Tag: birding

call for submissions!

hi everyone! @todaysbird is in need of submissions! my goal is to post one bird a day to familiarize people with new species, put names to species people may ‘know’ but not know how to identify, and overall just make people smile with cute birds + bring people to love species they may not have cared about before! however, this blog relies on submissions and my own photos. i just don’t have access to that many birds very often – sure i have backyard birds, but i can’t get great photos without disturbing them, and people only want to see the budgies at my local petco so many times. that’s why i rely on you! i would REALLY appreciate submissions of any bird to this blog. your bird, a bird you saw outside, a rescue bird, anything as long as it’s YOUR photo. thank you!! 🙂

The blue bird is Marshall. He is a Blue Crowned Pigeon. They are the largest species of pigeon in the world. In the second photo there are two other species. In the back with the red Mohawks are a pair of Roul Roul. And in the front all puffed up is a male Madagascar Crested Ibis. The kerfuffle going on is a territory scuffle because the Ibis was new.

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Today’s birds are: Marshall and friends!

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.