Offering different kinds of seeds in different kinds of feeders may allow other birds to feed even if blackbirds are present. To discourage them from eating suet, you could try one of those suet feeders that compels birds to eat from the underside: Blackbirds can’t do this but woodpeckers won’t be deterred. Some experts suggest offering only safflower seed, since grackles seem not to like it. Many of us, especially those who live near a pond or wetland, have problems with piggy blackbirds. They eat up every scrap of food and suet, leaving nothing for the other birds.Ī: This is one of the thorniest problems for people who feed birds - how to keep undesirable birds out. Someone suggested taking the feeders down for a few days, which I did, but the minute I put them back, the blackbirds returned. Q: For the past two years the blackbirds and grackles have taken over my feeders and are keeping all the other birds away. These grebes migrate through our area on their way to nesting grounds in Canada and Alaska, and stop over on ponds and lakes along the way, which is why they’re a good choice for the calendar’s April page. Q: I have a calendar that’s illustrated with Minnesota’s birds, but I’ve never seen the waterfowl on the April page and have no idea what it is.Ī: I can see by the image you sent that it’s a horned grebe, a gorgeous small migratory water bird. It could be fun to have chickadees nesting nearby, but if you don’t want them there, it would be good to block the entry before they build a nest. The chickadees discovered this and are pulling out scraps of the wood in their tiny beaks in order to construct a nest inside. Q: Why are the chickadees making a hole in my wooden wheelchair ramp?Ī: The photo you sent shows a large hole in a wooden beam, indicating to me that there’s rotten wood inside. Unfortunately, two undesirable, nonnative species, the house sparrow and the starling, often take over nest boxes. In fact, a surprisingly low number of backyard birds in our area will use a nest box, and these include Eastern bluebirds, black-capped chickadees, house wrens, purple martins and tree swallows. This is because goldfinches are not cavity nesters they build their cup nests in shrubs or tall grasses. Q: What’s the best kind of birdhouse to put up to attract goldfinches?Ī: Sorry to say, there’s no nest box that will encourage goldfinches to nest in your backyard. I’m not sure if the crocus-eating finch was after nectar or roughage, but other readers have reported observing house finches and goldfinches munching on Swiss chard and dandelion greens, as well. ![]() What gives?Ī: House finches and goldfinches eat almost nothing but seeds, but they do have a taste for nectar and sometimes visit hummingbird feeders to drink. Q: I thought chipmunks and squirrels were the culprits eating my beautiful crocuses this spring, but then I spied a house finch eating the flowers one morning. ![]() ![]() But I suspect that if these hawks are nesting nearby, they’ll return once you put your feeders back up, since they’ll have hungry mouths to feed back at their nest. With your songbirds feeding elsewhere, this should drive the hawk to hunt elsewhere for its meals. If you don’t want a raptor hunting through your property, the standard advice is to take down your feeders for a week or more. ![]() They favor the larger species, like doves, pigeons, flickers and jays, but I’ve seen Cooper’s hawks snatch starlings and cardinals, as well as juncos and house sparrows, out of my backyard. What’s the draw? Our bird feeders attract high numbers of birds, and Cooper’s hawks survive by eating birds. These crow-sized raptors, more commonly found in forests, increasingly are looking to cities and suburbs to raise their families. We live in a residential area, so they couldn’t be building a nest around here, could they?Ī: Yes, a pair of Cooper’s hawks may very well be building a nest in your neighborhood. Q: I saw what I think was a Cooper’s hawk carrying twigs by its feet in early April.
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