Maintenance of birdhouses is important and should be done in the fall. (pxhere.com)
By McKoy Scribner Capital News Service
In Michigan, there are over 350 species of birds.
After birds lay their eggs and their fledglings take off in the spring, you might have an empty bird box at this point. Should you clean out the nest they leave behind?
Whether to clean out nests from birdhouses at the end of summer is an ongoing debate.
Some people fear if they clean out a nest box, they might be disrupting a family of birds who might need it for future use.
Meanwhile, others claim you can lend a helping hand to birds by cleaning the birdhouse of any buildup that could cause parasites.
MSU Extension’s Elliot Nelson says there’s no clear-cut answer, but basic maintenance of nest boxes is necessary.
“There’s a lot of research still to be done on nest boxes and cleaning them, and the science isn’t exactly totally clear yet. But there are some things you can do to make sure your nest boxes are safe and healthy for birds.”
This includes making sure a nest isn’t built too close to the entrance hole, which poses the risk of predators getting in.
Annual monitoring of the box for a buildup of mold or debris is also a good idea to help prevent mites or lice.
Nelson says predators and parasites are the two main threats to birds.
If there’s too much buildup of nesting material, ectoparasites like mites and lice could attack a group of nestlings the next time birds make a home in the house.
Be sure that a birdhouse hole is the right size and that ectoparasites “aren’t going to be able to build up in there too much,” Nelson said, then clean it occasionally by removing the nest material.
If there’s a lot of moisture or mold in the birdhouse, that’s a sign to remove all nesting materials to give it a deep clean, he said.
When determining a good time for a cleaning, Some species have multiple clutches in the same summer, so it’s best to wait until fall arrives in September after all possible nestings are done, he said.
To deep clean a nest box, bird enthusiasts should use a simple bleach solution or hot water.
W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary hosts Wild Wednesdays designed just for kids.
By Cara Barnes W.K. Kellogg Biological Station
The trails at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary will have a new storyline for families this spring, though a partnership with the Richland Community Library.
Starting this month, pages from a storybook will be posted along the Sanctuary’s paved path for families to read as they walk. There also will be self-guided activities that complement the story’s themes and a reading list at the Richland Community Library to learn even more and practice reading skills.
The stories and activities will be updated every two months and are open to all during normal operating hours with the cost of admission (free to members).
Story themes March-April—Owls! Story title: “Whobert Whover, Owl Detective,” written by Jason Gallaher, illustrations by Jess Pauwels. Activities: Scavenger hunt, owl facts near Birds of Prey area. Take home: Owl coloring pages.
May-June—Frogs! Story title: “Jump, Frog, Jump!” written by Robert Kalan, illustrations by Byron Barton. Activities: Frog life cycle facts by the water garden and more. Take home: Frog life cycle wheel.
Contact the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary at birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu or (269) 671-2510 for more information.
Develop the skill to identify trees in their winter form from the warmth of your living room this winter. Join Dr. Danielle Zoellner of Idle Awhile Farm & Forage and the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary online next month to learn to identify common Michigan trees and shrubs using growth form, bark, buds and twigs.
The Winter Twig Identification workshop is set for 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, and will be held on Zoom. Participants are encouraged to bring any twigs with buds on them to identify during the workshop. Register by Saturday, Feb. 9, for the link to access the meeting.
The cost of participation is $15 for Sanctuary members, and $20 for non-members. Participants may opt to buy the recommended text, “Winter Tree Finder: A Manual for Identifying Deciduous Trees in Winter,” by May T. Watts, which is available for purchase online.
The Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, open during all four seasons, is a perfect place to practice newfound identification skills. The Sanctuary is located at 12685 East C Ave., one mile north of M-89 and just west of 40th Street. To learn more, visit birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu. Direct questions to birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu or 269-671-2510.
As we approach the midst of winter and prepare for cold weather, it is important not to forget our feathered friends outside. While many species travel south to survive the winter, many other bird species stay here. We bundle up in layers of shirts, sweaters, warm winter coats, hats, scarfs and mittens. But how do our feathered friends stay warm?
Birds are warm-blooded creatures just like us. They maintain a body temperature of approximately 106 degrees Fahrenheit but have the ability to adapt their body temperatures, keeping most of their heat around their vital organs and lowering their body temperature around the extremities. Some bird species also have the ability to lower their body temperature during the nighttime, to help survive the cold, frosty nights.
Birds also have many adaptations that help them stay warm. Smaller birds seek shelter in dense foliage or crevices, huddle together, puff up their feathers and tuck in their head and feet. Bigger birds, geese for example, develop an additional layer of down feathers to help insulate them. In addition, all non-migrating birds put on fat in the preparation for the winter months, as this acts as insulator and energy source to survive the winter in northern climates. According to Audubon Magazine, up to 10 percent of a bird’s body weight may be fat in certain species, such as chickadees and finches.
To maintain this high fat density, birds need to spend most of their days seeking high-energy food, which can be scarce in nature during the winter. A simple way to help our feathered friends during the cold season is to hang up bird feeders. Feeding birds is a fun family activity that teaches kids about and to appreciate nature. The more you will get into bird feeding, the more you and your family will enjoy it. Keep a bird field guide on hand and identify the species you see at the feeders.
To attract a diversity of birds, set out a variety of bird feeders with different types of food. A tube feeder with perches filled with black sunflower and an assortment of seeds will attract finches and chickadees. Hopper-type bird feeders filled with sunflower and safflower seeds will attract birds such as cardinals and blue jays. Suet feeders will attract woodpeckers. For more information on what types of bird feeders and seed to use to attract different species, view the Audubon Guide to Winter Bird Feeding. The bird feeders you use don’t need to be expensive – the Madison Audubon Society developed a simple guide to making bird feeders out of recycled materials.
Birds not only need food in the winter but they also need fresh water and shelter. When thinking about changing or adding to your landscape, consider choosing bird-friendly, native plants. Evergreens provide shelter, seed heads and berries, which provide additional food. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a wonderful resource for birding enthusiasts, both the novice and advanced, and provides resources on feeding, landscaping, building nest boxes and much more.
If you really are getting into birding, consider participating in project feeder watch, which is a survey of birds that visit feeders in backyards, nature centers, etc. Feeder watchers periodically count the birds at their feeders from November to April and send the data to Project Feeder Watch. This helps scientists to get a broader picture of bird species, their abundance and movement during the winter months.
If you’d like to turn your birding interest into a 4-H club project, Michigan State University Extension has the resources and tools you need. So enjoy birding this winter! No matter if you do it on a small scale with your family, or on a bigger scale as a volunteer with a group of youth, you will teach youth an understanding and appreciation of nature.
Cats, dogs, birds and other pets can help people manage their mental disorders, a study says.
Researchers from the United Kingdom asked more than 50 adults with long-term mental conditions about the role pets play in their social networks.
Sixty percent placed pets in the central and most important circle—above family, friends and hobbies. Another 20 percent placed pets in the second circle.
Many said the constant presence and close proximity of their pets provide an immediate source of calm. For some, a pet helps distract them from symptoms and upsetting experiences such as hearing voices or suicidal thoughts.
“You just want to sink into a pit … the cats force me to sort of still be involved with the world,” one patient said.
Another patient said: “I’m not thinking of the voices, I’m just thinking of the birds singing.”
The findings were published in the journal BMC Psychiatry.
“The people we spoke to through the course of this study felt their pet played a range of positive roles, such as helping them to manage stigma associated with their mental health by providing acceptance without judgment,” said study lead author Helen Brooks, from the University of Manchester.
“Pets were also considered particularly useful during times of crisis,” Brooks said in a journal news release.
“Pets provided a unique form of validation through unconditional support, which [the patients] were often not receiving from other family or social relationships,” she said.
Despite this, pets weren’t considered in the individual care plans for any of the people in the study, Brooks said.
The results suggest pets should be considered a main source of support in the management of long-term mental health problems, Brooks and her colleagues concluded.
Through open discussion of what works best for individual patients, the mental health community might better involve people in their own mental health care, she said.
Photo courtesy of W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary website
October is a special month at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, with three events designed to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages who want to learn more about birds.
Get to know the Sanctuary’s ambassador birds of prey at Birds of Prey Liveon October 1st from 1-2:30 pm. The Sanctuary is home to a number of birds of prey, including owls, hawks, and bald eagles, who are injured and cannot survive in the wild. Visitors of all ages can participate in a variety of games and activities. Admission for members is $5/adult, $4/senior or student and $3/child, and for non-members it is $7/adult, $6/senior or student and $5/child.
On October 12th, from 9-10:30 am, join experts on an autumn morning bird walk to see the birds of the Sanctuary at the monthly Birds and Coffee Walk. Following the walk, participants can enjoy a cup of bird-friendly coffee during a discussion of the morning’s finds. These Birds & Coffee Walks are held every second Wednesday of the month (Upcoming: October 12th, November 9th and December 14th). Admission is free for members, and is $5/adult, $4/senior or student and $3/child for non-members.
As part of the regional Arts & Eats tour, visit the Bird Sanctuary to see beautiful local art on October 15th and 16th. This is a great opportunity to get to know artists in the area, as well as explore the grounds of the Bird Sanctuary. The Sanctuary will be open on October 15th from 9 am to 5 pm, and on October 16th from 11 am to 4 pm. Admission is free.
All of these events will be held at the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary, located at 12685 East C Ave, in Augusta, Mich. To learn more, visit birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu, call 269.671.2510 or email birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu.
