Attracting Birds, Bluebirds, Bird Food and Feeders  |  January 26, 2024

Bluebird Suet Recipe

Thanks to everyone who called in when I was on Simon Rose’s Show on 1400AM/98.9FM in Columbia, MO on Thursday 1/24 from 9:15am to 10am.

As stated on the show, mealworms are the #1 supplement food to offer bluebirds. Songbird Station has live mealworms grown in Central Missouri at great prices. The live mealworms come in 100 in a cup, 1000 in a bag, and 5000 in a bag. Also, several sizes of dried mealworms are also available (coat with olive oil before feeding).

We also discussed a nugget bluebird treat Songbird Station sells. I promised to share a recipe that is a great homemade suet and bluebird supplement when crumbled. The recipe will not save you any money but can be fun to do with children. My favorite and the most proven recipe is the No-Melt Peanut Butter Suet created by Martha Sargent.


People have been using this recipe for over 20 years! Some people like to add a few chopped currents, cherries, and other fruits to the mix.

Martha and her late husband, Bob Sargent, were also founders and directors of the Bluebird Society for many years. We were very honored when Bob endorsed our Dr. JB’s hummingbird feeder as the world’s best hummingbird feeder.

Remember we are always here to answer any of your backyard birding questions or requests.

Bird Man Mel

Attracting Birds, Bird Food and Feeders  |  March 27, 2023

Charming Goldfinches

You might be surprised that many of us have goldfinches all winter… they just appear in their drab winter coats. Finches love to feed in groups. To attract a group (known as a charm) hang a Songbird Essentials 3-Tube Feeder in your backyard and fill it with our Songbird Essentials Fantastic Finch Mix. Goldfinches love this blend of nyjer thistle & fine-chopped sunflower, which contains only high-quality seed with no fillers!  Also, offer thistle sacks to attract more Finches in the spring. Mel’s favorite is the large black thistle sack because the Finches’ brilliant yellow coats show up beautifully against the black.

These let 24 or more feed at once. it – Finches love it!

Attracting Birds, Hummingbirds  |  September 30, 2022

Fall Hummingbird Feeding with Bird Man Mel!

Bird Man Mel had a flurry of hummingbird activity in his backyard last week and captured some fantastic images. Check out his tips and tools that will bring Hummingbirds to your yard as they head south for the winter!

Bird Man Mel feeding a hummingbird with the Whimsy Wand
Bird Man Mel feeding a hummingbird with the Whimsy Wand
Having a hummingbird land on your Wand just inches from your face is truly a thrill! Hang it out with your other feeders and when you want to use it, take all your feeders down and hold the Wand in the same area. In minutes, you'll have a hummer land and get up close and personal with you.
Bird Man Mel & the Hummingbird Whimsy Wand
Bird Man Mel & the Hummingbird Whimsy Wand
I love using our handmade copper hummingbird wand feeder this time of year. Birdman Mel
Hummer Rings & Trainer
Hummer Rings & Trainer
I put my hummingbird rings in our plastic holder on the deck rail. The trick here is to place them in a plate that is deep enough that you can put water in it in the holder sits in the water. That keeps any ants on the deck from getting to your rings.

Now is absolutely the best and easiest time to hand feed hummingbirds with our Hummer Ring or Hand Feeding Copper Hummer Wand!
Bird Man Mel feeding a Hummingbird from a Hummer Ring
Bird Man Mel feeding a Hummingbird from a Hummer Ring
Feed Hummingbirds out of your hand. Use with any nectar, great for children and seniors.
Hummingbird Whimsy Wand
Hummingbird Whimsy Wand
A couple quick tips on hand feeding hummingbirds. In this feeder I hook my copper Songbird Essentials hummingbird wand on my deck hook. That way my hummingbirds get used to feeding from it, then I sit down by it and they more quickly come to feed.

Now is absolutely the best and easiest time to hand feed hummingbirds with our Hummer Ring or Hand Feeding Copper Hummer Wand!

Attracting Birds, Orioles  |  April 11, 2020

Tips for Attracting Orioles

Tips for Attracting Orioles

Click here for full brochure – Oriole TIPs

Because of their strikingly beautiful black and orange
or yellow plumage, their distinctive whistle, spring
songs, and their amazing suspended nest, Orioles are
quickly becoming one of America’s favorite birds. While
over eight species of Orioles can regularly be seen in the
United States, we’ll deal mainly in this flyer with three
species: Baltimore, Bullocks, and Orchard (range maps
on back page). All United States Orioles show variation
on the theme of black and orange or yellow plumage.

Except for in the Southeast, all Orioles are tropical
migrants. While migrations vary from year-to-year,
Orioles generally arrive in the South in early spring,
Midwest in early May, and further North soon afterward.
It is very important that you have Oriole feeders up and
ready, or often they will pass you by for better feeding
grounds. It is equally important to have nesting
materials out and ready to help encourage Orioles to
nest in your yard. Although studies are still being done
on how much we can tempt Orioles to nest in backyards,
by summer’s end, migrating Orioles are headed back
south to their tropical winter homes in Central and South
America. It does appear that Baltimore Oriole’s ranges
are expanding, while Bullocks and Orchard Orioles are
declining. All Orioles need and benefit from your help.

 

Attracting Birds, Hummingbirds  |  April 02, 2020

Tips for Attracting Hummingbirds

Click to View Hummingbird TIPs

In the United States, you can find over 16 kinds of Hummingbirds. For people east of the Rockies, the most prevalent by far is the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. In fact, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is the most widely distributed of the world’s 338 species of Hummingbirds, all of which occur ONLY in the Western Hemisphere.

The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird is often found between woodland and meadow; however, it has adapted well to human development, but only if there is shelter, space, and food. It is frequently seen in suburban backyards with mature trees and shrubs, in wooded parks, and around farmsteads.

The Keys to Attracting Hummingbirds are to provide Food, Help for Nesting, and Misters (Water) for them to fly through. Providing natural plants that bloom from Spring through Fall is one of the best ways to attract hummers to your yard! Read on and learn how to make your yard a “Hummingbird Haven©.”

Attracting Birds, Nesting, Bird Watching  |  March 30, 2020

REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR FAVORITE CAVITY-NESTING BIRDS

© NestWatch / The Cornell Lab of Ornithology / https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/dealing-with-predators/

Species Nesting Habitat Box Height Hole Size Minimum Spacing
American Kestrel Pastures, fields, meadows, or orchards with mowed or grazed vegetation; place boxes on lone trees in fields, on trees along edges of woodlots, and on farm buildings. Facing south or east 10-30 feet 3″ diameter 1/2 mile
Ash-throated Flycatcher Chaparral, mesquite thickets, oak scrub, dry plains spotted with trees or cacti, deserts, and open deciduous and riparian woodlands 3-20 feet 1 3/4″ round 200 feet
Barn Owl Prefers open areas like fields, deserts and marshes which are in close proximity to hollow trees, cliffs, riverbanks, or man-made structures, including barns, bridges and other accessible sites, and which support healthy rodent populations 8-25 feet 3 3/4″ x 4 1/2″ elliptical 100 feet
Black-capped Chickadee Forests, woodlots, and yards with mature hardwood trees, forest edges, meadows; area should receive 40-60% sunlight, hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1″ wood shavings can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8″ round 650 feet
Brown-headed Nuthatch Open stands of pine-hardwood forests, clearings scattered with dead trees, forest edges, burned areas, cypress swamps 5-10 feet 1″ round 1 box per 6 acres
Carolina Chickadee Forests, woodlots, and yards with mature hardwood trees, forest edges, meadows; area should receive 40-60% sunlight, hole should face away from prevailing wind. Unlike other chickadees, Carolina Chickadee does not do much excavating, so wood chips are not necessary. 4-15 feet 1 1/8″ round 30 feet
Carolina Wren Forests with thick underbrush, forest edges, woodland clearings, open forests, shrub lands, suburban gardens, parks, backyards; near trees or tall shrubs 3-6 feet 1 1/2″ round, or 2 1/2″ x 5″ slot 330 feet
Chestnut-backed Chickadee Coniferous forests, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, forest edges, woodlands, thickets, burned areas, often near streams; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1″ wood shavings can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8″ round 160 feet
Common Goldeneye Breeding habitat is limited to aquatic areas with dead trees, in boreal, deciduous, aspen and montane woods; favor calm, large, clear lakes without much vegetation or fish. Please several inches of wood shavings in the box in early spring. 6-30 feet 3 1/4″ high x 4 1/4″ wide 2/3 mile
Eastern Bluebird Open field or lawn; orchards; open, rural country with scattered trees and low or sparse ground cover; entrance hole should face open field, preferring east, north, south, and then west-facing directions 3-6 feet 1 1/2″ diameter (round), or 2 1/4″ high x 1 3/8″ wide (oval) 300 feet
Eastern Screech-Owl Forests, parks, woodland clearings, forest edges, wooded stream edges, under a tree limb. Add 2″-3″ of wood shavings 10-30 feet 3″ round 100 feet
European Starling Habitat generalists, nesting in areas ranging from rural and agricultural to suburban and urban areas, but they avoid heavily wooded, mountainous, and arid regions providing nest boxes is discouraged for this species in the U.S. can squeeze through holes with 1 9/16″ diameter 5 feet
Great Crested Flycatcher Deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, forest edges, woodlots, orchards, parks, on post or tree at forest edge 3-20 feet 1 3/4″ round 1 box per 6 acres
Hooded Merganser Quiet, shallow, clear water pools surrounded by or near the edge of deciduous woods: small forest pools, ponds, swamps; add 3″ of wood shavings; add ladder under inside of entrance hole for young to climb out 6-25 feet 3″ high by 4″ wide horizontal oval 100 feet
House Sparrow Agricultural, suburban, and urban areas; tend to avoid woodlands, forests, grasslands, and deserts providing nest boxes is discouraged for this species in the U.S. can fit through holes with 1 1/4″ diameter variable
House Wren Variety of habitats, farmland, openings, open forests, forest edges, shrub lands, suburban gardens, parks, backyards; near trees or tall shrubs 5-10 feet 1″ round 100 feet
Mountain Bluebird Open field or lawn; orchards; open, rural country with scattered trees and low or sparse ground cover; will also use deciduous and coniferous forest edges; entrance hole should face open field, preferring east, north, south, and then west-facing directions 4-6 feet 1 9/16″ diameter 300 feet
Mountain Chickadee Coniferous forests, forest edges, woodland clearings; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1″ wood shavings can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/8″ round 1 box per 10 acres
Northern Flicker Pastures, groves, woodlots, orchards, fields, meadows, woodland clearings, forest edges, urban parks, on pole or tree at forest edge or along fence rows bordering crop fields; south or east facing; box should be completely filled with wood chips or shavings 6-12 feet 2 1/2″ round 330 feet
Prothonotary Warbler Lowland hardwood forests subject to flooding, stagnant water, swamps, ponds, marshes, streams, flooded river valleys, wet bottomlands; box should be over or near water 4-12 feet 1 1/4″ round 235 feet
Purple Martin Broad open areas (meadows, fields, farmland, swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers) with unobstructed space for foraging on flying insects; there should be no trees or buildings within 40 feet of the martin pole in any direction; houses should be painted white 10-15 feet 2 1/8″ round or 3″ wide x 1 3/16″ high crescent 10 feet
Red-breasted Nuthatch Mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, shrub lands, swamps, farmlands, suburban parks; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1″ wood shavings can be placed in box 5-15 feet 1 1/4″ round 150 feet
Tree Swallow Open fields near water, expansive open areas, marshes, meadows, wooded swamps; on a post in open areas near tree or fence, east facing 5-6 feet 1 3/8″ round 35 feet
Tufted Titmouse Deciduous forest, thick timber stands, woodland clearings, forest edges, woodlots, riparian and mesquite habitats; hole should face away from prevailing wind 5-15 feet 1 1/4″ round 580 feet
Violet-green Swallow Open or broken deciduous or mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, wooded canyons, edges of dense forest 9-15 feet 1 3/8″ round 30 feet
Western Bluebird open field or lawn; orchards; open, rural country with scattered trees and low or sparse ground cover; will also use deciduous and coniferous forest edges; entrance hole should face open field, preferring east, north, south, and then west-facing directions 4-6 feet 1 1/2″ diameter 215 feet
Western Screech-Owl Lower elevations, forests, parks, woodland clearings, forest edges, deserts, wooded stream edges, under a tree limb, south or east facing. Add 2″-3″ of wood shavings 10-30 feet 3″ round 1,000 feet
White-breasted Nuthatch Deciduous woodlands, mature forests, woodlots, near open areas, forest edges, orchards, often near water; hole should face away from prevailing wind; 1″ wood shavings can be placed in box 5-20 feet 1 1/4″ round 1,040 feet
Wood Duck Forested wetlands or near marshes, swamps, and beaver ponds; boxes can be installed on posts or poles in water, at least 3 feet above the high water mark, facing south or west. If installing on land, choose a site within 100 feet of water with no branches near the entrance hole and with a predator guard. Place 4 inches of wood shaving in box floor. Box should have fledgling ladder inside entrance hole to enable young to climb out. 6-30 feet 4″ wide, 3″ high 600 feet

Attracting Birds, Purple Martins  |  March 25, 2020

Tips for Attracting Purple Martins

Purple Martins (Progne subis) are the largest of the swallow family who have been known to even be seen on radar as large groups take flight. Martins east of the Rocky Mountains solely dependent on human-provided housing. Martins started using gourds originally provided by Native Americans as housing dating back to the colonial times. They have shown an affinity to nesting in natural gourds, man-made gourds, and aluminum houses.

Martins will return to the same breeding site year after year so if you have lost your Martins there is a good reason why. Make sure you control House Sparrows and European Starling populations in and around your colony. Like many birds, the Purple Martin does have a relatively short time you may enjoy their song each year so preparation is paramount in having a successful season.

 

View Purple Martin Tips Brochure

Bluebirds, Attracting Birds, Bird Watching  |  

The Bluebirder’s Ten Commandments

THE BLUEBIRDER’S TEN COMMANDMENTS

I. Place houses at least 300 feet apart, because bluebirds are territorial.

II. Keep the bluebird houses in open habitat. It’s the environment they prefer.

III. Control the House Sparrow, or it will eliminate the bluebird and Tree Swallow.

IV. Add a second bluebird house 21 feet (7 paces) from the first house, at every 300-foot setting. This will allow the valuable Tree Swallow to also nest on your bluebird trail.

V. Control the most threatening parasite, the blowfly larva.

If you don’t, you may end up fledging very few, if any, baby birds. Change their nests when babies are from seven to 10-days old (only one change per brood needed.)

VI. Attach a predator guard to your bluebird houses. This will protect the bluebirds from predators and other enemies.

VII. Avoid handling the bluebird and/or Tree Swallow young after they are 14 days or older. They may fledge prematurely, which could cause their death.

VIII. Monitor your bluebird trail at least once every week.

IX. Remove the old bluebird and/or Tree Swallow nests on your first nest check after the young have fledged.

X. Keep accurate field records. This is the first step toward achieving greater success on your bluebird trail.

© 1995 Andrew M. Troyer – Bring Back the Bluebirds

 

Attracting Birds, Informative  |  December 06, 2019

Winter Birding Essentials

By: Tristan Palmgren

Winter is a special season for birding everywhere. Birds are not only (usually – there are some exceptions, like male goldfinches, who lose their bright gold coloring) easier to spot against the snowy foliage, but their behavior changes in dramatic fashion. As naturally-appearing nuts and seeds dwindle, and the energy demands of survival increase, your birds will frequent your feeders and birdbaths more often. That means that winter is a great time to attract new birds to your backyard. They will be out and looking for new sources of food. As birds are creatures of habit, they will continue returning to your feeders even as the seasons change and other food becomes more plentiful.

Let’s consider some things you can do to make our part of the world more welcoming for birds. One of the biggest and best things you can do for your yard is provide fresh, liquid water – ideally with a De-Icer or in a heated bird bath. Maintaining a liquid-water bird bath is not as much of a challenge as you might think. This is a subject important enough to have its own segment in this newsletter. See the article “Winter Birdbaths” for more details.

bird bath deicer
Birdbath & Multi-Use De-Icer

Missouri’s winter and year-round birds will need many more calories to survive and thrive than they did over the summer. That means their preferred food sources will change. Energy is paramount. And the highest-energy, highest-calorie foods that we have are the suet cakes. Pine Tree Farms High Energy Suet is Songbird Station’s best-selling winter food. Suet appeals most to clinging birds like titmice, chickadees, woodpeckers, and bluebirds will all delight in suet cakes, especially if they’re catered to. In addition to High-Energy Suet, Pine Tree Farms makes a variety of specialty suet cakes. Some are formulated to be more attractive to specific birds – insect suet, for example, will draw in more bluebirds. Other cakes are made for different purposes, such as hot pepper suet, which will keep pesky squirrels, raccoons, and deer away from your feeders.

High Octane Suet Cake

As you observe your birds this winter, you may notice that they appear larger and fluffier than before. This is not necessarily because they’re bulking up or storing extra fat. Birds keep themselves insulated from the cold by fluffing their feathers to add more layers of air between them. The multiple layers of feathers and air keep their body heat efficiently trapped. Feathers and fluff alone won’t keep them through the coldest Missouri winters, though. At night and during snowstorms, they’ll be looking for shelter to roost.

You can help them out by providing roosting space. Nest boxes left over from last nesting season are not ideal roosting spaces because their entrance portals are at their tops. While this is a feature during summer, in winter this allows heat to escape into the world. Dedicated roosting boxes are similar to nest boxes, but have their entrance portals at the bottom of the box to allow heat to stay trapped atop, and generally have a built-in ladder or other platform to allow birds access to the warmer top of the box.

Not all nest boxes can be reasonably converted to roosting houses. One recent addition to the Songbird Station catalog is designed to do double-duty. The Songbird Essentials Convertible Roosting House has a detachable front cover that can be flipped depending on the season: entrance portal on top for summer, bottom for winter, and a removable internal ladder. Alternatively, Songbird Essentials’ dried grass roosting pockets not only provide birds with shelter and space, but look fantastic on trees.

Convertible Roosting House

Click here for full brochure – Winter Birding TIPs

Attracting Birds, Bird Baths  |  November 27, 2019

Winter Birdbaths

By: Tristan Palmgren

As the weather gets colder and natural seeds and nuts become scarcer, more and more birds will be visiting your feeders – but food and calories aren’t the only things they’re going to be looking for. Liquid water becomes even scarcer in winter. Feeders are an essential component of your backyard birding habitat, but they’re not the biggest draw for birds. In winter, liquid water will draw many times more birds than even the most attractive feeders.

Keeping liquid water in your backyard is less of a challenge than it might seem. The Songbird Essentials Birdbath & Multiuse De-Icer will fit most birdbaths, and is completely safe for birds. The surface won’t get too hot for them to touch, nor take up too much electricity. The De-Icer is controlled by a built-in thermostat. The heating element will only switch on when the water is just above freezing and will maintain it at that temperature. It will turn on and shut off automatically. The projected power usage is pennies per month.

bird bath deicer
Birdbath & Multi-Use De-Icer

Most heated birdbaths – that is, full baths with their own heating elements built in – are also controlled by thermostat, are similarly cost-effective to operate, and can be used year-round. Our most versatile heated birdbath is the Songbird Spa, which can be mounted to a deck railing with a clamp or plate mount and comes with stakes for a ground mount option. The Songbird Spa is easy to clean. The bath lifts right out of its holder. Other heated birdbaths can also be mounted on decks or, like the Songbird Essentials Heated Cedar Birdbath, come with stands.

Songbird Spa

One of the best features of a well-maintained birdbath is that they will draw many more birds than might otherwise visit your feeders otherwise, including birds that aren’t primarily seed-eaters. Not only will liquid water attract a greater quantity of birds, but also a wider variety. Last winter, nine out of ten stories about bluebirds that we heard in the store started with birdbaths. Bluebirds visit seed feeders on occasion, but they’ll more readily make a habit of visiting fresh water. A heated birdbath is a great way to draw in as many bluebirds to your backyard as your area will support – and to see if it’s worth investing in a mealworm feeder or bluebird house, if you haven’t already.

Mealworm Feeder Blue/Grey