Certify Your Yard
Over the past 50 years, North America's bird population has declined by 2.9 billion breeding adults, a staggering 29% loss.* Scientists point to habitat loss as the primary cause of this decline. Wild Birds Unlimited is honored to champion the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat program, encouraging individuals to transform their yards into safe havens for wildlife.
Don’t miss out on this limited time offer! Now through July 31, get 20% OFF your Habitat Certification with promo code WBU20. Go here to begin your backyard oasis.
Visit the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) site to learn more about creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat. There is a small application fee that will help the NWF in their efforts to protect wildlife and habitats. You will receive a certificate and have an opportunity to buy a sign or plaque to display in your habitat.
Young Bird Fledglings Experience Life Away from the Nest
This coming summer, bird parents across the country will spend countless hours with their children, taking them to places they’ve never seen before. The same can be said for the millions of wild bird families that will be introducing their young fledglings to a whole new world of experiences.
People who only feed the birds during the winter miss out on many fun and fascinating wild bird "family" activities. By mid-spring and throughout much of the summer, fledglings leave the nest and continue to be fed by their parents, while also being taught to eat from feeders. Watching this fun and fascinating activity is one of the true payoffs of the bird feeding hobby.
Here are some characteristics and behaviors to look for when watching these fledgling birds as they begin to leave the nest:
Fledglings are about the same size as adults, but often their plumage color is muted and similar to adult females. In some species, fledglings' tails are shorter than the adults', because the tail feathers are still growing. A recent research study demonstrated that supplemental bird feeding provides a direct nutritional benefit that supports higher-quality feather growth for birds like these fledglings. You can recognize Downy and other woodpecker fledglings by their fresh and dapper plumage, whereas that of the adults is worn and dusky from their repeated trips in and out of the nest hole. Chickadee fledglings follow their parents to the bird feeder and perch nearby as the parents go to get food. They either wait, looking like they are waiting to be served, or they call incessantly "teeship teeship" and flutter their wings until fed.
After one to three weeks, the parents stop feeding their fledglings and may even peck at them if they persist in begging for food. Some foods are better than others for new fledglings. Insects are highly favored, so mealworms are attractive to parents feeding young. Jim’s Birdacious® Bark Butter® and Bark Butter Bits are also excellent as they are highly nutritious, easily carried, and easily swallowed. It’s a perfect time to be seasonally savvy with your bird foods. Stop by the store and we'll help you pick the best food for your neighborhood fledglings.
Josiah Lavender's Hummingbird Presentation Now Available on our YouTube Channel. Please visit and follow us @WildBirdsUnlimitedABQEast.
Grab your coffee or tea and enjoy this engaging talk. Learn how to attract hummingbirds to your backyard, support their habits, and appreciate their role in New Mexico's ecosystems.
Attract Hummingbirds to Your Backyard
Hummingbirds are found in most habitats across North America, including backyards. Offering nectar feeders and nectar-producing plants will help you maximize the number of hummingbirds that visit your yard.
Recommended Feeders
We recommend using the Wild Birds Unlimited High Perch™ Feeder to attract the most hummingbirds to your yard. Designed to appeal to hummingbirds, this feeder allows them to hover or perch while feeding. It does not leak! Bees can’t access the nectar and the built-in ant moat deters ants. The feeder is easy to clean and the nectar recipe is printed under the lid.
The Wild Birds Unlimited Decorative Window Hummingbird Feeder is based on the High Perch feeder and brings the birds in for closer views. Watch their tongues lap up the food, darting in and out of the nectar solution up to 12 times per second. It is the only window hummingbird feeder that contains an ant moat.
We offer assorted decorative glass or ceramic hummingbird feeders. They are beautiful for you and functional for the birds.
Recommended Items
Offer our Wild Birds Unlimited Nectar or mix up your own water and sugar (4:1 ratio). Clean nectar feeders every two to four days; then fill with fresh nectar solution to keep the birds healthy. Use the Wild Birds Unlimited Nectar Port Brush to keep your feeder clean and presentable for hummingbirds. Keep ants out of non-WBU nectar feeders with the Trap-It Ant Moat.
Fun Facts About Orioles
Orioles are insect and fruit eaters. They usually stay hidden in the trees eating and singing their beautiful whistling notes. They can be drawn down from their perches with foods like orange slices, grape jelly, mealworms and nectar feeders. When not feeding on nectar, orioles seek out caterpillars, fruits, insects, and spiders. Bullock’s Orioles may feed almost entirely on grasshoppers when they are plentiful, one bird was found to have feasted on 45 of them in one day!
The Oriole nest is an engineering masterpiece. They weave a hanging-basket nest with plant fibers, grasses, vine and tree bark and sometimes string or yarn placed out on the small twigs of a branch 6-45 feet in the air. This keeps them safe from most predators. The female Bullock’s Oriole is the primary nest weaver, but she may get some help from her mate in both the weaving and collection of nest material. Only the female incubates and broods, both feed the young.
