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Birds

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Dan Richardson

Member
Where are all the birds? I keep a wild bird habitat here and feed birds year around. Last year there was a noticeable drop in the number of birds that come here every year to nest. This year hardly any. Gone are the three pair of cardinals, most of the doves, none of the finches,and most of the robins. The winter feeder is hardly ever used. Nothing environmentally has changed around here that I can see. I miss the birds.
 
I was going to ask the same thing. What area?
I feed them here in Virginia and had plenty.
Everything from Chickadees to large predator birds. Five different woodpeckers.
a246506.jpg
 
I saw some stealing the dogs food from her bowl here in Ohio the other day.
In the summer we had plenty of humming birds on the rose of Sharon bushes.
 
I have noticed in the summer a lot less birds. Used to have flocks of sparrows on the farm and black birds. I think the new style of farming has something to do with it.
 
Boy howdy, they are in NEKS. I've got A LOT of everything. Right now they are busy cleaning up in the bean fields. The milo drew them like crazy before I cut it. Haven't seen too many in there since but they are well hidden. I've got a pair of big owls in the silo that aren't going hungry, either.
 
All kidding aside, you probably have a Coopers or Sharp Shin hanging around in the background somewhere. Birds are likely there, just not making their presence known. If you walk into the woods you will shoo the predator off. A seat on a log for 30 minutes or so should show you some activity. In time, though, the hawks get very bold. As a pigeon flier, I have had birds taken off the roof only a couple feet from my head. You may have just swapped one type of bird feeder for another!
 
I watched Arizona Wildlife Views on PBS this morning showing hawks building nests on skyscrapers in the city. They explained that a plentiful supply of pigeons and doves drew the hawks into the city.
 
We've been loosing kittens,chicks and baby ducks all over the neighborhood to hawks or owls. We've personally lost at least 8 kittens this year that I know of.
 
Noticed the same thing here, no song birds -- have hawks in my meadow. Thank God they are there to help catch the rodents and bats (flying rats). We've had a bunch this year and in past years.
 
Mostly hawks and some woodpeckers around my place in maryland. Little sparrow flew into my barn, didn't seem intetested in leaving. I caught and released but right back into the barn. Maybe looking for place to nest.
 
Many sparrows here, not a lot others. We have a red tail hawk around here that makes a living in a ditch only 2 miles long. He's a big healthy dude, must be a good hunter.
 
Where I live, the stray/feral cats are very bad. They kill MANY. I see the remains, and see the tracks in the snow. It's thought they are one reason for the decline in bobwhite numbers (among other reasons). Also, there are red-shouldered hawks, red-tailed hawks, and owls that predate on birds. I have pigeons, and loose a couple a month to them. The owls will try to get them through the wire in coop at night.

Ditchwitch, good luck on your trip. You didn't even ask if I wanted to go. :lol:

Sorry for the picture, wasn't trying to hijack the thread. Mark
 
unc
(quoted from post at 09:04:52 12/28/16) .............. and this is where?
I also feed birds (Alberta).
Click to expand...
We also feed in southern Alberta. The species vary from year to year. This winter we have our usual house finches, red polls, and flickers. The house sparrows have left, but our blue jays are back. Our resident crow family migrated, but the magpies stuck around. We have two nut hatches ( the ones that look like they are wearing bicycle helmets ), and usually see some white crowned sparrows. For the first time in about five years, we have a couple of chickadees around. All in all, it's a pretty good year for tweety birds.
The Eurasian collared doves seem to have moved on, and I don't miss them. Our mourning doves moved out into the country when the collared doves moved in. There are lots of hawks and kestrels around, but they seem to prefer the edges of town and the farmsteads. There are three mule deer that raise heck with our feeders, but we don't get too worked up about it. Critters have got to eat too. Call me crazy, ( and I may well be ), but I'm sure I saw a young robin on the neighbours fence yesterday! :shock: unc
 
Many passerine (perching) birds are what we call neotropic, which means that they migrate to the tropics in winter. Many Central and South American countries still use DDT and other chemicals which are quite toxic to them. Thus the fewer numbers here during breeding season.
 
My two cents: My thought about the lack of birds is I think they are starving. Farmers spray so much insecticide that the birds have no insects to eat. A few years ago a short drive at night and the windshield would be covered with bugs. Now I hardly ever splatter one. TDF
 
I think you answered your own question. Your driving at night killed all the bugs and now we have no birds. I think you should stop driving at night. Next thing you will tell me is that GMO crops are responsible. Or possibly the cows passing gas. Or maybe the Donald is responsible? I dunno...I was out in my woods today pushing (yet again) more dead fallen ash trees off the lanes. Now THERE is a bug that doesn't seem to be suffering! I heard a few jays but mostly quiet today. There are more sheltered woods back along the neighbors creek. Close to the private road with all the houses/feeders. I would bet they were there. All I know is, come Spring, the place will be full of birds.
 
This year it seems fairly normal, a couple of years ago there was fewer. We feed sunflower seeds year round. Am in western R.I.
 
we have had plenty of birds here in ky. Even some blue jays. Had a hawk show up today in the front yard, good thing I hadn't let the chickens out. BB in the butt sent him on his way though.
 
Looks like I am about 170 mi west of you. We have normal bird populations here. We keep two feeders out and both are being use quite a bit.
 
Yep,it's like the whole "Don't throw rice at a wedding,the birds will explode" thing. Yessiree,I've driven through rice country in the boot heel and seen birds blowing up right out of the sky. The ground is littered with bird parts.

GMO corn reduces the need for spraying insecticides that kill non target insects.
 
Well, we have a whack of them here. Approx. 60 Juncoes, a dozen or more Towhees, a dozen or more Varied Thrushes, a handful of yellow crowned Chickadees, our two regular (year round) table scrap eatin' Ravens and a Squirrel (missing half his tail). The Stellar Jays disappeared after the first snowfall - odd. I'm on my fourth 15Kg. bag of seed and just bought 2 more today !
 
When I bought wooded acreage the only birds I ever saw was buzzards. About 5 years after I cleared the land I started seeing more and more small birds. Now I'm seeing fewer and fewer birds because my wife keeps a herd of feral cats.
 
In my corn crib, next you will be saying you have no opossums, and that is because I killed 2 today and one yesterday.
 
Hi Dan,

I use sunflower seeds and I have all kinds of birds, in fact they really depend on me so I have to watch the feeder at my farm and keep it full and also suet.

Dan
 

Hawks could be the problem, for sure cats are. Every cat lover has to let Fluffy out to kill whatever it can find. I don't think most people even realize how much damage their cats do when let outside. But then, I'm not a huge fan of cats in the first place.
 
I also enjoyed Hayseed, and kept your picture and credited you in my file! Happy New Year!
 
That's why I mostly quit driving at night. I'm not wanting to be responsible for killing or injuring any bugs. When I do go out I constantly blow the horn to warn them and I also stay below ten MPH for the same reason. Does that satisfy you? TDF
 
The sparrows and wrens disappeared when the milk cows left. I really can't say why except that there was always a handful of feed getting spilt here and there and of course a new supply of presoftened grain going up the stable cleaner chute twice a day.
 
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