As we approach the middle of summer, things are quieting down a little at our feeders. Fledglings are learning to feed on their own and not depending on mom and dad as much. There still are still a few needy ones, but definitely not as many hungry cries coming from the young ones. This does exclude our vibrant little gold finches as they breed from July through to September. We still have their babies to look forward to.
Even though we may not be seeing as many birds, they’re still in our neighborhoods, laying a little low, as they begin to molt and prepare for fall migration. Birds need to molt to keep themselves in good flying condition. Worn and damaged feathers are replaced by new ones. Molting for most of our songbirds begins after breeding season.
There are three different categories of molting – one complete molt, one complete and one partial, and two complete. The first category includes chickadees, cardinals, woodpeckers, flycatchers, hummingbirds, hawks, owls, swallows, jays, thrushes and vireos. The second category includes tanagers, buntings and warblers. This provides the warblers with their distinguished feathers for breeding in the spring. The third category has only two species, bobolinks and marsh wrens.
It’s important to keep providing seeds high in protein, such as sunflower seeds/hearts, peanuts and nyjer. Molting is a stressful time for our songbirds as it is taxing on their bodies. You will start to notice loose or patchy feathers, and even baldness on Blue Jays and Cardinals. This process begins in the later part of July and continues through August. It’s also important to keep your bird baths clean and fresh at this time of year. Try to clean them on a regular basis to avoid the ‘green slime’. You may even see some stray feathers floating in the water. Let’s all help our feathered friends get through this stressful but necessary time.
Happy Summer Birding,
By Jane Paradis
Urban Nature Store Brand Ambassador
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