{"id":39,"date":"2017-06-03T10:56:46","date_gmt":"2017-06-03T14:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urbannaturestore.wordpress.com\/?p=39"},"modified":"2017-06-03T10:56:46","modified_gmt":"2017-06-03T14:56:46","slug":"spring-and-summer-bird-feeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/2017\/06\/03\/spring-and-summer-bird-feeding\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring and Summer Bird Feeding"},"content":{"rendered":"

One question we receive from birders a lot this time of year is whether they should still be putting out food for birds now that winter is almost over. This article will set out why\u00a0our backyard birds need us more than ever as we say farewell to winter.<\/p>\n

Spring is a Busy Time for Birds<\/h3>\n

For\u00a0birds that have\u00a0already come a long way from their\u00a0wintering grounds, spring is a busy season\u00a0as they\u00a0claim territory, seek out mates, build nests and begin to raise their young. It may\u00a0be many weeks before flowers bloom and insects emerge and diminishing wild bird habitats have depleted many natural sources of food for wild birds – all challenges for our feathered friends.\u00a0Offering foods for spring birds can not only invite them to your backyard, but can also help them survive late season storms and other hazards.<\/p>\n

Summer – Time for Raising Young<\/h3>\n

In the summer, even though there is a lot of food available for birds, their energy requirements are high because they must feed their young.\u00a0Summer feeding is\u00a0critical for a mother bird\u00a0and her hatchlings and fledglings who are entirely dependent on her for food. The additional nutrients provided through backyard feeding will sustain baby birds during this period of rapid growth and development, increasing the likelihood of survival.<\/p>\n

Spring is a great time to make sure your feeders are clean and in good repair.
\nBrowse our selection of bird feeder cleaning accessories \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n

Most Popular Food for Spring\/Summer:<\/h3>\n

1.\u00a0Birdseed<\/strong>: Black-oil sunflower seeds (or\u00a0sunflower hearts<\/a>\u00a0for a no-mess, no waste alternative) are ideal as a nutrition rich seed. Avoid cheap bird seed mixes which contain a lot of “filler” such as red millet and milo.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Mealworms<\/strong>:\u00a0Full of energy, essential nutrients, fats and proteins,\u00a0mealworms\u00a0<\/a>are a preferred food for\u00a0adult songbirds\u00a0trying to feed their youngsters.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Fruit and Nectar<\/strong>: Apple and orange halves and chunks of banana\u00a0are a favourite of the brightly coloured orioles and\u00a0tanagers. Hummingbirds will appreciate your\u00a0nectar\u00a0<\/a>offerings especially early in the season when there are no spring-blooming flowers that provide a natural nectar source.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Suet<\/strong>: Perfect for insect-eating birds,\u00a0this high-fat food provides abundant calories and rich nutrition for many birds.\u00a0Many people believe\u00a0suet\u00a0<\/a>should only be offered in the winter months, but most suets are now made to withstand melting in the summer heat and can be used year-round.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Calcium Carbonate – Egg Shells<\/strong>:\u00a0Calcium carbonate is an important nutrient for birds.\u00a0When birds don\u2019t get enough calcium in their diet their egg shell quality can be negatively impacted, which reduces the survival rate of chicks. This is why it is a good idea to supplement your bird feed with egg shells in the early spring when most bird species are nesting and laying eggs. Thoroughly wash and sterilize empty egg shells in a low-heat oven before crushing them and adding them to your\u00a0feeders.<\/p>\n

Goodbye Winter and Hello\u00a0Spring!<\/h3>\n

With the coming warmer weather\u00a0your yards, feeding stations and gardens will be bustling with new life. As always, we\u2019re here to be your one-stop resource for information, advice and anything else you might need to create a feathery oasis in your yard. Happy Spring from all of us at Urban Nature Store!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One question we receive from birders a lot this time of year is whether they should still be putting out food for birds now that winter is almost over. This article will set out why\u00a0our backyard birds need us more than ever as we say farewell to winter. Spring is a Busy Time for Birds […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":41,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uns-birding-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.mppdev.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}