things you do to help backyard birds that could actually hurt them

we all want to do things to help our backyard birds, especially with increased development causing a lack of natural habitat and resources. however, there’s a few things to avoid doing because they can do more harm than good.

  • putting out pet fur as nesting material. there’s nothing wrong with this in concept – however, if you apply a topical flea and tick medication to your pet, the chemical residue from this can be in the fur and unintentionally affect the nestlings.
  • leaving birdfeeders up constantly. try to take your birdfeeders down to clean them at least every few months, preferably more. bacteria gathers in the feeders and can cause outbreaks of illnesses to visiting birds.
  • leaving out bread. a little bread is fine as a treat, but lots of bread isn’t good for birds. plus, bread easily becomes mouldy and can make birds sick if it isn’t properly disposed of.
  • offering suet year-round. suet is an awesome source of energy – in the cold months. in summer months, the suet can get melty and leave an oily residue on feathers which is almost impossible for birds to clean off. however, there are no-melt suets available!
  • filling the yard with nest boxes. nest boxes are awesome and should be used in yards with enough space and big enough trees. they’re especially great for places that don’t provide a lot of natural nesting opportunities. however, putting nest boxes too low puts babies and parent birds at a huge risk to predators. putting the box too close to a road or driveway puts the birds at risk from cars. and crowding the nest boxes too much can lead to disputes over territory (or more likely, cause the birds to just stop using the boxes until there are less birds around).
  • offering food by nest boxes. you may think you are assisting the parent birds by putting food right by the nest box. it’s great to put food out, but keep it a distance from the box! too close and it will attract other birds and predators, and in association, more attention to the nest.

psychic-chaos:

enigma731:

todaysbird:

psa: cat saliva is toxic to birds.

many people don’t understand just why cat attacks are so deadly to birds. even if the bird receives what looks like a minor cut, cat saliva is extremely deadly to them and will poison them if it enters the bloodstream. even a scratch from a claw instead of a bitemark can kill them, as cats coat their claws in saliva when they clean their feet. if you find a bird that has been attacked by a cat, please bring it to a wildlife rehabber even if it seems “okay”. if your bird has been attacked by a cat, please bring it to an avian vet ASAP. it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Adding on: ASAP means “within hours,” not in a few days. It is a true emergency.

I see so many people let cats and birds “play” together 😞 I wish people would just think for one minute and realize prey animals should NEVER be around their predators

papayagorescue:

We know budgie week has ended but Wings and Angelo felt left out! Wings and Angelo are two adult budgies looking for their new feather ever home. They were surrendered after their previous owner became allergic to them. When first looking at the couple, Angelo seems to be the one in charge one. It actually turns out that outside the cage, Wings is the leader and Angelo is quick to follow (and maybe even hide behind her!)

Ready to end their months of waiting? Fill out an application today to meet Wings and Angelo! http://papayagorescuehouse.org/adoptables/

Want to support their journey? They have several needs including new branches, toys, and herbs to keep their immune systems up! Find those needs here:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/registry/giftlist/2B8HYU4S0W5NG…

enigma731:

todaysbird:

psa: cat saliva is toxic to birds.

many people don’t understand just why cat attacks are so deadly to birds. even if the bird receives what looks like a minor cut, cat saliva is extremely deadly to them and will poison them if it enters the bloodstream. even a scratch from a claw instead of a bitemark can kill them, as cats coat their claws in saliva when they clean their feet. if you find a bird that has been attacked by a cat, please bring it to a wildlife rehabber even if it seems “okay”. if your bird has been attacked by a cat, please bring it to an avian vet ASAP. it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Adding on: ASAP means “within hours,” not in a few days. It is a true emergency.

Birb Blurb #2

zumkaltenwinter:

todaysbird:

birb-blurb:

image

Pictured above: Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), adult male

Today’s post is all about one of the little guys: the budgie! The budgerigar, or 

Melopsittacus undulatus, is the world’s third most popular pet after cats and dogs. Also often referred to as a parakeet, the budgie comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. In their native habitat of Australia, however, you can only find them in their normal green pattern (pictured above).

Budgies have been bred in captivity and thus have produced a variety of different genetic combinations resulting in many different phenotypes. Some examples of budgie pattern morphs include lutino, albino, pied, opaline, and spangle.

Pictured below: Albino budgie (left) and lutino budgie (right), pied budgie, in that order.

Budgies come in a variety of different colors as well. They have been bred to come in nearly every color you could imagine, excluding red.

Pictured below: A flock of captive budgies in a variety of colors.

Another interesting piece of genetic diversity among budgies would be the difference between American ‘pet-type’ budgies and English ‘show’ budgies. English budgies are often larger than American budgies and have very fluffy caps/faces.

Pictured below: An American budgie (left) and an English budgie (right).

No matter the color, pattern, and size of your budgie, remember that all budgies are amazing little guys and just as important as any other parrot. Appreciate them!

Today, I’ll be asking everyone what their favorite budgie morph is. Go ahead and give this post a reply!

(My favorite is a lutino budgie. They are cute little bananas.)

personally, i find the “rainbow” spangled utterly stunning.

(photos from kabirbirds.blogspot.com, tailfeathersnetwork.com, and puppiesareprozac.com)

however, i’m also a sucker for any variation of white and blue or white and violet.

(photos from puppiesareprozac.com)

with that being said, budgies are super awesome birds regardless of appearance!

Budgies are called “Wellensittich” in German, translating to “wave bird,” which refers to the scalloped pattern which is often on their heads.

https://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/6qakca/found_the_inspiration_for_deidbell_helmet_worn_by/