Enjoy Midsummer Activity in your Backyard!
By midsummer, birds have established their nesting territories and are busy raising their second or third batch of babies. We receive many calls this month about “injured” birds. In most cases, it is fledglings that have naturally left the nest or been pushed out of the nest by their bigger siblings. The best advice we can […]
Hummingbirds have arrived in North Carolina
According to North Carolina State University, only the ruby-throated hummingbird lives throughout the eastern half of the U.S. and southern Canada. Hummingbirds migrate away from North Carolina during colder months and come back when it’s warmer. Migration Hummingbirds generally leave North Carolina when winter comes around, according to North Carolina State University. They spend the […]
Hummingbird Migration…The Great Hummingbird Voyage
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are eastern North America’s only breeding hummingbird. But in terms of area, this species occupies the largest breeding range of any North American hummingbird. They begin to appear in North Carolina during the warmer season with sightings as early as mid-March. While spending the cooler months in Central America, Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds return to […]
Help Our Pollinators!
The pollinators are in trouble! Pollinators are in a decline worldwide mostly due to habitat loss, invasive species and pesticides. Bees are the most important, but other pollinators that are also on the decline include butterflies, wasps, beetles and bats just to name a few.
Baby Hummingbirds Have Left the Nest
Hummingbird fledglings are out and visiting the feeders. When they leave the nest, the chicks are considerably larger than their mothers: they may weigh 4.5 grams, while Mom is down to only 2.5 g after the stress of raising her young. Since the mother starts incubating the first egg as soon as it’s laid, that chick […]
Calling All Bird Lovers – Project FeederWatch
Migration is a complex and interesting phenomenon in the wild world. People often call us at Backyard Birds this time of year and ask, “Where are all of the birds?”
Homemade Hummingbird Nectar versus Store Bought Brands
Hummingbirds have a sugar-centric lifestyle and eat a variety of different things like flower nectar, honey, tree sap, and ripened fruit juices, as well as insects for a source of protein. The food they are most attracted to in many birders’ backyards is a basic recipe that approximates the natural sucrose content of top nectar-producing […]
February is National Bird-Feeding Month
This month is one of the most difficult months for wild birds. During National Bird Feeding Month we encourage people to provide food, water, and shelter to help wild birds survive. While many of the top ten feeder birds can be found year round, others may only visit during spring and fall migration or during the […]
Summer is Winding Down
In August, as the summer is winding down, young birds are busy learning to survive on their own. Many adult birds have raised three to five batches of young in the past few months and these young birds are out in full force looking for food. This can be one of the busiest times of […]