Spring migration has peaked and is winding down. Now the birds are getting down to business -- nesting, laying eggs and raising babies. And with that come the inevitable springtime questions:
Q. Should I feed birds in spring and summer, when a lot of wild food is available?
A. It’s up to you, but there is no harm in feeding the birds through the summer. Migratory birds still arriving from winter grounds in the southern tropics are tired from their long journeys and welcome a full bird feeder. When they are nesting, their energy needs are high and they benefit from the extra nourishment in addition to the food they find in the wild. And don’t forget: Birds also need water, so provide clean water in addition to food.
Q. What is the best birdseed for attracting the most birds?
A. In this region, black-oil sunflower seeds attract the greatest variety of birds.
Q. What is the recipe for hummingbird nectar?
A. The standard formula is to mix four parts water to one part sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for a minute. Let it cool before refilling your feeder.
Q. Why does a cardinal (or blue jay, robin or some other bird) keep attacking my window?
A. This is a perennial question. During spring, a testosterone-laden male bird sees his reflection in a window and thinks it is a rival male. To defend his territory, he will lunge and peck at the “other” bird. The solution is to eliminate the reflection. I’ve heard numerous suggestions for accomplishing this -- from misting windows with a weak detergent to putting up awnings -- but I still have no idea what works best.
Q. A bird sings in my yard all night long. What is it?
A. Most likely it is a young, unmated male Northern mockingbird. Young mockers perform nocturnally in the spring and summer during a full moon. There is evidence, however, that unpaired mockingbirds also are stimulated to sing by bright streetlamps and other outdoor lighting.
Q. A strikingly beautiful bird with a bright red patch on its white breast is coming to my feeder. I’ve never seen it before. What is it? Will it nest here?
A. It's a male rose-breasted grosbeak. Every year we get reports from folks who see it for the first time and are awestruck by its beauty. In Georgia, it nests in the northeast corner of the state at elevations above 2,800 feet.
Q. On Jekyll Island the other day I saw a male painted bunting, the most colorful songbird I’ve ever seen. Do they ever show up in Atlanta?
A. The multi-colored painted bunting’s breeding area is confined mostly to the coast, but the bird occasionally shows up as far inland as Macon or Augusta.
In the sky: The moon will be full on May 17. May's full moon was known as "the Planting Moon" by the Cherokee peoples, said David Dundee, astronomer with Tellus Science Museum. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter are low in the east about an hour before sunrise. Saturn rises out of the east at dark and is visible throughout the night. It will appear close to the moon the night of May 14.
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