Fall Backyard Birds
Jen Lair
Fall is always an exciting
time to watch birds in your backyard. The juncos return from higher elevation breeding
grounds, and fall migrants like white-crowned sparrows, evening grosbeaks, and
golden-crowned sparrows put on an appearance. Other migrant birds are making one or two
day stops as they begin their migration –keep your eyes and ears open for unusual
birds. Your birdbath will be a big hit with many of the birds, especially warblers and
other insect eating birds that won’t come to your feeder. As our nights get colder,
think about putting a heater in your bath to keep the water from freezing.
Birds know it is time to migrate
when days start getting shorter. I often hear people wondering when to take down their
hummingbird feeders "so the hummers know it is time to migrate". Even with ample
food here in Central Oregon, hummingbirds are going to leave when days get to a certain
length. Most of our Rufous Hummingbirds stay until October, so go ahead and leave your
feeders up until you no longer see any hummingbirds at them.
Remember that birds in the winter
need food, water and shelter. Often we put out ample seed and suet for food, plug in the
bath deicer, and wait for the birds to show up. Look around your yard and see if the birds
have some shelter to protect them from the cold, bitter winds of winter. Birds find
shelter in thick conifer trees, dense bushes, and empty nest boxes. Fall is a great time
to plant trees and shrubs, so think about adding some to your yard. Birds, as well as
other animals, will seek shelter in brush piles. If you are pruning, make a loose pile of
the cuttings. If neighborhood cats are a concern, make your pile a little denser so that
they have a hard time squeezing through the gaps. When the snow falls, you can enjoy
watching birds hopping in an out of their snug shelter.
Audubon link:
Is backyard bird feeding helping or hurting?
New research answers this and many other questions. Plus, five feeders every
yard should have.
