Try Bye, Bye Starling If you’ve had problems with the European Starlings mobbing then emptying your feeders, we have a solution for you. Our Bye, Bye Starling seed mix has black oil sunflower, striped sunflower, golden safflower and white safflower all in the shell. Starlings have beaks that were designed to open softer-shelled seeds. Starlings prefer peanuts and seeds out of…
As the autumn migration ramps up, you may find that you have increased numbers of European Starlings passing through your backyard. Starlings’ greedy and aggressive behaviors can intimidate other feeder birds and drain your food sources. Here’s an easy tip for serving suet to your smaller clinging birds while discouraging starlings.
With some simple steps, you can keep your birdseed fresh and free from pests. Take a look at the following video, prepared from the advice of our Minnetonka Manager, Carol Chenault!
Suet isn’t Just for Winter Anymore In the spring and summer, it is a great way to provide brooding birds and their nestlings with a generous amount of calories in an easy-to-eat form. Suet with insects or fruit added appeal to a wide range of birds and may provide a source of insects when they are scarce.
Spring is just the beginning of the nesting season for our backyard birds. Some birds will produce numerous broods over the entire summer season and some birds will wait until mid-summer to start nesting. Multiple Broods Extend the Nesting Season For instance, American Robins can produce 3 or 4 broods from May through August. Each brood can take up to…
Nyjer® is a highly nutritious seed imported from Africa that is heat-treated to prevent germination. It’s a favorite of goldfinches, redpolls, Pine Siskins and more! Contrary to popular belief, Nyjer® is not related to thistle. Learn more about Nyjer® in the video below!
We’re so excited about this clever new product! Nectar Dots allow you to feed hummingbirds out of your hand. Simply sit or stand still with the nectar dot in your hand near an existing nectar feeder where hummingbirds frequent (it’s helpful to wear sunglasses while you do so!). Take a look a the video for more details! Pick up your…
One of the spring FAQs at the Minnetonka store is “When should I put out the hummingbird and oriole feeders?” Folks look a little surprised when I answer “April 26th.” After backyard bird feeding in the same location for a couple decades and recording the first oriole sighting of the year, orioles typically arrive in my yard two days either…
As mentioned in our April 2018 Phenology and Seasonal Checklist! Try a Humm-Bug Hummingbird Feeder to provide fruit flies for hummingbirds. Simply open the two-piece feeder, add 2 to 3 bananas, banana peels and/or fruit peelings.In just a few days you will have an unlimited supply of protein packed fruit flies for all the hummingbirds to enjoy! This is a…
As with real estate, it’s “location, location, location” when feeding birds but defeating squirrels. A pole system feeding station set up 12 feet from over-hanging limbs or deck railings with a baffle on the pole 5 feet off the ground provides for squirrel free bird feeding. If your yard does not allow such a set up, there are other options to defeat the…
This is the time of year when you may begin to see some less-common visitors to your backyard feeding stations. Every few years, we experience an “irruption”—an influx of typically northern-dwelling birds—into our Twin Cities Metro Area and beyond in Minnesota. The irruption is often due to poor crops of conifer seeds (pine and spruce) and catkins (birch and alders) that…
Here’s a guide to selecting the right feeder or feeders for your yard. As always, ask any of our local backyard birding experts for help finding the perfect feeder for they types of birds you would like to attract.
Orioles Out; Hummers Still Here We lament the migration of the orioles as they leave this week. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds will continue to visit feeders well into October. Male hummingbirds migrate first so we will be seeing mostly females and juveniles at the feeders. Change your nectar every three days or so. Apply mint extract to the nectar ports to deter…
Hummingbirds Require Clean Food and Feeders There’s more to attracting Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds to your yard than just putting out a nectar feeder. Keeping your nectar feeders clean is essential to keeping the hummingbirds in your yard and keeping them healthy. Nectar can turn bad in as little as a day or two depending on the on the outdoor temperature. Experts…
Many of us dish up live mealworms in the early summer months to help orioles and bluebirds provide nutrition for their fledglings. But did you know that serving dried mealworms in the winter months offers benefits to a wide variety of backyard birds? Here are five reasons to start mixing dried mealworms in with your seed. It’s incredibly easy! Simply…