Trick or Treat is for the Birds!
OK…it’s October…so you have to believe that we would find a way to make a connection between your backyard birds and Halloween.
But trick or treat? This ought to be fun!
Let’s start with trick. Our first thought probably goes to the old adage, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.” But, here are a few fun “tricks” of the trade that can help to entice birds to your backyard.
The sound of moving water is a bird magnet. Adding a water feature with a circulating pump or dripper is sure to lure new birds to your yard to check out the water…and maybe your feeders, too.
Introducing a new feeder or food can often take weeks for birds to discover and utilize. A little trick to speed up the process is to scatter a small amount of the seeds on top of, or under the feeder. Birds locate their food by sight and this will make it easier for them to find it faster.
As for treats…this is a natural…and we are not talking about candy corn. We are talking about offering your birds something that is not the usual seed and suet you provide on a daily basis.
One of the best examples in this “treat” category is Jim’s Birdacious® Bark Butter®. Birds love it! It is famous for attracting birds that don't typically come to feeders. In fact, it has been documented to have attracted 155 different bird species across North America. Bark Butter is a spreadable suet and the “trick” for helping birds to find it is to smear it on the side of the birds’ favorite tree or on top of an active feeder.
Peanuts are another great treat for the birds! Peanuts are a high-energy food enjoyed by a wide variety of birds including woodpeckers, titmice, nuthatches, chickadees, bushtits and more.
Jays also love peanuts and actively hide them for later use. They are especially fond of peanuts in the shell. They bury them in the ground and are known to cache up to 100 in a day; emptying a tray feeder in no time flat. Watch for them to make repeated trips to your feeders and fly off to bury this nutritious treat up to six miles away.
Other treats can also include mealworms for bluebirds, fruit and jelly for orioles, and of course, nectar for hummingbirds.
So there you go, trick or treat really is for the birds, and for you, too.
Halloween may never be the same again!
For more information, be sure to check out the WBU Nature Centered Podcast episode, “Treats for Birds – No Tricks.” Our entertaining and informative hosts, John and Brian, will share the best ways to treat your birds!