Rosann Kovalcik, Author at

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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What’s in the Yard for Fall?

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

This time of year can be so relaxing and rewarding in our yards because of the changing bird activity. The number of Hummingbirds reported here at Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods reveals that there is a good population of them in many yards. This is their time of year to fatten up at feeders and flowers as they make their way back to Mexico or in some cases, as far south as Costa Rica. Hummingbird feeders should be kept up through mid-October, the latest date that we get reports of hummingbirds.

Goldfinch numbers also swell as youngsters accompany their parents, making their presence known by the constant “chippee, chippee”, their begging call for food. In many yards, feeders have every perch taken by a Goldfinch. In the tall coreopsis and the woodland sunflower that grow in my yard, the Goldfinches gather by the dozens to gorge themselves on the bounty of seeds that are now available on these flowers.

Blue jay vocalizations are also more prevalent as they begin their southward journey. I always hope that a few will decide to make my yard a part of their winter habitat. Just the opposite of the increasing blue jay screams, most of the resident birds have become silent. The Cardinal still sings early in the morning, but only then. No more days filled with the songs of the Robins, interspersed with the “coo” of the Morning Dove and the “fee-bee” of the Chickadee. The Chickadees are still vocal but in a different way. Their territorial call has been replaced with contact calls. Now we hear “dee-dee” or “chickadee”, which are both sounds Chickadees use to let the rest of the flock know their whereabouts.

Did you know that the more times a Chickadee uses the “dee”, the more urgent is the message to the rest of the flock? When I was outside very early the other day, I heard a chorus of “dee-dee-dee-dee-dee” being repeated more than once, and from more than one bird. I could also hear the raspy alarm calls of the Baltimore Orioles that were just at the feeders. Then the Blue Jays joined in and that’s when I knew this was serious.

My experience tells me to follow these alarm calls, binoculars in hand. I located the place where the birds were frantically calling and flitting about. I began to scout each branch in the tall oak in front of my house. Sitting all huddled up as if to say “Leave me alone!” was an eastern Screech Owl. How cool is that. The poor thing endured many more minutes of scolding. When a light drizzle started, all of the songbirds scattered as if they were concerned over getting a little wet.

With the cooler temperatures that we have been having this August, I have been sleeping with windows open so that I can greet the day with the sounds of birds. Promptly at 6:50 each morning, a number of Orioles begin to verbalize – beautiful clear whistles accompanied by their chatter. I’m sure some of these are siblings arguing over the mounds of jelly that I put out for them the night before. What a feast for my eyes to see males and females as well as juvenile plumage.

There have also been a number of warblers migrating south this time of year. Watch for them gleaning insects from the evergreens and deciduous trees. I’ve had Wilson’s Warbler and American Redstart eating insects as well as visiting the birdbath – the noise of dripping water gets them every time.

At dusk, some of us may live in an area where we can watch the spectacle of blackbirds gathering in large flocks. These flocks are comprised of Red-winged Blackbirds, Grackles and Cowbirds. They usually choose large trees as a roosting area for the night. It can be interesting to watch them as they drop into the trees and then listen to their version of a nighttime lullaby, which our human ears might label as squawking and screeching.

Take the time to watch for new fall migrants as well as seeing our resident birds settle into fall flocks and fatten up after a hectic summer of breeding. You never know what you might see.

Enjoy your birds!

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House Sparrows – Love them or ?

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

At Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods, some of the most prevalent questions we are asked in late summer are, “What kind of seeds can I use that sparrows DO NOT like?” or, “What do I do about the house sparrows crowding out my other birds?”

House Sparrows can be found almost everywhere in this area, close to our homes and other buildings. They have a tendency to displace native birds from nest boxes, which causes some people to resent them. We must remember that because they have the ability to live so well among us, they are beneficiaries of our own success.

Identifying a House Sparrow should be easy. Look for the flock of birds that descend upon your feeders or gather in your shrubs and trees, chirping noisily in their sparrow language. I think they are letting others know where the latest feeders have been filled, so that the whole crowd may call others to the feast. Males change plumage this time of year, with their black bib becoming muted. Females and juveniles are perhaps the blandest bird in your yard with very little distinguishing characteristics other than being brown.

How do you attract House Sparrows? They will eat anything that you have to offer, from stale baked goods to the jelly that you put out for purposes of attracting Orioles. Any structure that has the ability for them to get inside will suit their purposes for breeding. In addition to using cavities or nest boxes for raising their young, they also use these spaces for shelter each day, adding materials that they gather for purposes of insulation. The House Sparrow is actually a Weaver Finch, not a true sparrow like our native White-throated Sparrows or Dark-eyed Juncos that visit our feeders.

So how do you limit the number of House Sparrows in your yard, if that is your goal? Make sure that your nest boxes have openings that are not larger than 1 ¼” or they will be able to get inside, precluding the House Wrens and Chickadees from using the nest box. If the opening is larger, place a metal protector over the entrance to deny them access. Look for places they gather and eliminate access to those places. Because they are not native to the United States, it is not illegal to disrupt their nesting. For example, it is perfectly acceptable to clean their nests out of your gutters before you add gutter guards. Observe them and you will be able to find their nesting spots and eliminate them by stopping their access to the area.

Keeping them out of feeders is another story altogether. For finch feeders, the answer is to trim your perches so that they are short enough for a Goldfinch to use and too large for a House Sparrows’ wider body to fit on the perch. What size would that be? Start with an inch long perch and modify down from there as needed. There is also a finch feeder where seed can only be accessed when the bird is hanging upside down. Goldfinches can do this easily whereas House Sparrows have a much more difficult time accomplishing this feat.

Using formed seed cylinders and cakes is also helpful in attracting Chickadees, Woodpeckers and Cardinals, all of which use their strong beak or ability to peck or pry a seed apart from the cylinder in order to feed. House sparrows are not as well equipped in this regard so it is not as easy for them to use seed cylinders. However, once the cylinder is crumbling apart, House Sparrows will be there to take advantage of the opportunity.

Feeding with plain suet is another way to attract quality, native birds such as Downy Woodpeckers and Black-capped Chickadees without being very attractive to House Sparrows. The suet cakes that have added seeds and peanuts are especially attractive to House Sparrows and should be avoided during this time of year if you are trying not to attract the post-breeding crowd of House Sparrows. There are suet feeders that allow only woodpeckers to reach the suet inside of the sandwich of the feeder, as well as suet feeders that can only be accessed from underneath, something more difficult for House Sparrows than it is for Woodpeckers and other clingers.

If your yard is attracting a large flock of sparrows, it may be the scene of what some would consider entertainment. This is the time of year that young Sharp-shinned Hawks and Cooper’s Hawks are honing their hunting skills. House Sparrows will scatter like a bursting firework when one of these predatory birds decides they would make a good meal.

And on a different note, larger groups of birds are a great way to introduce small children to birds at a feeder. The commotion that is caused by a group of feasting House Sparrows is a good way for a toddler to be brought closer to Nature by watching the birds’ behavior. Perhaps birds that are flying over your yard will witness the flock of sparrows as well, and it will act as a welcome flag to those migrants.

Enjoy Your Birds !!

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Water – an Essential Element for Birds

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

During the hot and sometimes dry conditions that we face in the summer, birds can use a reliable source of water. Whether they are birds that are visiting your feeders or not, all birds need a source of water and will come to a birdbath or pond. At Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods, we want to help you take care of your resident birds as well as attract migrating birds to your yard.

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 create the same sounds as that moving spring, and entice birds more readily as they hear the water dripping into the bowl. Small pumps that cause the water in the bath to move will also make the birdbath more attractive to the birds that are passing by! Misters have been known to attract hummingbirds and small migrant birds, such as warblers and vireos. They fly through the mist or roll in the water that has collected on leaves.

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 and Goldfinches 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. When emptying the bowl, use a scrubber brush to clean the bowl. This is helpful in preventing the build up of algae and mineral deposits and removing the “dirty bath tub ring”. Rinse thoroughly before refilling the bath.

There are liquid solutions that can be added to the birdbath water, designed to prevent mineral deposits including crusty white scale, iron, copper and hard water stains. This does not prevent the need to clean daily as you will still have bird droppings in the water. Birds defecate when they bathe, making the water unhealthy for them to drink.

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 from an egg, changing the bird bath water prevents this from happening.

Every so often we need to deep clean the bird bath no matter how hard we try to keep it clean. A solution of nine parts water to one part white vinegar will do the trick (bleach is often recommended – I find it harsher than necessary).

Placing your bird baths in the shade helps to reduce algae growth, slows water evaporation and keeps the water fresh longer. Also, birds can’t fly well when they’re wet, which makes them vulnerable to predators when they’re bathing. With the cover of shrubs or trees close by, birds will feel safe because they can escape if they sense a cat or a hawk. This placement also allows the birds to have quick access to a perch where they can groom their feathers. After bathing for a few minutes, a bird usually perches in a sunny spot and fluffs its feathers out to dry. Then it carefully preens each feather, adding a protective coating of oil secreted by a gland at the base of its tail.

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.

Grab those binoculars and enjoy your birds!

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The Garden at Daybreak

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

We’ve entered a new chapter in local birdwatching. Spring migration is past, and we can now settle into watching the resident birds. This is exactly what I did on a recent Sunday morning.

Of course, morning in bird time is at about 4:30 a.m. That’s when the robins start to sing in my neighborhood. The saying “the early bird gets the worm” definitely fits in this case.
The cardinal adds to the chorus 15 minutes later. The sweet song of the familiar cardinal never feels ordinary to my ears. I lay in bed and through the open windows I listen for him. Will he choose “woit, woit, woit, chew, chew, chew, chew”? Or will today start out with “pichew, pichew, tiw, tiw, tiw, tiw”? It’s not the same everyday, and that mystifies me. I can think of no better greeter to the morning than the Northern Cardinal.

House Wren singing

I am sitting on the deck amidst the garden, wrapped in a blanket with a hot cup of tea by 5:00 a.m. It is then that the House Wren springs forth out of his night roost and begins to sing with much vigor. He bursts into song that last a solid half hour. It is amazing that anything so small can be so lively and loud. All the while, the sun is starting to show itself and the light on the birds is tremendous.

Baltimore Oriole by John Graffius

And the most tremendous bird by way of color is certainly the Baltimore Oriole. Each time I see them, I am in awe by the vibrant orange and deep black plumage. The dominant male oriole announces himself at about 5:15 a.m. from some nearby perch that I cannot see and then heads into the yard from the east. Over the cedars he comes, stopping by to check out his supply of nectar, grape jelly and mealworms. After a quick breakfast, he is on his way, always leaving the yard by flying between the houses toward the street. Before he takes flight, he sings again from the feeder. Next in line is the other male, who is not quite as brilliant in color. He’s always second to eat.

American Goldfinch male

Also arriving and accompanied by lovely song are the goldfinches. A resident pair comes in each morning to feed together. I guess all the other goldies have left to establish a breeding area elsewhere, as these are the only two who show up. It’s always a real pleasure to have nesting goldfinches. Even though nest building doesn’t begin until July, the male has been singing and engaging in courtship flight, swirling into the air above the yard as he serenades the female below. One of their favorite places in the yard is the corner where the coreopsis and the woodland sunflower are blooming. They often visit there after they eat at the finch feeder. Throughout the morning I hear their soft whistles and see their little yellow heads amongst the garden flowers that compete with them for brightness.

The sense of sight is not the only sense to get a workout this morning. My sense of hearing is engaged as I hear the raspy little voice of young chickadees. Following the sound, I realize that they are in the evergreens next to the driveway. Although I cannot see them, I see the branches moving about and I know to relax and watch. I’m rewarded with a glimpse of these cute little sprites, their tails shorter than their parents’. The two of them follow the adult and make the sweetest calls as they move about. Of course, I wonder if they are asking all about how to find caterpillars and other goodies. “What’s this Dad?” “Watch me!”

The sunlight is now filtering down through the cedars and the only way to tell who is at the low birdbath is to use binoculars. This is the favorite birdbath in the yard, for it has the dripper and the birds sure seem to enjoy a good shower. Sitting as still as possible so as not to alarm them in their vulnerable state, I get great looks at female oriole, followed by a starling, robin, female cardinal and then a Red-breasted Nuthatch, the bonus bird of the morning. Each one of them has taken the time to splash themselves all over with the water from the dripper, then leave by hopping up the branches of the cedar until a safe place is found to preen before flying off.

The House Wren has taken up with song again. His breakfast time must be over. He starts in one corner of the yard and covers all corners and places in between, including singing from the gutter on the second floor. He looks so small up there. His size reminds me that this bird has come from as far south as Central or South America, and I am amazed by this feat for such a small creature.

So much entertainment in such a short time! In a little over an hour, I’ve had a quality dose of nature that I can reflect on all through the day. It makes it worth it to greet daybreak with the birds every so often.

Enjoy your birds!

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What’s a Songbird?

Posted on June 1, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

The morning chorus of spring begins quite early in the day. I’ve heard robins singing at 4:30 a.m.!

A songbird or oscine is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of Passeriformes, in which the vocal organ developed in such a way as to produce various sounds that we commonly refer to as bird song. Interestingly, many of the birds that belong to this classification do not have a song that we would consider melodic. Take the nuthatch, for example. The repetitive “wic, wic, wic, wic” may not sound like a song to us, but it certainly does the trick or we wouldn’t have been watching a young nuthatch being fed by parents on our bird walks. What about the simple song of the chickadee – “fee-be” or “fee-be-bay”? Not a very long or complex song, yet chickadees are classified as songbirds.

White-breasted Nuthatch by Bill Rapai

Birds sing first and foremost to express territory ownership. With his song, a resident male alerts other males of the same species that the territory is taken. Secondly, the song is meant to attract a female of the same species so that the male can carry on his genes. After mating has taken place, the males’ song acts as a pair bond, letting the female know that her mate is within their territory.

From a birdwatcher’s perspective, song has a different meaning. The complex, burbling, and constant song of the house wren lets us know that he has returned, ready to claim the nest boxes that have been set out for use. The various songs of warblers alert us that they have safely arrived this far in their migration. As foliage becomes thicker, songs alert us as to which birds to look for if we are out and about with binoculars.

Blackburnian Warbler by Jerry Jourdan

There are many songbirds that can be attracted to feeders including goldfinches, house finches, cardinals, chickadees, jays and nuthatches. Then there are other songbirds that are attracted to feeders that many people do not prefer including red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds, and common grackles. There are also some premier songbirds that we wish we could attract to feeders such as the wood thrush and veery; alas, they are not attracted to anything but insects.

To poets and writers, song birds are the subject of much writing. Clarence Hawkes wrote about the common grackle –

“The grackles are here and that is quite clear.
The morning is ringing, – not with their singing,
But with their talking, they’re piping and squawking . . .”

On a brighter note, John Proctor Mills wrote –

“There’s a song on each swiging bough –
Of the forest green with spring,
There’s a golden note from the Oriole’s throat –
That the whispering zephyrs bring.”

Baltimore Oriole by John Graffius

How ironic that each of these birds are part of the same family of birds, the Icteridae, making them related even though their songs are so dissimilar.

Whatever a songbird means to you, this is the season for listening. The earlier in the day the better, to take advantage of the possibilities that are open to us. To heighten the experience, close your eyes while you are sitting in your yard and key in on your sense of sound. You’ll be amazed at what you might hear this time of year.

Enjoy your birds!

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Goldfinches Prefer Fresh Seed

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Rosann Kovalcik

The American Goldfinch is a bird that can be found in Southeastern Michigan throughout the year. Attracting them to feeders in your yard includes offering fresh seed. Goldfinches prefer Nyjer (formerly known as thistle) and sunflower seed. When offering either of these seeds, freshness is key.

Nyjer is grown in Nigeria and Ethipoia and is heat sterilized before being imported into the United States. This kills noxious weed seeds that could germinate once they fell to the ground. Sometimes, over-heating causes the Nyjer to become dried out, similar to what can happen when a coffee bean is roasted. When this happens, Goldfinches will turn up their beaks at the seed.

Old seed will lose its’ oil content and will also be ignored by Goldfinches as well as other finches. Check for freshness by looking for black, shiny seed. If a package contains brown seed, that’s an indicator that the seed is old and dry.

When purchasing seed, make sure you buy only enough to last you a month. Keep it stored in an airtight container.

Use a weather guard over your finch feeder to prevent moisture from entering the feeder. Feeder fresh is a product that can be added to seed to keep moisture from affecting the seed. This compound is non-toxic, inert and chemically similar to sand. Once it absorbs its’ own weight in water it will discontinue absorbing and be identical to the sand grit that birds normally ingest.

If seed that you are using has become clumped or moldy, make sure that you thoroughly clean the feeder with a soap and water solution and sterilize the feeder in one part bleach or vinegar to ten parts water. Rinse and let air dry completely before refilling with fresh seed.

American Golfinch male by Andrea Rose

Enjoy your birds!

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