Rosann Kovalcik, Author at

Beyond Thistle: Tips for Attracting Goldfinches

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Rosann Kovalcik

In summer, they’re bright yellow bursts of sunshine, in winter, they’re pale sunlight poking through dense clouds of snow… American Goldfinches, backyard beauties we all so love to attract.

American Goldfinch by Andrea Rose

So how do we attract this little drops of sunshine? For years, the conventional recommendation has been to offer Nyjer seed, in tube feeders with small openings specially designed for a goldfinches’ tiny beak. It should be noted, however, that while Nyjer is also referred to as “thistle”, it is actually an entirely different crop from the thistle we see growing on the sides of the road. Thistle, in fact, is a member of the daisy family, complete with purple flowers and prickly parts. Nyjer, however, is a crop which is imported from Ethiopia and Nigeria, and is heat treated for sterilization purposes. This heat-treating process prevents any foreign seed materials from sprouting beneath your feeders.

It is true that Nyjer makes excellent food for finches, including American Goldfinch, Redpolls, Siskins, House Finches, and others. High in fat from oil, it makes for a great energy source, especially during these cold winter months. On the other hand, there are some things to consider when offering Nyjer. Firstly, it works best in our specially formatted finch feeders, designed to prevent spillage and waste. In addition, it is important not to buy more than a few weeks’ worth of seed at a time (though of course the exact amount varies by the level of activity at your feeders). Nyjer is a seed that will spoil after 3-4 weeks’ time, and once it does, it will likely be turned down by finches who are known to have quite discerning palates! Finally, Nyjer contains a shell. Although small, this shell must be cracked open by the finch, leaving a minute amount of uneaten seed.

American Goldfinch by Andrea Rose

Overall, Nyjer is still one of the best types of food to feed your finches, especially when offered in the correct feeders and within the appropriate window of freshness. But are there other options for hungry goldfinches? Turns out, there are!

As a franchise, we are now beginning to recognize the benefits of another kind of food that is well-liked by goldfinches- Sunflower Chips. This alternative has many of the benefits of Nyjer seed, as well as a few of its own added perks.

Sunflower Chips, like Nyjer, are small enough to fit through the openings of our finch feeders, and can also be offered in other specialty feeders such as our Dinner Bell Feeder. These chips are well-liked by goldfinches and other birds, and they don’t have a shell, meaning no mess and no waste! In addition, these chips are even higher in fat than Nyjer seeds, which is so important for birds’ metabolism during the colder months.

American Goldfinch (males) enjoying WBU Finch Blend

Our Wild Birds Unlimited Finch Blend includes a mix of Nyjer and Sunflower Chips, a combo your goldfinches will not be able to resist! Rosann herself has recently made the switch from straight Nyjer to the Finch Blend, and she has found her little yellow friends to be quite pleased with the switch.

Come talk to us today about switching to Finch Blend, and keep your yard full of sunshine all year long.

Enjoy your Birds!

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Bird Feeding in the Winter

Posted on December 16, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

Northern Cardinal

As the seasons change and the weather gets colder, some bird species are getting ready to remain through the winter. Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, Tufted Titmice, House Finches, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers are all resident birds that remain in Michigan, expanding their feeding territories in order to find adequate food sources. All of these birds are well-loved by those who engage in the hobby of birdwatching. Their colors and antics add a dimension of joy to our lives as we view them at the feeding stations we provide.

All of these bird species can be attracted to your yard with the addition of bird feeders stocked with appropriate foods that they need. A blend of seeds high in fat and protein including sunflower (either in or out of the shell), peanuts and millet is a great place to start. If you want to attract larger bodied birds including Cardinals, a hopper feeder with a ledge or a tube feeder with a tray is necessary for them to be able to fit and reach the seed. Suet is the perfect substitute for the insects that are normally part of the diet of the Chickadees, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers. Suet is derived from the fat that surrounds the kidney of cattle. It is rendered, a process that removes impurities and adds shelf life. Extra ingredients may be added including peanuts and insects for protein. Fruit in suet is especially attractive to Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Placed in a suet cage, these birds are adept at clinging in order to feed.

Cardinal on Hopper Feeder and Pileated Woodpecker on Suet

Other bird species shift their locations within the United States, those farther north relocating to winter territories in the south. This includes Goldfinch, which move from Canada and the mid-states down to reach the lower states where they can be seen in the winter only. Blue Jays will migrate for the most part, with a small number of the entire population remaining behind in select territories. The same is true of Mourning Doves. Most of the blackbird species including Red-winged Blackbirds, Cowbirds and Grackles will migrate south. While many associate American Robins as a sure sign of spring, many have become accustomed to plentiful food sources in the way of fruit and remain here through winter, hedging their bets that they can make it through the cold. This strategy works for them if they can survive, as they will have the first choice of prime breeding territories to offer to the females, who leave the area altogether.

While some birds leave, a completely different set of birds arrive for the winter, leaving northern climes for this comparatively milder wintering ground. Most notably, Dark-eyed Juncos tell of the arrival of fall. The white proso millet in a seed blend is the favorite of the Juncos, which are a true sparrow and feed primarily on the ground. Other arriving sparrows include the American Tree Sparrow. This year has been a banner year for Red-breasted Nuthatches appearing at feeding stations as they settle into a winter territory. The prediction for the arrival of Winter Finches includes Pine Siskins, Purple Finches and Common Redpolls, based upon the lack of poorly available seed crops in Ontario.

Dark-eyed Junco

Attracting finches can be accomplished by offering nyjer (thistle), a crop that is grown in Nigeria and Ethiopia and sterilized before it can be sold within the United States. A tube feeder designed with small holes to dispense the seed is the best way to offer this food. A blend of nyjer with small chips of sunflower is even more attractive to the Finches and to Chickadees.

Water is as essential to birds in the winter months as it is in the warmer ones. In fact, some birds visit the yard specifically for this reason alone, notably the American Robin. Using a plastic dish with the heating element built into it is the most convenient way to provide a water source. These bird baths are thermostatically controlled and will cycle on and off to keep the water at a temperature just above freezing. Another option is the addition of a heating element that can be added to a plastic or metal bird bath. Manufacturers of cement and ceramic bird baths warn against the use of heaters as those types of baths can break if a small crack succumbs to the effect of water freezing within.

Tufted Titmouse on Bird Bath

One of the major challenges for those who want to feed the birds is the fact that squirrels don’t understand the term “bird feeder”. If the feeder has seeds or suet, they will help themselves. There are some very effective squirrel-proof feeders on the market that are made entirely of metal and close with the weight of mammals. If you prefer to use seed in a window feeder or another place that mammals can access, safflower seed has a bitter taste to mammals and can be used in those situations. Feeding stations on a pole system with a baffle mounted on the pole to prevent mammals from climbing is another answer. Placement of feeders is key, as the setup needs to be far enough so that sideways leaps cannot be accomplished. The baffle top needs to be five feet from the ground and all feeders in the zone above that five feet limit. Another alternative is to offer seed and suet that are treated with hot pepper as the mammals have more taste buds than birds and are adversely affected, whereas the birds are not.

Planning your habitat for birds in the winter would include an area in your yard or neighboring yard that includes evergreens for shelter. In poor weather conditions and during the night, birds must have these areas for roosting. Some birds use cavities for shelter, both excavated by themselves or provided in the form of a nest box. If you see the entrance to a cavity, leaving the branch is the best option for the bird. Providing a winter roost box or keeping a functional nest box outside can make the all the difference in winter survival for birds.

Many plants bear fruit that persists during the winter and provides natural food sources for birds. Holly berries need to freeze and thaw a number of times before they become palatable to birds. Insects can be found by birds in many types of plant material. The galls in Goldenrods contain an insect that will be chiseled out by Chickadees or Woodpeckers. Sumac seed heads also contain insects that the birds will find nourishing. Many of our flowers can be left as a food source for winter birds including coneflowers and all other flowers with a composite seed head. Goldenrod is the favorite food of our native sparrows that spend the winter including the Juncos and White-throated Sparrows that may call our yard home.

Downy Woodpecker

Whatever you choose to do in your yard, the hobby of bird feeding can be a joyful one for you. The added bonus is that the resident birds will be healthy at the onset of spring, ready to claim your yard as part of their territory. With that, a new generation of birds can be a welcome addition to look forward to.

Enjoy your Birds!

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Wait! Wait! Don’t Clean Up Your Yard!

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

Getting our yards ready for birds in the winter includes cleaning and filling our feeders with quality bird food, high in fat and protein. It also includes looking at our gardens and learning what to do and what not to do to make them optimal places for birds.

As part of our desire to clean, we may engage in leaf raking and cutting back our perennials that are no longer in bloom. Here are reasons why we should consider modifying these fall clean-ups.
Many insects over-winter and can survive freezing temperatures as eggs, larvae, pupae or adults because they produce an anti-freeze (glycerol) in their bodies. This glycerol keeps the water in their tissue cells from freezing and ripping the cell walls. Many of our insects lay their eggs in the twigs of favored plants. For example, some katydids use their ovipositors to glue rows of eggs to viburnums and dogwoods, while others pierce the stems of goldenrods and asters in order to lay the eggs inside, safe during the winter months. The same is true of the Miridae (plant bugs), Cicadellidae (leafhoppers) and Berytidae (stilt bugs), which are all great food sources for our birds.

Photo courtesy care2.com

We are familiar with the epic Monarch Butterfly migration, but did you know that most of our butterflies spend the winter here as chrysalids? These chrysalids are attached to sticks and stems in your butterfly plants, suspended by silken pads that are spun into vertical structures or horizontally on stems. The Tiger, Spicebush and Zebra Swallowtails all spend winter in this way. If you clean out your flower beds, you are cleaning away the butterflies. Instead, leave them until spring when they will emerge as beautiful adults. Another type of butterfly, the Fritillaries, spend the winter as a first instar larvae in the plant litter that surrounds violets. That way, they are ready to use the violets as their food source in spring. Cleaning up the fallen leaves within your violet patch cleans away this type of butterfly.

Photo courtesy Kevin Click

Regarding raking leaves, if you imagine how many butterfly larvae are in your fallen leaves, perhaps you could consider raking them into an area of the yard for the winter months. Placing leaves in a pile, or mounding them under your hedgerow or evergreens, and placing them on top of perennial beds will give the larvae of these butterflies a chance to survive and mature. Sending the leaves to the curb for pick up creates the opposite result. In late spring (end of May), the butterflies can emerge and your clean up can begin.
Galls (abnormal outgrowths of plant tissue) are home to tephritid flies, as well as many other species including wasps, aphids, and midges. These insects are sources of food for Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice, both species capable of hanging on and chiseling into the gall for the insect inside. Hollow stemmed plants and the bases of tall grasses are also places where native bees may hibernate through the winter – another reason not to clean up.

Photo courtesy Lahvak (via flickr)

Many of our seed-bearing plants such as Coneflower (Echinacea), and Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) have seeds that have not been eaten and are ripe in autumn, just in time for the young goldfinches to be feeding upon them. The other day, I watched a patch of my bird-friendly garden, which was mostly brown instead of colorful, and yet the number of goldfinches feeding was astonishing to me. I counted seven of them in a little patch no larger than ten feet square. Birds have rods and cones in their eyes which allow them to see that the seeds are ripe and ready to eat. By many garden standards, these plants would have been cut back, taking away the food source that is critical for these birds this time of year. Leaving these plants without cutting them back not only provides a food source, it also adds winter interest to the garden. Snow and frost can be beautiful on these plants.
Our resident winter birds are great at finding these protein rich food sources. Watching them in your winter garden among the plants you leave is very educational and entertaining.

So sit back and enjoy the extra time you gain by not doing fall clean up – watch the birds instead!

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Attract Birds by Adding a Snag to Your Yard

Posted on September 3, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

A snag, in the language of forest ecology, refers to a standing dead or dying tree.

Preserving or creating snags on our property provides habitats for birds, and can be interesting and rewarding.

Important wildlife habitat is provided when dead wood is available. Birds evolved in forests where dead wood was never removed as part of woodland management. Dead trees are virtually absent in many urban neighborhoods as we have a tendency to view dead wood as without value. On the contrary, dead and dying trees are used for shelter, foraging, nesting and other uses for many species of birds.

Think of a snag as an airport for birds. Flycatchers, Cedar Waxwings and numerous other birds use snags as launch sites as they sally out again and again after flying insects. If the snag is close to a field, it may be used by Hawks and Owls that sit and wait patiently for mice and voles. Near water, snags are used by Kingfishers, Eagles, Herons, and Osprey. At least 30 species of birds commonly use snags as foraging perches.

Snags are also used as singing perches. Perhaps the acoustics are better from a snag? Certainly acoustics are great from a tall dead branch that does not have foliage to absorb the sound. Think about when you see a crow sending out an alarm to his family members, head stretched forward and beak open wide, – that’s always from a prominent perch, isn’t it?

Nothing could be better than a snag for purposes of acoustics in the mind of a woodpecker. Think of a hollowed out drum, just right for hammering. That’s what woodpeckers are doing on those dead branches that resonate so well – letting the female know he has a great territory and is ready to help her out with breeding season.

Snags allow smaller birds to use them as a lookout post. It pays to peek out from a perch to get a complete view in either direction, making sure the coast is clear.

Small snags are invaluable to birds that have bathed in your bird bath and need a place to shake dry and preen. This became a real lesson to me when I placed a bird bath near cedar trees that had dying branches at their lower edge. Each time that a migrant warbler approached the bath, it approached from those branches. Needless to say, I began to look at those branches in a different way.

Creating a snag can be as simple as leaving a tree that has started to die. If you have concerns about the location of the tree in relation to your house, have a landscaper trim the height for safety. Girdling a tree involves removing a ring of bark around the circumference of the tree, which will eventually kill it. Choose an invasive tree or one that is crowded by fellow trees.

The snag in my yard was acquired when the neighbor was taking down a black walnut tree. The tree crew was very helpful in getting one of the large trunks of the tree over the back fence. A deep hole (1/3 of the height of the snag) was dug and the snag was “planted”.

If you have concerns about the appearance of your dead tree in the neighborhood, plant Virginia Creeper at the base. It is a beautiful showy green vine all summer and turns to crimson in fall, with berries the birds love to eat.

Remember- even dead branches within your larger shrubs will serve the purpose of a snag for many of our songbirds.

Have fun with this new aspect of Birdscaping in your yard.

Enjoy your birds!

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Summer Bird Songs

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

I love sitting in my yard at daybreak. It’s an amazing way to greet the day. A summertime foray into the yard at sunrise reveals a wealth of bird songs. There are the resident bird families that are foraging together, as well as the migrant birds that are returning south after breeding in our food-abundant continent.

First to vocalize is always the Robin. I can hear him from the cedars in my yard, just a few soft calls. Could this be his way of making sure the babies are okay through the night? In response, a young American Robin spurts forth emphatic singular notes as if to say “I made it through the night. Where’s the best place for breakfast?”

A European Starling sits alone on the phone wire, beak to the sunrise, it’s raspy short notes singing hail to the day.

The Cardinal bursts forth with repeated songs. It takes a lot of energy to keep singing all of these months. He started in late January as usual. Although he does not sing as often as when he and his mate are breeding, there is still sporadic song throughout the day and always at dawn. I wonder if it is a territorial marker continued, letting other families know that this family of Cardinals feeds in the area delineated by song. What a treasure to have that melodious sound in my yard for so much of the year.

“Chatter, chatter, chatter”. No sign of him, but it’s an Oriole for sure. The confirmation comes with a shortened version of his song. This morning, I am surprised by another male Oriole singing a longer song from the hedge of berry bushes behind me.

Baltimore Oriole – Photo by John Graffius

The Orioles aren’t going to find many berries left. The Eastern Kingbirds came by and stripped them clean. That was another wonderful morning. The distinctive electric song was being given by all four members of the Kingbird family. They sat on the wire and verbalized, went to the hedge to eat, back to the wire again, sometimes preening for a bit. It was a great two days to sit and listen to their raucous contact calls.

The resident White-breasted Nuthatches are just the opposite. Instead of songs, I hear them giving quiet contact calls to their young. When they move through the yard, you can always tell what area they are feeding in because of this verbal behavior.

Another summer resident in the yard has been the House Wren. The contact calls made by the parent to the fledged youngsters is consistent and harsh, much unlike their effervescent song during breeding season.

House Wren – Photo by John Graffius

Then there is the Blue Jay youngster with the constant “wa” call which he makes into two syllables. I think he is definitely asking parents for some breakfast help.

My eyes turn skyward in response to the light version of the twittering calls of Chimney Swifts. I often see this family of five in the morning, racing across the sky and feeding as they go.

Another familiar sound keeps my eyes lifted. It’s the breeding family of Cedar Waxwings. They fly from the oak, to the birches, and then take off, all of them calling together as they fly, a high-pitched, trilled “bzeee”.

Cedar Waxwing – Photo by John Graffius

Soon the hedge in the back reveals the House Finch family has arrived. Their sound is so bright and happy. It’s a joy to listen to baby House Finches. I think it has the same touching quality as the sound of human babies laughing.

Later in the morning line-up, the resident Goldfinch belts out his full breeding song. Late nesters, Goldfinches are still in the thick of feeding nestlings. The insistent calls of the young Goldfinches, “Chippee, chippee”, won’t be heard quite yet.

Starting my day out by listening to the songs of birds is truly one of the best delights of summer.

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Beneficial for Birds, Fun for You – It’s Time to Provide Water

Posted on July 9, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

During the hot and sometimes dry conditions in the summer, birds can use a reliable source of water.

We know that water is essential to all living creatures. In the case of birds, it is vitally important when it is extremely hot and a bird’s ability to regulate its body temperature can be stressed. Birds do not sweat and must remove excess body heat through their respiratory system. When the temperature rises, a bird’s respiration rate increases, sometimes to the point where it can be seen panting like a dog. Panting in this way can dehydrate a bird and increase their need for a reliable source of water to replace lost fluids.

Birds that are familiar with your yard will know where the birdbath is and take advantage of your generosity. Those birds that migrate for purposes of nesting, such as orioles and catbirds, will locate water with their sense of hearing. A moving spring will bring in birds like a magnet. By using a mister or dripper, you can entice birds more readily as they will hear the water dripping into the bowl. Misters have been known to attract hummingbirds and small migrant birds, such as warblers and vireos. They will either fly through the mist or roll in the water that has collected on leaves. Small pumps that cause the water I the bath to move will also make the birdbath more attractive to the birds that are passing by!

Birds drink water by dipping their bill into the water, holding the water in their mouth, and then tipping their head up at a sharp angle, causing the water to flow down their throat. The exceptions to this rule are doves and pigeons, which have the ability to suck water into their mouths.

Bathing serves a different purpose for birds, keeping them “groomed”. The dust and dirt are removed as you would guess, but the preening that follows afterward is essential for feathers to function at their best. As birds preen, they grasp the feather at the base with their bill and move their beak along the feather, smoothing the feather barbs so that they lock together. Any dirt or oil that remains in the feathers after bathing is removed during preening.

Robins are vigorous bathers. They take up the entire bath, dipping down into the water and throwing it over their backs with their wings. Other birds are not quite so boisterous. Chickadees approach the bath with caution and will enter from the edge. The water needs to be shallow for them to feel safe enough to actually bathe. Adding a few small rocks to the edge of your birdbath can entice smaller birds to feel safe enough to bathe as well as drink.

Ideally, the water in the bath should be dumped out daily, and refilled with fresh water for the birds. When emptying the bowl, use a scrubber brush to clean the bowl and rinse thoroughly before refilling. This is necessary to prevent the build-up of algae and mineral deposits. Once a week, I recommend using Microbe-Lift Bath Cleaner, a soybean based liquid that you spray onto the birdbath bowl, scrub thoroughly and then let sit for a minute before rinsing with clear water. In addition, once a month your bird bath should be sterilized. After cleaning, use a solution of one part vinegar (or bleach) to nine parts water and let the solution sit in the bath for 15 minutes. Rinse very well and let sun-dry for a few hours if possible before refilling the bath.

There are liquid solutions that can be added to the birdbath water, designed to help prevent the buildup of stains and mineral deposits on the birdbath surface, such as white scale deposits, iron, copper and hard water stains. Microbe-Lift Bird Bath Clear is soybean based and works well for that purpose. It is not meant as a substitute for the aforementioned cleaning process (click here to order or read more about Microbe-Lift products).

Remember that there will be bird droppings in the water as birds defecate when they bathe, making the water unhealthy for them to drink. This is why it is important to make daily cleaning part of your responsibility to maintain a bird-friendly yard.

Fresh water not only benefits the birds, it prevents mosquito larvae from developing into mosquitoes. The process takes 7 to 10 days from the time a mosquito lays her eggs on the surface. Since the water needs to be stagnant for a mosquito to develop, changing the bird bath water prevents this from happening.

Offering a dependable source of water is probably the simplest thing you can do to increase the variety of birds in your yard. It can also significantly increase your enjoyment of birds as it allows you to watch their antics as they drink, bathe and preen.

Enjoy your birds!

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Kirtland’s Warbler Festival 2016

Posted on May 29, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

The Kirtland’s Warbler is an endangered songbird that nests almost exclusively in the jack pine forests of a small region of northern Michigan. This bird can be recognized both by its striking plumage (broken white eye ring, bright yellow chest, and blueish gray back) and its cheery, almost constant song (“chip-chip-che-way-o!”) sung from the young jack pines. But don’t let its size fool you; this little bird is a fighter! Dependent on fire for its habitat, it returned from near-extinction like a tiny Phoenix rising from the ashes.

In honor of this bird’s remarkable comeback, people gather annually to the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival, held in Roscommon, MI. This year’s event kicks off on June 3rd with a presentation held at the Ralph A. MacMullan Center, also in Roscommon. The following day, June 4th, activities run from 7:00am-5:00pm (click here for a full event program). From 2:30-3:30pm, Rosann Kovalcik, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited Grosse Pointe Woods, will be giving a talk about how to attract birds to your backyard with suggestions on feeder placement, types of feeders, providing water, offering shelter, and using native plants. Other highlights include tours of Kirtland’s Warbler nesting sites, nature presentations, and even a 5k run!

Be sure to mark your calendars for this exciting Pure Michigan event.

Contact Huron Pines at (989) 448-2293 x 21, email info@huronpines.org, or visit the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival website here. Tickets are $25 per person.

Enjoy your birds!

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Tawas Point Birding Festival 2016

Posted on May 28, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

If you love birds, going to the Tawas Point Birding Festival should definitely be on your bucket list. This Michigan Audubon Signature Event is attended annually by bird watchers from all over the globe.

From beginning bird watchers to advanced birders and everyone in between, this festival has it all! Guided tours by boat, bike, and on foot are available. Various speakers lead educational sessions including this year’s keynote speaker, Ian Campbell, who talked about his life as a guide. Other fun events include the Birds and Brews social event, photography workshops, wildflower tours, and more. Attendees can pick and choose which events they’d like to attend, or simply go off and explore the grounds on their own, with the potential of seeing 180+ species of birds!

This year’s event had sunny weather and cheery faces, as people came together to share their love of birds. Although it was not the most warbler-saturated year as compared to other years, there were still plenty of beautiful birds to be found. Bright red Scarlet Tanagers and flame-orange Baltimore Orioles lit up the trees, while various warblers flitted about, capturing the attention of birders of all ages. It was exciting to see a group of elementary school boys who were learning and testing their ID skills, as well as a group of local birders doing a Birding Bachelor Party (including photographer and blogger Paul Poronto).

Another reason to visit this magical place is the presence of various endangered species, including the Piping Plover (click here to learn more) and the Kirtland’s Warbler (click here for more information). Unfortunately, the plovers did not make their usual appearance at this year’s festival, but the male Kirtland’s Warblers were singing their hearts out among the jack pine trees.

At Wild Birds Unlimited Grosse Pointe Woods, we believe in fostering and enjoying the love of birds. Attending events like this one are a wonderful way to share our passion and enjoy this beautiful state! Be sure to stay tuned for next year’s event. Check for dates at the Tawas Birding Festival website.

Enjoy your birds!

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Goldfinches ~ Breeding Beauties

Posted on February 25, 2016 by Rosann Kovalcik

The American Goldfinch remains one of the most beloved birds at our feeders. With their bright yellow color, their dainty behavior and uplifting song, their popularity is understandable.

Their flight pattern is distinctive as well; bouncy and undulating, often accompanied by their flight call which sounds as if they are saying “perchickaree” or “potato chip”.

Often referred to as Wild Canaries, these birds can be easily attracted to your yard with their favorite plants as well as bird feeders. The Goldfinches’ natural habitats are weedy fields and floodplains.

Goldfinches are not an aggressive bird in their feeding areas, both natural and at your feeders. Giving them a space where their feeder is not as close to others will decrease the chances of them being chased away. Goldfinches will eat both nyjer (thistle) and sunflower seeds. A combination of both sunflower and nyjer (thistle) seed is a great way to satisfy their need for fat and protein.

American Goldfinches are the only finch that molts their feathers twice per year. March is the time to look for the males to appear with sporadic bright yellow feathers replacing their khaki camouflage feathers. Goldfinches will also grow new tail and wing feathers, unlike many birds that molt feathers with the exception of those two areas. Creating these additional feathers requires a great deal of food and energy, with the molt taking six weeks to complete. This explains why they may use feeders so heavily in the Spring as a supplement to natural foods.

Nesting soon after the monumental physical change of molt would be additionally draining, and is the reason that Goldfinches nest in late June and July. The female selects the nest site, builds the nest, lays the eggs, and incubates without the help of the male.

Constructed of small grasses and soft, downy material, the base of the nest is attached to the twigs with spider webs for strength. The average clutch size is five eggs which are incubated for twelve days. The fledgling period that the chicks spend in the nest while being fed by their parents is also around twelve days.

Young goldfinches are one of the few birds that are fed a diet of seeds only, with no protein in the form of insects. Young goldfinches are very vocal in their efforts to be fed. Listen to the birds in your yard and you will hear the babies chiming out their “chippee, chippee” quite regularly.

If House Sparrows with their large flock numbers are becoming a challenge to your Goldfinches, try using the feeders designed for the Goldfinches to feed upside down. A goldfinches’ body is built so that they can readily adapt to feeding upside down, something which is more challenging for House Sparrows. You can further make your finch feeders more sparrow-resistant by trimming the perches down to one inch.

Having a total seed diet creates a real thirst in these birds. A birdbath with a shallow area gives goldfinches the ability to bathe at a depth that they can handle. Placing a few rocks inside your birdbath to copy a natural streamside setting is a perfect way to entice Goldfinches. Clean, fresh water is essential to the birds’ health; therefore, a daily brushing, rinse, and refill of the birdbath is your best strategy.

Creating a garden for Goldfinches is easy. The seeds of plants in the Asteraceae (Compositae) family area a sure bet. Try Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium), Cutleaf Coneflowers (Rudbeckia laciniata), and Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum). A favorite in my yard is Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) – sometimes I can count a dozen of these golden beauties mixed in with the equally bright flowers.

Native thistle is very attractive to Goldfinches not only for a food source – the down of the plant is used as a lining for their nest. Try Field Thistle (Cirsium discolor), Flogman’s thistle (Cirsium flodmanii) and Wavyleaf Thistle (Cirsium undulatum).

Enjoy the beauty that Goldfinches add to your yard.

Enjoy your birds!

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Prevent Window Strikes – Save our Birds!

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

For a birdwatcher, the spring and fall migration seasons are a time to anticipate the marvel of migration that many species of birds undertake to return to and from our continent.

North America provides them with sufficient insect resources to raise the next generation, a good return on investment of their flight north. Some of them travel from as far away as Chile, no small feat for a bird that can weigh as little as .46 oz.!

This long trip is no simple undertaking; birds face many challenges during migration. Finding food sources, enduring weather extremes and evading predators on a daily basis while traveling is hard enough for birds. If you throw in human factors, namely window strikes, their difficult journey becomes all the more perilous.

As someone who hears about birds that have met their death by flying into a window on a regular basis, I feel compelled to educate as many people as possible about how to prevent this sad situation. Most of the reports of this type of death happen during the migration months.

If foliage or sky is reflected in the glass, that is what the bird is seeing, and indicates that your window is a potential hazard.

The American Bird Conservancy estimates we lose a billion birds each year as a result of this relatively new challenge the birds face. I say “relatively new” because birds have been migrating for many years longer than we have had buildings with windows constructed on this continent. The birds see the reflection of the out of doors in windows and fly into them, thinking they are flying into continued habitat.

We often notice that the bird is stunned and will fly off after a while. This should not necessarily bring us relief. In actuality, a collision will temporarily stun a bird, and many times these birds die later from internal bleeding or bruising, especially on the brain. Dr. Daniel Klem of Muhlenberg College has researched this issue since the 1970s. He writes, “Intensive studies at single homes reveal one out of every two strikes results in a fatality.” Klem adds, “Glass is an indiscriminate killer that takes the fit as well as the unfit of a species’ population.”

Window strikes can be prevented. Start by identifying the windows that pose the greatest threats. Large picture windows or a pair of windows at right angles to each other are usually the most dangerous. Stand in your yard and look at what the bird is seeing. If it is foliage or sky reflected in the glass, that is what the bird is seeing, and indicates that your window is a potential hazard.

To prevent window strikes, there are products that are placed on the outside of the windows. Cover the glass on the outside with window screening or netting at least 3 inches from the glass, taut enough to bounce birds off before they can hit the glass. Small-mesh netting is best (5/8″ in diameter), so if birds do fly into it they won’t get their heads or bodies entangled but will bounce off unharmed. You can mount the netting on a frame, such as a storm-window frame, for easy installation and removal. You can also place decals, stickers, or mylar strips on the outside of the window. Keep in mind that these are only effective when placed very close together. Current studies reveal that four inches apart is the best solution. At Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods we carry American Bird Conservancy bird tape and Window Alert decals. Both products are made of a component that brilliantly reflects the ultraviolet sunlight. With vision twelve times better than ours, birds see this as a “stoplight”. Very importantly, the decals need to be replaced every six to nine months, the tape strips every four years as they lose their effectiveness with the fading of the UV coating as a result of sun exposure.

We all have windows so we all have the potential to create a lethal situation for migratory birds. Let’s get the word out to all our friends and families so that we can prevent something that IS so preventable. A bird in the trees is worth far more than a bird in the hand.

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