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Are you prepared for influx of feathered guests to your backyard in the coming months? Now is the perfect time to clean your birdhouses and feeders in anticipation of the great Minnesota birding get-together known as Fall Migration. A clean feeder not only looks good, it prevents the spread of disease among backyard visitors—and entire bird populations, for that matter.…
When we get ready for a trip, we pack a suitcase. When birds prepare for their migration trip, they pack on the fat! Birds migrate to find the most abundant food sources. As the length of daylight changes, the birds prepare with a few physical adaptations. Their hormone levels change now that their breeding season is over, and their sexual…
Birds spend a great deal of time caring for their feathers because their lives really do depend on them. A bird’s feathers keep them warm and dry, camouflage them from predators, attract mates during breeding season and, most importantly, give them flight. Here’s a video based on guest contributor Melissa Block’s article in the September/October 2013 edition of our Bird’s-Eye View newsletter. Here, she explains…
Feeding birds is a great way to introduce kids and teens to nature, right in the backyard. It teaches compassion and patience, and helps them understand how birds with different beak shapes and habits correspond with the different types of foods they consume. Below are some suggestions for attracting showy, colorful summer birds. Attract Bright, Orange-and-Black Baltimore Orioles Baltimore Orioles…
Our Nectar Dot feeders allow you to feed hummingbirds right from your hand. We’ve got tips on how to do it, including video sent in from one of our customers, below!
We’ve added more store open hours See below for individual store hours Let’s keep one another safe! Bloomington > In-store Shopping and Curbside Orders: Mon–Sat 9am to 5pm White Bear Lake > In-store Shopping: Tues–Sat 9am to 5pm and Curbside Orders: Mon–Sat 9am to 5pm Eagan > In-store Shopping and Curbside Orders: Mon–Sat 9am to 5pm Minnetonka > In-store Shopping…
May and June are months when we celebrate our own Mothers and Fathers, so it got us thinking about the bird “moms” and “dads” of the backyard, and how they allocate their parenting roles. We discovered some interesting facts . . . take a look!
Since we can’t yet invite you in to see your photos on our stores’ digital displays, we thought it would be fun to share them with you here. Enjoy!
Some birds, like House Wrens, Black-capped Chickadees, Bluebirds and House Finches, readily take residence in the nest boxes that we place in our yards. But some species seem to mysteriously appear at feeders one day with full-grown young. Here’s an inside peek at what you may be missing. Northern Cardinals Cardinal nests are usually very well hidden within dense shrubs…
Minnesota hosts three types of orioles: Baltimore Orioles, Orchard Orioles, and Bullock’s Orioles. Learn about each in this short video, as well as how to attract them!
Similar names, different families With their beautiful songs, alliterate names and often remarkable resemblances, it’s easy to confuse thrushes and thrashers. Both are Passerine—perching—songbirds, but their family tree splits into unique branches. Thrushes are part of the Turdidae Family Turdids found in Minnesota include: American Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Veerys, and Swainson’s, Hermit and Wood Thrushes. All are known for their…
Nesting season is almost here! This year, consider providing a place for your backyard birds to raise their young. It’s a great way to get an up-close look at the different life stages of your favorite birds! The best bird houses are made with quality materials like untreated wood (order of preference: cedar, pine or cypress or non- pressure treated…
Birds will flock to open water! When temperatures drop, birds are in a constant struggle to maintain their body temperatures. A steady source of fats and proteins will help to nourish and fuel birds’ metabolic needs and keep them warm. But also important—a source of water that isn’t frozen and doesn’t require using body heat to melt it. The solution: install…
During the winter, when the leaves are off the trees, is a great time to spot hawks. With shorter daytime hours, the hawks are especially busy hunting for their next meal. Here are a few hawks you may see in our area over the winter. Rough-legged Hawk These beautiful hawks visit us during the winter from the Arctic. These hawks…
Northern Cardinals are best known for the male’s bright red hue. But there’s a surprising change in coloration that occurs as a cardinal matures, with males and females taking on differing amounts of the red pigments as adults. Take a look at our video.
