End of Summer-Early Fall Notes
We have received more than a few calls recently regarding the very noticeable slowdown at feeders in recent weeks. The degree of slowdown may vary each year but without a doubt September and October are the two slowest bird feeding months of the year. My 28 years of tracking sales data backs this statement up. We always sell far less seed and suet during these two months. So why does it slow down?
There are two reasons why feeder activity slows down at this time. Feeder activity is at peak level during the breeding-nesting season, between the months of March and July. We get used to the abundance of birds visiting our feeders and many of us are filling feeders frequently, every other day if not more. While nesting and raising young birds take full advantage, but do not rely on our feeders. Raising young takes a tremendous amount of energy and rather than having to forage for food at greater distances they will increase their visits to feeders exponentially, thereby staying closer to the nest and their valuable offspring. And many of our feeder birds will nest twice per breeding season. So, the first reason for the slowdown is the breeding season for our year round and summer resident birds has long been over, for at least a month and a half. The need for “extra” food has passed.
The second reason is by the end of summer and beginning of fall plants are producing seeds, nuts, and fruit. Beneficial insects chocked with protein are still very much available. Instinctually, birds cannot pass up the abundance of natural foods and variety now available. Therefore, the feeders that were important to them in the spring and summer become less important now. With no young to attend to they have little to do but feed on what nature is offering and to cache food for later use. Sure, you will still get birds visiting your feeders but not like during the breeding season. This would also explain why we rarely see Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at our feeders in the fall on their return trip to the tropics, when they are such prominent feeder birds in spring. Natural food is everywhere and unless something occurs to prevent food production, like a drought, birds will gravitate to it before going to feeders.
As much as the business owner side of me hates to see the slowdown I also appreciate the opportunity to point out birds do not rely on or survive on our feeders, as many people mistakenly believe.
Experience says by mid-November, or earlier if there are a couple of good frosts, you will see a return to busy feeders. So, don’t think something has happened to our birds. It really is just birds being wild animals acting on thousands of years of instinct. They will return to your feeders. By the way, this slowdown is a great opportunity to give your feeders a thorough cleaning.
Molting
Have you been finding feathers around your yard, or maybe seen some really funky looking Cardinals or Bluejays recently? Seeing Cardinals or Jays with an alarming lack of feathers on their heads is quite common after the breeding season.
Molting is the process by which birds lose damaged or worn out feathers with new ones providing them not only with healthy new feathers but often a new look to their plumage in the form of new colors or patterns that may indicate a bird’s age, sex, or season of the year. Feathers are comparable to our hair or nails made from the same basic ingredient, keratin.
Molt is not a “one size fits all” occurrence. There is great variation by species and even by individual from year to year. While molt is associated with this time of year any time a bird loses a feather a new one will immediately begin to grow in its place.
Occasionally, Cardinals and Bluejays will lose all their head feathers in a short amount of time and while it takes a while for the new ones to grow in the result will be a bald bird. I’ve seen a number of male Cardinals recently that were in between bald and the emergence of new feathers. They look rather odd as their heads under the feathers are dark gray to black.
Molting Cardinal
Hummingbirds Getting Plump
I’ve seen some chubby hummers at the feeders lately as they continue to feed heavily and store fat for their long journey. There’s plenty of time remaining to enjoy hummingbirds as they prepare for their return to Central and South America. While you may have already seen a reduction in numbers of hummers at your feeders keep in mind Ruby-throated hummingbirds continue to head south from as far as Canada. These very birds may show up at your feeders at some point weeks from now so keep the fresh nectar coming and your feeders clean. Earlier in September I was in Maine and had several sightings of hummingbirds. Isn’t it amazing when you consider the distance traveled by these little dynamos?
