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Black-capped Chickadees

Posted on October 6, 2014 by admin

I’ve seen Black-capped Chickadees work their wonder on even the toughest of men. Once they begin to talk about these birds and their visits to their bird feeders, words like “cute” and “adorable” start to become part of their conversation. And rightly so! This is one of the best parts of my job as the owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods!

Black-capped Chickadees are the darlings of the bird world. This tiny bird, only five inches in length and weighing .3 to .5 ounces, has a short neck and large head, giving it a distinctive, rather spherical body shape. The tail is narrow and long, which can be noticed at a distance. The short bill is one of the cutest features – a bit thicker than a warbler’s but thinner than a finch’s. The cap and bib are black, the cheeks white, the back soft gray, the wing feathers gray edged with white, and the underparts soft buffy on the sides grading to white beneath. The cap extends down just below the tiny black eyes. The average age that a chickadee reaches is two to four years with the oldest living chickadee on record having attained the age of twelve years and five months.

In addition, their behavior and their voice add to their cuteness factor. Chickadees fly with a slight up and down roll instead of in a straight line. Their wings blur in short, fast bursts of speed. They can cling to feeders in a number of positions. When eating in the wild, they are foliage gleaners, turning every way necessary to inspect for insects and seeds. It seems that everyone learns the namesake call of a chickadee as his or her first bird “song”.

The more dee notes in a chickadee-dee-dee call, the higher the threat level that is being communicated to others. Most birds that associate with chickadee flocks respond to chickadee alarm calls, even when their own species doesn’t have a similar alarm call. The territorial/mating song of the Black-capped Chickadee is a simple, pure 2 or 3-note whistled descending “fee-bee” or “hey, sweetie”.
Chickadees are one of the easiest birds to attract to bird feeders, coming to suet as well as a variety of seeds including sunflower, safflower and peanuts. They acclimate to all types of feeders as well. Black-capped Chickadees seldom remain at feeders except to grab a seed to eat elsewhere, holding the seed between their feet and using their tiny bill as a chisel to remove the shell. Chickadees will store seed away in anticipation of winter, a process called caching.

Black-capped Chickadee by Andrea Rose

One of the most fascinating facts about chickadees is their capacity to remember where they cached their seeds. In their brains, neurons contain long-term memory and are used to store the information regarding seed location. Once a neuron contains a long-term memory, it is permanently altered, no longer able to be used in circuits involved in new memory formation. Small birds are able to allow neurons containing old information to die, replacing them with new neurons so they can adapt to changes, including the new location of stored food. Researchers at the Rockefeller University found new neurons in the chickadee hippocampal complex throughout the year, peaking in October, just in time to cache for the winter!

How do these little sprites manage to survive through the winter? Chickadees use a “scarf” strategy, with feathers covering their nostrils in order to pre-heat the air that enters their lungs. Fluffing their feathers is another winter strategy utilized by Chickadees. A study done to measure the effectiveness of this strategy showed that in zero degree weather, the temperature next to a Chickadees body was 70 degrees as a result of the insulating ability of the fluffed feathers. In addition, when they are molting for fall plumage, they grow back 30% more feathers for insulation.

Chickadees are also able to go hypothermic each night, dropping their core temperature down by 15 degrees. This allows them to conserve up to 25% of their energy needs. Chickadees also have the ability to shiver for a prolonged period of time, which helps to produce body heat. There is an organ inside of a chickadee’s ear, the Vitale organ, which detects changes in barometric pressure, signaling a change in the weather. This explains the flurry of activity at the feeder before an on coming storm! Chickadees use cavities to spend the night, which also affords them protection from the elements. Leaving a nest box (bird house) out during the winter may help them in the event of a shortage of natural cavities, such as those made by woodpeckers.

Chickadees mate for life and the pair is the core of a winter flock. Other non-breeding chickadees within that flock are generally not the offspring of the adult pair. Other bird species that associate with chickadee flocks in the winter include nuthatches, woodpeckers, kinglets, and brown creepers.

Whether in the field or watching through your window, I hope that you have a chance to be entertained by Black-capped Chickadees.

Enjoy your birds!
Rosann
Wild Birds Unlimited of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

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Get Ready for Fall and Winter Bird Feeding

Posted on October 6, 2014 by admin

Let’s talk about the importance of cleaning your bird feeder At Wild Birds Unlimited, of Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, we know with the change to cooler temperatures, many people will be getting their yard ready for fall and winter wild bird feeding. At Wild Birds Unlimited of Grosse Pointe Woods, we can help you review your feeding strategy in order to get the most enjoyment from the hobby of bird feeding.

Good, quality seeds are the staple of any feeding station in the colder months. Once natural seeds have been depleted, birds will look to supplement their diet with the bird seed at your feeders. The most favored seed is the black oil sunflower, favored by more birds than any other seed. Using sunflower as the main seed in a blend and adding other favored seeds such as safflower and white proso millet will bring in all of the resident birds. Birds that perch while they eat prefer the sunflower and safflower, whereas the ground feeding birds prefer the millet that falls to the ground from the bird feeder.

House Finch with a safflower seed, by Andrea Rose

Before you fill your wild bird feeder, make sure that it has been cleaned and sterilized. A good soak in some warm water will loosen all of the dirt that builds up in most tube feeders. The soft bristles of feeder brushes allow you to scrub without scratching the feeders. To sterilize, add one part vinegar or bleach to ten parts water and let the feeder soak for at least ten minutes. Always rinse thoroughly before letting the feeder dry completely and filling. With a wooden feeder, follow the same steps without a prolonged soak.

Make sure that the placement of your bird feeders allows birds to fly to cover in the form of bushes or evergreens in the event that a cat or a hawk pursues them. If you use a number of bird feeders, it is a good idea to keep some distance in between them so that the birds are not competing with each other for space. Offering seeds at a lower level for the ground feeding birds by using a platform feeder will give those birds their own space as well as keeping the seed dry. Thistle, or nyger, is the seed of choice for American Goldfinches and other winter finch visitors. Suet is the favored bird feeding station delicacy if you are trying to satisfy woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches. This high fat food goes a long way in keeping birds fueled with the energy that they need. In the colder months, birds don’t necessarily need different foods; they just need more of it! Don’t be surprised to see your feeders empty more rapidly in response to the dip in temperature.

Water is a necessity for birds all through the year and winter is no exception. Heaters can be added to existing baths or, complete baths with a heater built in can be purchased. And then, there is always the daily ritual of taking the hot water out each day and replacing the frozen water with this new source! Whichever you use, your birds will appreciate this necessity of life being provided to them.

One of the most forgotten elements of a favorable winter habitat is shelter. When the temperature drops and the wind increases, birds need shelter more than anything. Evergreens can provide this element but if your yard lacks them, consider adding a winter roost box or a birdhouse. I was delighted to learn that this years’ fledged downy woodpecker has been using a birdhouse that I placed in my yard. Every night at the same time, he lands on the roof and looks around, and once “The coast is clear”; he enters the house for shelter through the night. There are roost boxes that can be placed within the yard to provide shelter for a number of birds at one time. Sharing body heat, the chance of survival increases for those birds that roost together.

From your point of view, the placement of bird feeders is all about your point of view. If you situate them where you can’t enjoy them, bird feeding will become a chore as opposed to a hobby for you to enjoy. Ask yourself where in your home you are most likely to sit and watch the birds. Don’t rule out the side or front yards if they are where you find yourself looking out the window. A small window bird feeder added to the kitchen is another way to enhance the hobby for your enjoyment. Feel good about yourself for providing for these fragile creatures during this time of challenge for them.

Enjoy your birds!

Rosann Kovalcik,

Owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, Grosse Pointe Woods

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Why Molting Birds Need Fat and Protein

Posted on October 6, 2014 by admin

Here at Wild Birds Unlimited in Grosse Pointe Woods we have had customers reporting that their finches are beginning to lose their bright summer plumage. Molting is the process by which a bird replaces its feathers.
In preparation for winter weather, birds in this area grow a fuller body of feathers and consume bird food that is higher in fat and protein to accomplish this feat.

When a bird replaces all of the feathers on its body, it is described as a full molt. A partial molt may occur between full molts for some species of birds as they replace only a portion of their feathers. An example of a partial molt is when American Goldfinches obtain their bright breeding plumage by replacing only their body feathers each spring (see picture). Their body plumage, flight and tail feathers are all replaced during a full molt each fall.

Every molting bird needs extra proteins to grow strong feathers for proper flight and effective insulation against the elements of cold and wind. Feathers are over 90% protein, primarily keratins. A bird’s feathers contain 25% of the total protein found within its entire body. The main ingredients a bird needs to consume when growing feathers are amino acids (protein) and lipids (fats). Birds will eat more of their daily diets and seek out bird food high in protein and fat to satisfy both the extra energy requirements and the needed building blocks.

As I look at the birds in my Michigan yard, I am reminded of the molting process when watching the Downy Woodpeckers. They seem to be at the Bark Butter feeder constantly, the male, female and young taking turns. The adults have plumage that looks older, grayer and definitely worn from all of their trips into the nest cavity. The constant in and out against the edge of the entrance hole as they carried insects for the babies has taken its’ toll. No wonder they are so attracted to the blend of peanuts and beef fat, both very high in fat and protein.

When you offer bird foods that will satisfy their molting needs, you will be reward you with longer views of them at the feeders. Sunflowers out of the shell as well as shelled peanuts provide birds with quick energy as well as protein and fat. Beef fat in the form of our premium Wild Birds Unlimited suet and Bark Butter are great for insect eating birds including woodpeckers, Black-capped Chickadees, Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches and Carolina Wrens. Mealworms are another great way to help your molting birds. The Cardinal pair and Chickadees practically line up when they see me heading out to the mealworm feeder.

female Northern Cardinal molting

A diet low in protein or fats can cause improperly colored or formed feathers. Duller colored birds may have trouble attracting a mate. Defective, frayed or curved feathers could seriously hinder birds’ flying or insulation abilities.

When feeding the wild birds in your yard, consider adding some fat and protein to the menu – for the wild birds, that is! Then, feel good about the part you played in helping them create those colorful, sturdy feathers that will serve them well through the season.

Enjoy your wild birds!
Rosann
Wild Birds Unlimited of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
Rosann@wildbirdsgpw.com

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Wild Birds Secret Hiding Places for Winter Food

Posted on October 6, 2014 by admin

Here in Michigan we know as temperatures cool and the change of season is upon us, birds in your garden are looking for secret hiding places for their winter foods.

Many wild bird species store food for winter as a precaution against potentially meager food supplies in the colder months. This activity is called caching, and it typically takes place in the late summer and fall months when food is abundant. If you have trees full of nature’s bounty of acorns or a birdfeeder filled with seeds, you can witness firsthand the numerous quick trips being made by your garden birds between those food sources and a secret hiding place.

Bird species that frequently cache foods include jays, chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and crows. These birds store hundreds of seeds a day, and each seed is placed in a different location. With some birds using hundreds of caches, a large memory is required to relocate the seeds. It has been proven that in some species, the chickadees and titmice in particular, the birds use a physiological response to the need for memory: their brains grow larger! The portion of the brain that is responsible for memory is called the hippocampus and it increases in size in these bird species during the autumn and winter. When spring arrives, it shrinks smaller again in response to the newly emerging insects that provide a bountiful food source.

What about the non-migratory birds in your yard that do not grow a larger memory brain section? What do these wild birds do in the winter? Researchers hypothesize that these birds simply relocate the stored food. By providing an easily accessible food source, you can help your birds with their caching needs. You can also have a great time watching birds locate secret hiding places and discovering them throughout your yard.

The location of caches (hiding places) will vary depending on the bird’s habitat. Popular storage areas include seeds and nuts wedged into the bark of trees or beneath house eaves or shingles, and many birds will cache food by burying it or covering it with leaves or mulch, or pushing the food into soft soil. Birds have been observed pushing seeds into flower petals in an effort to hide them. In forested areas, birds are often responsible for helping tree growth from their stored nuts and seeds.

Chickadees cache more frequently during the middle of the day and will carry seeds (in the shell and out) and nuts, typically within 100 feet from feeders. Chickadees also cache insects and other invertebrate prey. Some of their favorite places to cache is in knotholes, bark crevices, under shingles, in the ground and on the underside of small branches.

Nuthatches prefer to cache hulled sunflower seeds, because they are easier and faster to cache and occasionally they will cache mealworms. Nuthatches generally choose heavier seeds because they are larger and have a higher oil content, caching within about 45 feet from feeders. Different from Chickadees, the Nuthatches are most active with caching early in the day, storing food in bark crevices on large tree trunks and on the underside of branches.

Tufted Titmice cache sunflower, peanuts and safflower, typically cached about 130 feet from feeders. Titmice cache one seed at a time and typically choose the largest seeds available, often removing seeds from their shell (80% of the time) before hiding them.

Insects are also looking for secret hiding places during the winter to avoid being found by predators – specifically the birds in our yards. Insect hiding locations include under the leaves of trees, under leaf litter, mulch, rocks and logs, in bark crevices and behind loose tree bark, as well as in, under and around rotting logs or dead branches of trees and bushes, inside seed heads of flowers, inside of woodpecker holes and within bird nests, and in openings in cement, mortar and bricks.

Insects can also create galls, which are orb-like formations in plants. They burrow into the plant and suck the inner plant tissue, causing the tissue to swell and form a sort of bubble. They sequester themselves inside the bubble, and the bubble of plant tissue protects them from the elements during the winter. These galls are no match for the Downy Woodpeckers in our yards. Their light weight allows them to cling onto stems without breaking the plant, and their strong bill taps a perfect hole for their barbed tongue to enter, extracting the insect from the gall with precision.

Autumn is a great time to sit back and take a moment to look for those secret hiding places and marvel at the wonders that happen in your own garden. Enjoy your birds!

Rosann Kovalcik,

Wild Birds Unlimited, Grosse Pointe Woods

Rosann@wildbirdsgpw.com

*Red-bellied Woodpecker Images provided by Janet Kissick Hug

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