Full episode here
Backyard Feeding
Ask Dr. Bird
The Headlines
Winner’s Circle
Well, we are another couple of weeks closer to spring, and Hummers are already on the move. Check out the map to see where they are: https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-migration-spring-2018-map.htm
Backyard Feeding is all about heated birdbaths in the winter, and why, if you live in a frozen climate, you shouldn’t have one. It can be quite dangerous for birds to think that water is safe, because it can freeze to their feathers and legs, preventing them from flying. Another interesting point is that birds that live in northern climates have adapted and are really good at finding sources of water.
Dr. Bird jumps into the ongoing debate about whether or not one should take down their bird feeder if there is a raptor in the area, and we all tend to agree, that as saddening as it may be to see songbirds get snatched by a raptor, they need to eat too, and it also helps promote a healthy ecosystem. It’s all part of the cycle of life!
More conservation groups are banding together to try and convince congress the changes to the MBTA are a mistake. You can make a difference yourself and sign a petition over at ABCBirds.org – just click on the TAKE ACTION tab.
I share a few good stories about a pet cockatoo that missed its humans so much, it tried to go after them when they left on vacation and ended up on the wrong cruise ship, and how Zebra Finches will actually sing silently in their sleep while learning new songs.
Spring is just around the corner!
We have a few people in Winnipeg with winter baths. I cringe at all the electricity I’ll use to keep it ice free in the -30C to -40C temps. I noticed further on in the article that below -20C (-4F) may be the largest issue. Anything in the article regarding open water when temps are warmer than -20C?
David must be one of those islanders who heads south in winter. Meanwhile prairie people head to the island where we think it is summer. 🙂
Love my kestrels and merlins. if sacrificing a few song birds keeps them around, so be it. The people who don’t control their cats are a much larger issue.
That New Zealand family should have asked to join their cockatoo (as opposed to the other way around) so they too could have enjoyed first class. 🙂