Bird Feeders and Bird Watching
- Thread starter dualthreat
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Has anyone put their bird feeders back up after the avian flu outbreak?
www.dnr.state.mn.us
vetmed.iastate.edu
Avian Influenza
Information about the disease and an explanation of the Minnesota DNR response to instances of avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu, found in Minnesota.
Avian Influenza | Iowa State University
Has anyone put their bird feeders back up after the avian flu outbreak?
Avian Influenza
Information about the disease and an explanation of the Minnesota DNR response to instances of avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu, found in Minnesota.
Avian Influenza | Iowa State University
Thinking about it. There certainly hasn't been much reported on song birds. Not really sure much, if any of this, was song bird spread but the Raptor Center freaked people out here in MN in recommended people take down feeders. DNR did not do so. I think it was a bit of a futile gesture. I get it, it's 100% fatal to owls, hawks and eagles but seems most of that was directly linked to water fowl the raptors had taken. And, other than exterminating commercial flocks that get infected, there really isn't anything they can do.
We put our feeders up. The DNR in a neighboring state (can’t remember if IL or MN) said just do it, the risk from bird flu transmission at feeder very slight according to whatever I read.
Have never seen so many orioles as this spring. Always one in the tree with the feeder. I have only caught the hummingbirds at the feeder three times. Must be a little cold for them.
My inlaws had a house on Moon Light Bay for 30 years. Loved the area and we still go up every couple of years.
Inlaws had a herd of orioles last week.
Our little basic feeder in town, we get a bunch of cardinals, house finches, couple of bluejays, nuthatches. Once in a while starling or blackbird. And sparrows of course. Oh, and woodpeckers will come to it sometimes. Last not least, turkeys! Tom and 3 or 4 hens, they saunter between the woods near us and our neighbors. Hens clean up the ground by the feeder while Tom struts his stuff. The dog goes nuts watching them.
Someone said it earlier, the nuthatches are pretty fun to watch.
We put suet out and the woodpeckers will stick to that. Get grackles on that too. For some reason the mourning doves just go for the stuff on the ground below the feeder.
Has anyone put their bird feeders back up after the avian flu outbreak?
Avian Influenza
Information about the disease and an explanation of the Minnesota DNR response to instances of avian influenza, sometimes called bird flu, found in Minnesota.
Avian Influenza | Iowa State University
When I talked to IDNR, songbirds are not really affected by this and it mostly targeted waterfowl and raptors (that eat the water fowl/feed at the same source.) They said there is not reason to take the normal bird feeders down.
Never was much of a bird guy until we moved into the country/woods a bit (Central IA). I'm hooked now and the feeder gets emptied every day. Bluejays, cardinals, goldfinch, and the red headed woodpecker which is messier than heck. Orioles hit the hummingbird feeder as well, all really cool to watch.
Put up a feeder along with a hummingbird feeder after doing some landscaping this year. Excited to see what shows up. Have seen various species around my town so it'll be interesting to see what hits up my feeders.
I saw squirrel buster feeders mentioned and I couldn't agree more:
Squirrel buster
I have the legacy and for the first year the squirrels made a lot of unsuccessful attempts to get to it (was very entertaining) but finally gave up. now they just sit on the branch looking at the feeder or collecting scraps that have fallen to the ground below. Read a lot about feed before I got it and the general consensus was to just use black oil sunflower seed and it has been great.
Squirrel buster
I have the legacy and for the first year the squirrels made a lot of unsuccessful attempts to get to it (was very entertaining) but finally gave up. now they just sit on the branch looking at the feeder or collecting scraps that have fallen to the ground below. Read a lot about feed before I got it and the general consensus was to just use black oil sunflower seed and it has been great.
Those red winged blackbirds seem to be the one species really interested in both the suet and the normal feeder.
In addition to more orioles, we have a lot more goldfinches this year.
Have been putting out a new suet every day and refilling the two feeders twice a day. Yesterday there was a robin with a long night crawler in its mouth that flew in under the tree about a yard from my feet when I was putting out more suet, looking impatient. I was confused cause first, he already had a big worm and secondly, I don’t usually see robins on the suet.
Dog has been doing a fine job harassing the squirrels.
In addition to more orioles, we have a lot more goldfinches this year.
Have been putting out a new suet every day and refilling the two feeders twice a day. Yesterday there was a robin with a long night crawler in its mouth that flew in under the tree about a yard from my feet when I was putting out more suet, looking impatient. I was confused cause first, he already had a big worm and secondly, I don’t usually see robins on the suet.
Dog has been doing a fine job harassing the squirrels.
Our orioles are still pounding down on both grape jelly and oranges. Need to refill daily to keep up.
My mom fills up multiple oriole feeders every day. She’s got at least 8 Baltimore pairs and at least one orchard oriole.
My favorite are the indigo buntings. She’s had 3 since Morher’s Day. They’ll be gone soon though.
And for the second time ever she had a Scarlett tanager this year.