Netvue Blog
BIRD MIRGATION
As we are in the middle of fall migration, many migratory birds are moving southward to their wintering grounds. In my favorite local birding spots in North Central Florida, there are increasing records of migrants, including some very beautiful warblers such as Magnolia and Blackburnian Warblers. While it is nice to see resident species such as Northern Cardinals and Blue Jays, it has always been more exciting for us to find migratory birds.
Interspecific Allopreening
Birds display all kinds of behaviors related to foraging, mating, antipredation, and more… Many of these behaviors vary temporally and spatially. For example, some migratory birds that forage high up in the canopy during the breeding season shift to understory foraging on their wintering grounds. Additionally, behaviors can vary in different social contexts, which include the presence/absence of their social partners. Today, let’s chat about one rare and understudied bird behavior, interspecific allopreening.
🧐Why do birds form mixed-species flocks❓❓
This flocking behavior among different species occurs all over the world and is most prevalent in the non-breeding season. If you live in the southeastern US, you have probably seen flocks that consist of Tufted Titmice, Carolina Chickadees, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, White-eye Vireos, and Downy Woodpeckers. If you observe the flock carefully, you may also find some Black-and-white Warblers foraging along tree trunks in search of hidden insects and other arthropods.
Bird Introduction-Tufted Titmouse
The tufted titmouse is a small songbird from North America, a species in the tit and chickadee family. The black-crested titmouse, found from central and southern Texas southward, was included as a subspecies. The large black eyes, small, round bill, and brushy crest give these birds a quiet but eager expression that matches the way they flit through canopies, hang from twig ends, and drop into bird feeders. When a titmouse finds a large seed, you’ll see it carry the seed to a perch.
Bird Introduction-Black-capped Chickadee
The black-capped chickadee is a small, non-migratory, North American songbird that lives in deciduous and mixed forests. The black-capped chickadee has a black cap and "bib" with white sides to the face. Its underparts are white with rusty brown on the flanks. Its back is gray and the tail is normally slate gray.
Bird Introduction-Blue Jay
Blue Jays are common throughout the eastern and central United States and southern Canada from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains and eastern Texas. These birds are highly adaptable to different habitats and can be found in different types of forests as well as cities, parks, and suburban areas where mature trees are present.
Bird Introduction-Northern Cardinal
With its instantly recognizable bright red or reddish tan plumage, jaunty head crest, and distinctive face mask, the northern cardinal is one of the most desirable backyard birds in North America.
WHY BIRDS MOLT?
Molting is the process by which birds shed old or worn feathers and grow new ones to replace them. A molt may be partial and replace just some of a bird's feathers or complete when all the feathers are replaced at once. According to different species, the time it takes to complete a molt is also different. It can take as little as two weeks, or as long as several years. Some birds molt their feathers only once a year, while others molt many times.
Eight types of bird seeds for Birdfy and their advantages & disadvantages
For Birdfy, there are many kinds of bird food we can put, mealworms, peanuts, fruit, and seeds. One of the most important components is seeds. Seed is a large range that contains eight different species, mainly has got black oil sunflower seed, striped sunflower seed, Safflower Seed, and so on. Now let's analyze their advantages and disadvantages.
What kind of food do birds like in summer?🧐
Choose the right food, the more birds will visit our backyard. Choosing bird food is a kind of not easy thing. During summer, many birds will eat fruit and insects in addition to popular seeds, and offering a wider selection in your Birdfy will attract more birds.
The Benefits of Feeding Birds using a Bird Feeder
Are the squirrels driving you nuts and you’re now looking for a squirrel-proof bird feeder? You came to the right place!