Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
If you keep your hummingbird feeders
up during the fall anywhere in the United
StatesandsouthernCanada,youmaygetasurprisevisitor.Hummingbirdsfromthetrop-
ics may suddenly appear, even as late as December. These poor birds are often doomed,
but since our feeders are their only chance of survival, we can add days, weeks, or
months to their lives. Some may even survive long-term, eventually heading back to
more appropriate areas.
Rufous Hummingbirds breed in the northern Rocky Mountains and usually winter in
Mexico and the Southwest. Some individuals winter in the southeastern states, and a
handful even spend early winter in central and northeastern states.
Q My hummingbirds seem to be acting okay, but a yellowish powdery substance
seems to be covering their faces and the base of their bills. I once read that hummers
get a fungal disease when people feed them honey. Is this what's happened to my
birds?
A
Honeydoesfostermoldandbacteriagrowth,sodon'tofferhoneyinafeeder.Butfrom
yourdescription,yourbirdsdon'tsoundillatall—hummingbirdshavesuchahighmeta-
bolic rate that when they get an infection, they get obviously sick and die pretty quickly.
Theyellowishpowderontheirfacesandbillsisprobablypollenfromtheflowersthey've
been feeding on.
Mourning Doves usually feed on the ground, swallowing seeds and storing them in an
enlargement of the esophagus called the “crop.” Once they've filled it (the record is
17,200 bluegrass seeds in a single crop!), they can fly to a safe perch to digest the meal.
Coping with Unwanted Guests
Q So many grackles are pigging out at my feeders that the little birds can't get in.
What should I do?
A
Grackles and most other blackbirds have bills that aren't designed to crack open seeds
with thick shells. Try offering striped sunflower seeds only, rather than seed mixtures or
black oil sunflower seeds. Black oil sunflower is a little more nutritious but has a much
thinner shell, easier for grackles and also House Sparrows to open. If you have a plat-
form feeder, you can also try switching to a tube feeder, since grackles don't usually visit
hanging feeders.