Myth #3: Birds will starve if you stop feeding in winter. Choose a Bird Feeder with a Cage. This allows the smaller birds to reach the birdseed, and the starlings will be effectively locked out. BirdTricks Organic Parrot Pellets (4lbs) $29.95. Larger bully species may cache food or store it in their crop, so they spend more time at feeders and take more food so it is not available to other feeder birds. You may or may not even be aware of its presence, but the lack of birds at your feeder could be a … Feeder pests like opossum and raccoons, can't climb thin poles like shepherd hooks. This is cumbersome, but it may serve as a quick fix to deter the masked thieves. Here are some tips on how to keep pesky common starlings away from your idyllic bird feeder: 1. Whether it's over the phone, video chat, in-home, a parrot training workshop or masterclass or at your local bird club, one on one consultations are available starting at just $89. My brother-in-law, a resident of NC all his life, seems to know a lot about 'em. popular products. Birds can seem to be everywhere during the day, flitting among trees, foraging on the ground, visiting feeders, and perching on every available stick, post, or wire. But heavy rains prompt them to seek shelter in bushes and trees. By logging in to LiveJournal using a third-party service you accept LiveJournal's User agreement. If its been sitting in the feeders for months, subject to air, heat, and humidity, chances are it has lost some of its nutritional value and is less desireable to the birds, especially if they can find those nutrients elsewhere. We now have two dogs because the racoons kept getting into the cat food (the cats were living in a cat house outside, but the racoons kept defeating every security measure we came up with, so we got a dog, then the dog harassed the cats, so we put the cats into another building, then the dog was lonely, so we got another dog. When hunting, some species of raptors are able to pluck a bird from the sky, attacking it in mid-flight! In daylight, birds crash into windows because they see reflections of vegetation or see through the glass to potted plants or vegetation on the other side. They're such dexterous and voracious little buggers. Can you use plumbers putty on Blanco sink? Likewise, what is attacking my bird feeder at night? If you want to outsmart a raccoon, you need to think like a raccoon. There are three primary methods most effective for spooking a raccoon away from your feeder. When I looked in my bird reference guide it seemed like it could be a peregrine falcon. A dirty feeder can become clogged, and wet or spoiled seed can transmit diseases to backyard birds, which can then spread to an entire neighborhood flock. Sight is the most important way birds find feeders. He was so damn hungry he would climb onto our second story deck and partake of the birdfood. If they have access to a nest in a tree, they will go there. Will birds starve if I stop feeding them. There is some evidence that birds respond to drops in pressure and therefore seek shelter before a storm hits. ("Look out, Bob! Drumming is unlikely to cause damage, although it can be very annoying. Additionally, what is attacking my bird feeder at night? This fall has been unseasonably warm and dry. I bring in the most accessable feeders at night and leave out a couple that are high and hard to reach. But, they can climb decks and wooded poles. Thanks for posting this reminder - Don't feed the bears! Dirty feeders are also more susceptible to damage and wear, making them less useful over time and … If taken in at night, you should keep in mind the hummers start to feed just prior to sunrise and this is really a critical feeding time for them. No bird is intentionally cruel, but bully bird species are naturally more aggressive and territorial about their feeding areas, protecting food sources exclusively for their own use. Birds require high-energy (high-fat) foods during the cold winter weather to maintain their fat reserves to survive the frosty nights. I wouldn't put it past the rat(s), actually. In severe weather, feed twice daily if you can: in the morning and in the early afternoon. I'm also thinking raccoon. So, your feeder needs to be out when they start to feed. Bears and bird feeders are a problem in my area, too. Salt. In most cases, the bird will opt for a place above ground. Honestly, I too preferred Bluebeard to Cinderella and Snow White at least the popular versions. A simple way to stop them is to fix two hanging baskets together around the bird feeder, using cable ties. 💛💛💛. The End. I'm with you - it's most likely rats. Raccoons are nocturnal creatures and will only attack your feeder in the night, so it is only necessary that these precautions be taken at night since some of them might spook the birds as well.