It’s officially summertime and while many of us are taking time off, birds are working harder than ever! If you haven’t already noticed, mommy and daddy birds are everywhere working hard to take care of their sweet little babies in the nests they worked so hard to make during the spring.
Summertime is the perfect time to feed bird families in our yards! Birds benefit from a continuous food source while they’re busy raising their young, especially if they’re losing natural food sources during times of extreme Texas heat. We have had so much fun offering the birds live mealworms! Sunflower chips and millet are our other favorites because they attract our favorite rainbow-colored bird – the painted bunting!
A reliable source of water helps attract the greatest variety of birds to your yard! Enjoy the show as birds splash and play or simply stop by for a sip of water. Did you know that some birds drink up to 40% of their body weight to survive a hot summer day? Water is important for helping birds maintain their feathers and regulate body temperature. Bird baths are so helpful to the birds, and we can’t recommend them enough!
(Submitted by Amanda Bustillos)
If you see some funky looking birds towards the end of the summer, don’t be too alarmed…
By the start of August, most adult birds start molting! This is when they shed and replace their feathers for the year, usually after their nesting duties are completed. Having a strong set of fresh new feathers is of tremendous benefit to birds that are facing the rigors of migration or the struggles of surviving a long, cold winter ahead. You can make the difference by making sure your feeders are full of high-fat, high-protein foods that will keep your birds healthy and looking oh, so beautiful.
During each season we want to focus on different ways to educate our community on how to save the song birds! 1 in 4 birds are gone since 1970 and many factors are contributing.
This summer we want to remind everyone to reduce (or hopefully stop altogether) the use of pesticides and insecticides. The use of pesticides in your yard can harm birds both directly through poisoning or indirectly by poisoning the bugs they eat or reducing their natural food supply.
Many of our feathered friends (especially the barn swallows nesting on our front porch) are incredible insect eaters. Though insects can feel like a real nuisance in the summer months (especially mosquitos) they are an integral part of our eco system and by poisoning them, we are doing harm to those who use them as food. We highly recommend the book Nature’s Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy which assists in learning natural practices, like using mosquito dunk tablets, to control mosquitos naturally, without killing the other insects our eco system so desperately needs.
Last but not least – What should you do if you find a baby bird? Please refer to the shown helpful chart from Audubon!
(Submitted by Amanda Bustillos)
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