More Colorful Birds
- Birds have a varied diet and the best way to help them develop brighter
plumage is to create a habitat with lots food high in fat in protein in the
fall. Most backyard birds go through only one full molt a year in the fall.
They replace their tired old feathers with a new set that will last through the
next winter, spring, and summer. Feathers are made of more than 90% protein,
primarily keratins, so every molting bird needs extra proteins to grow strong
feathers for proper flight and effective insulation.
The
Northern
Cardinal, one of the most colorful birds in the area undergoes an annual
molt in the late summer at which time males acquire their plumage coloration
for the following year. Right now they are eating wild fruit seeds, weed seeds
and buds from a variety of trees. At the feeders they are looking for nuts and
sunflower or safflower seeds. Their new feathers don’t come in bright. The tips
of the new body feathers are brown/gray and make the cardinals
appear a bit dull or more camouflaged in the winter. These dull colored
tips wear off in time to leave them more colorful for breeding season in the spring.
Territories are forming - Birds are staking
out their winter territories right now. Young birds like chickadees and titmice
find new territories to hook up with other young birds at the end of summer and
join local adults to form winter flocks. If you are feeding a good birdseed
blend you will attract lots of birds that will remain in the same general area
for the rest of their adult lives.
Personal Experience - I have noticed that
the longer I feed, the more birds I get passing through in the spring and fall.
Each year it’s exciting to see new faces mixed in with my regular visitors
during migration. I always make sure I have fresh water, food, and shelter to
make their journey a little easier. A recent study found that migratory birds
are finding fewer areas to use as their rest stops.
Types of Feeders -
New easy to clean and
easy to fill feeders are also being developed every year for seed, suet,
bug,
or nectar eating birds. With over 30 years of research and experience,
Wild
Birds Unlimited® is proud to offer the highest-quality birdfeeders and
birdfeeding equipment on the market today. It is recommended that you
clean your feeders once a month to keep your birds healthy. These new
feeder designs are so simple to wash, maintenance is a breeze. And of
course most of them are made in the U.S.A and come with a lifetime
guarantee.
Variety of Food -
Regardless of the season, the bird species you attract is determined primarily by
the seeds you offer. To provide the most beneficial foods to meet birds'
nutritional needs, the birds in Michigan should be fed fresh Sunflower, White Proso Millet, Safflower, Peanuts, Nyjer®
Thistle, nectar, mealworms, or suet.
Avoid purchasing seed blends
that contain milo, oats, wheat, canary, flax, rapeseed, and rice. These filler
seeds found in cheaper blends will be kicked out of the feeder and can leave a
dangerous moldy pile under your feeders.
Wild Birds Unlimited No-mess Blend is our
best selling blend. It has everything the birds want and leaves no messy shells
behind. For more info on our unique No-Mess Blend bird seed which features
seeds that have had their shells removed so only the meat of the seed is left.
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