, activity continues at the suet feeders.Their consensus is that, since West Nile is a new phenomenon, its effect will only be factually established after a study covering a much longer period of time. The recent Christmas bird count may be of considerable help in understanding the breadth and depth of the situation, as may the findings of the current Project Feeder Watch.On the other hand, how are birds to recover from forest fragmentation and acid rain, for example? Studies show that these two human-caused problems brought about an annual 1.7% decline in the numbers of wood thrush -- over a 33-year period. Habitat fragmentation leads to increased predation, and acid rain leaches egg-building calcium from the soil.Or consider the dire situation on the big island of Hawaii. A desperate race for survival faces the Hawaiian honeycreepers and other species. In fact, the alala, or Hawaiian crow, is down to the last pair surviving in the wild, making it one of the most endangered birds in the world. Other species are below 1,000 remaining birds.Hope continues elsewhere for some birds not seen in years. In 2002 six ornithologists spent a month in the Louisiana backcountry in search of the ivory-billed woodpecker -- last identified more than 50 years earlier.On the brighter side, 14 indigo-winged parrots -- not seen in more than 90 years -- were found in the central Andean highlands of Colombia. But only those 14 were located.The winter is yet early. Our feathered friends might still show up at those temporarily abandoned backyard feeders. And who knows? This might be the year for an explosion in your neighborhood of those irruptive species -- siskins, redpolls, red-breasted nuthatches, evening grosbeaks and their cousins.Lisa Anne Sutton, from South Lancaster, Massachusetts, points out that bird populations "will and do fluctuate naturally, as do habitat, food supply and weather conditions."

Can birds taste their food?

It is necessary to be careful about applying human concepts such as taste to wildlife. Most birds have only 30 to 70 taste buds, compared to humans' 9,000. But more isn't necessarily better. Seed-eating songbirds appear to choose seeds based on their nutritive value, using cues other than taste to help them choose the best ones. Birds don't keep food in their mouths, and it isn't known what variety of stimuli impacts their sensitivity to it. The gizzard is a storage place for food until gastric juices start the breakdown of proteins or until food is passed to the small intestine.

Do birds eat rocks and regurgitate them?

Birds use grit, usually made up of sand or pebbles, to help digest seeds, berries and insects that make up their diet. When the birds pick up and swallow it, the abrasive action aids the process in the gizzard.

Do birds have a sense of smell?

By its very nature, the sense of smell is subjective and especially difficult to measure in birds. Because of this, the debate among scientists and ornithologists has gone on for more than 100 years. Some findings indicate only that some species have a poorly developed sense of smell that plays little or no part in their lives. Studies on turkey vultures demonstrated that they find food first by odor, and kiwis in New Zealand seem to smell underground worms that they eat. The same tests on robins, however, did not produce the same results. It probably is safe to conclude that the jury still is out on this subject.

Do different seeds attract different birds?

Different seeds (and different types of feeders) attract different bird species. Follow this link to our full-color Seed Preference Charts for Eastern and Western birds.

Do you have some advice for seed storage?

By its very nature, birdseed is a natural food for certain moths, particularly the Indian meal moth. It's best to store your seeds in airtight containers such as steel garbage cans, preferably in the garage or outdoors.

Does bird seed get too old?

If your birdseed has been stored in a tightly covered container, chances are it's ok even after a year. If you see any sign of bugs or webbing, throw it away. The birds will let you know if the seed is no good; they simply will not eat it. Also, be aware that activity at your feeders likely will decrease when an abundance of natural food is available.

How do I prevent birdseed from sprouting?

Generally, ground feeding towhees, juncos and doves clean up seed that has fallen to the ground. A quick raking job once a week should take care of anything they miss. Some people use a Shop Vacuum to vacuum up the scattered debris the your feeder birds drop. You can attach a tray below the feeder to help collect discards and it's a way to collect dropped seeds and shells and then before disposing of them. Another suggestion is to consider using only black oil sunflower seed, the favorite of most seed-eating birds who consume virtually all of the seed at your feeders leaving few seeds to sprout. Or try sunflower chips, which are more expensive, but absolutely nothing is wasted.

How long have people been attracting birds to their backyards with birdseed?

The earliest Native Americans were known to throw corn on the ground that attracted birds to their campsites. But the commercial packaging of birdseed for wild birds began about 40 or 50 years ago. The hobby of backyard bird feeding became enormously popular in the mid-1980's; about the time people began to be aware of all the benefits. Some of those include making a positive contribution to good bird habitat, and being able to lower personal stress levels by taking the time to watch the birds that are all around.

How many broods does the average backyard bird have?

The number of times a bird nests in one season varies from one bird species to another, and sometimes from one locale to another. Downy woodpeckers in the north have only one brood, but in the south they may have two. Cardinals can have as many as four broods between March and August, with the male helping to care for the first one while the female incubates the eggs of the next one. Other members of the finch family, such as the goldfinch, house finch and grosbeaks may only have one brood. Bluebirds and robins usually have two broods.

Is it okay to feed wild birds left over table scraps of bread?

Putting out table scraps is not recommended. Not because bread or other human food is necessarily bad for the birds, but because scattered on the ground it can attract unwanted visitors such as rodents. The birds and your neighbors will be happier if you offer birdseed, suet, nectar and mealworms form your local Wild Bird Center store.

Is it safe to feed birds suet year round?

Suet, particularly commercially prepared suet cakes, is safe and desirable for year round feeding. Hang it out of the sun, and perhaps even refrigerate it overnight in very hot weather. Besides the usual woodpeckers, nuthatches and titmice, during the spring and summer you may even attract warblers and brown creepers with suet.

The birds won't touch my new bird feeder

Birds are quick to let us know when they don't like the menu you're serving at your backyard feeding station. Either you changed the quality of the seed or there's a problem with the new feeder itself. Make sure that the feeding portals are the right size to accommodate the seed you are using; don't let the seed get wet because it will cake and clog the feeder.

What birds are attracted to Nyjer™ seed?

Nyjer™ seed is a favorite of goldfinches and popular also with house and purple finches, red polls, chickadees and pine siskins.

What are birds doing when they tilt their heads to the side?

In the yard, robins tilt their heads as they look for worms and insects. At the feeder, cardinals tilt their heads before taking a seed to confirm no predator or bird competitor is approaching. A bird's hearing range varies by species, but all can hear the sounds of their own kind.

What birds enjoy mealworms?

Live food during the winter when bugs are particularly scarce will be attractive to jays, cardinals and pine siskins. Once spring arrives, wrens, chickadees, bluebirds, song sparrows and Eastern phoebes can be attracted by mealworms available at your local Wild Bird Center store. Put them out in a special shallow dish or on a tray mounted four or five feet high.

What government agency regulates birdseed?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has jurisdiction over birdseed products and there are definite regulations about ratios of noxious weed seeds that are allowed. However, the rules for seed quality are different from the products used for human or pet consumption.

What method prevents birds from colliding with windows?

Some people cover exposed window glass with a non-reflective plastic coating. Drawing the drapes across the windows, or using blinds would reduce the light reflection, which may contribute to the crash problem. When the birds see the sky looking back at them, they just keep flying. Turning on lights behind the windows may alter the glare. Bring bird feeders close enough to the house so the birds have enough room to maneuver, but not so much that they get up to full speed when alarmed and headed for shelter. If the windows are being attacked by a male cardinal that sees his image in the glass, he may perceive it as a challenger to his territory. Again, close the curtains or hang ribbons or a windsock outside the window to discourage his approach. Eventually, the bird will find a mate and become so busy building a nest and then raising his young that he'll forget about his "competitor."

What types of seeds and berries are best for birds' health?

You can safely offer your birds birdseed products from your local Wild Bird Center store such as black-oil sunflower, safflower, white millet and a tiny, black seed called Nyjer™ that is a favorite of goldfinches and pine siskins. Plant your yard with shrubs such as mulberries, blueberries, cherries, holly and bayberry to provide your feathered friends with an abundance of berries.

When do birds normally eat the most?

Birds spend most of their waking hours foraging for food. You just don't see them at your feeding station all the time because they prefer to eat in the wild. Backyard feeders are merely one stop on their daily route. The most popular times at most feeding stations are early morning and just before sundown. If you live in a part of the country where cardinals are present, check your feeders just before dark. Almost always a cardinal will be the last visitor.

Which is more attractive to wild birds, black oil or grey stripe sunflower seed?

Studies have shown that black oil sunflower is favored by most seed-eating birds, probably because of the higher oil content and softer shell.

Why do birds seem to prefer eating off the ground?

Just like people, birds have definite likes and dislikes not only about what they eat, but where they eat it. Some species prefer their meals on the ground (sparrows, towhees, juncos, for example.) Others, such as the chickadee, will fly to a feeder, grab a seed and carry it off to the nearest branch to bang it open to eat. That's just part of the fascination of the wonderful hobby known as bird feeding. Every bird, every day is a new experience.

Why do grackles fly away from the nest with a white material in their bill?

Parents of nestlings keep the nest clean by disposing the excrement of their young. Feces from newly hatched birds are enclosed in a tough membrane called fecal sacs. Most adults instinctively remove them when they visit the nest to feed the young. Either they eat the sacs or carry them away as they leave, which is what you have seen the grackles doing.

Why is the male bluebird completely fascinated with my car side mirrors?

Almost all species of birds establish a territory at some time and defend it aggressively against rivals, usually birds of their own kind. During the breeding season, songbirds fight the supposed rival they see in their own images reflected from a window or other reflective surface. There have been reports of birds fighting their images in a glass pane about 100 feet from their nest for weeks at a time, but stopping as soon as the glass was moved another 10 feet further away. Bird behavior is fascinating. That's part of what makes bird feeding such a wonderful hobby, because we can draw the birds in closer where it's convenient for us to watch them.

What do wild birds want? - Top 3 Tips for Purchasing Wild Bird Food

Different birds have their own favorite meals, but sunflower seeds are the most popular with seed-eaters, according to research by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That's important news for bird enthusiasts who want to attract a variety of wild birds to their backyard feeders. And, it explains why sunflower seed is the major ingredient in Wild Bird Center seed mixes.

There is a wide variety of wild bird food seed mixes to choose from. But most mixes are not appealing to wild birds. The Wild Bird Center Store Owners explain the difference between bargain-brand and commercial seeds and how to select seeds your wild birds want to eat:

Check the label first. Smart shoppers are used to checking the label when they buy food for their families these days. Birders should do the same when they buy seed mixes. If you want to attract a variety of birds to your feeders, stay away from bargain mixes that contain oats, cereals or "mixed grains." Most wild birds shun these ingredients, and mixed grains are likely "filler."
Avoid fillers. Bargain-brand bird seed mixes contain "filler' seeds that add weight to the bag, but end up in a pile under your bird feeder because -- simply put -- birds know what they like. Birds often sweep their bills through seed and dump the ones they don't want on to the ground. Even ground-feeding birds might ignore the spilled seed.
Select "clean" bags of food. Most commercial seed is 94 to 95 percent clean. That might sound pretty clean, but such a 40-pound bag of seed may include over two pounds of inedible material -- more debris that will find its way to the ground below your feeder.

Wild Bird Center seed is 99 percent clean by weight. Vendors are required to sift the seed three times to remove empty shells, sticks, leaves and other debris commonly found in bargain seed bags. Unlike most bargain-brand seed, Wild Bird Center seed is not sprayed with oil to keep dust down. And quality control insures that no "reclaimed" seed swept off the mill floor finds its way into a bag of Wild Bird Center seed.