The Backyard Birder's Spring Checklist - Enjoy the rewards of maintaining a bird bath: Juveniles discovering your bird bath for the first time.

How to help nesting Bluebirds survive extreme heat. Do this NOW!

You can help nesting Bluebirds survive extreme heat with quick action and a little creative thinking. Don’t overthink it now or delay, use what you have on hand and make improvements later.

One of our customers sent us photos of her solutions (See photos and details below.) We hope this inspires you to get your Bluebird boxes shaded TODAY. Please share this.

How hot is too hot? How does heat affect birds and their babies?

YES. Extreme heat can be dangerous, if not deadly, for cavity nesting birds. It’s especially true for Bluebirds as they prefer nest boxes facing open areas, which exposes them to full direct sunlight.

To start, the sad fact is that when nest box interiors exceed 107° F,  eggs won’t hatch and nestlings under nine days old can die from heat stress or dehydration. Prolonged heat at temperatures over 100° can also severely impact nestling health.

The temperature inside your nest box can be—at the very least—10 degrees higher than the outside temperature.

With current, prolonged heat indexes here, in the midst of nesting season, there is action we can all take quickly to help our nesting birds get through this extreme hot weather.

What you need to do ASAP:

1. Shade the Nest box – Think outside of the box.

  • If your nest box is not shaded during the hottest part of the day (noon and onward), secure a light colored umbrella over the box. (See photos below and captions for examples.) Monitor the box to be sure the adults are ok with this addition. You don’t want to add more stress. If wind picks up or a thunderstorm is coming, take the umbrella down temporarily.
  • If your nest box is under trees, make sure it’s far enough from large branches that could give climbing predators an opportunity to jump onto the box.
  • Never remove nestlings from the box, or try to feed or hydrate them yourself. Mama and Papa will take care of this part.

2. Prevent Dehydration – Your bird bath is key.

  • Keep your bird bath fresh and topped up for the adults and fledglings.
  • If you are offering the adults dried mealworms, please moisten them with water. Baby Bluebirds, like other cavity nesting baby birds, get moisture from the food their parents bring them, like juicy insects, seeds and fruit. This is the ONLY source they need, so you are indirectly augmenting the nestlings’ diet.
  • NEVER USE PESTICIDES!!! The insects eat them, birds eat the insects and also feed them to their babies. We are hearing about multiple nestling and adult deaths due to these poisons. Please share this info with your friends and neighbors. This is a preventable tragedy, and it’s tragic beyond measure. FYI, many weed-killers, yard treatments for mosquitoes, lawn chemicals, etc have been banned under the The Montgomery County Pesticide Law. Find out more here.

3. Add Temporary Heat Shields to Nest boxes

It’s possible to add extra heat protection with minimal disruption in between broods after they fledge and while you’re cleaning the box. For example, see how customer Betsy Taylor took emergency action and quickly lowered the temperature in her nest boxes using items she had on hand and could install quickly. See photos and captions on the right (or scroll down if you’re viewing on a small screen).

4. Do everything with minimal disruption.

Ongoing, save any permanent, major renovations for after nesting season or as you clean the box between broods. Bonus! Many of these adaptations will also help keep the box warmer during extreme cold temperatures, too. Sheltering songbirds will thank you!

Some of these ‘improvements’, may include:

  • Adding a double roof with extra overhang.
  • Insulating the box.
  • Providing extra ventilation.
  • Don’t paint or stain nest boxes a dark color.
  • Attach permanent heat shields and/or screens. There’s a great example on the Sialis website, link below.

Next, you’ll also want to check out the Sialis.org article here  for in-depth information on simple ways to adapt your nestbox to stay cooler. You’ll find a list of specific materials with details on how to best apply them. We’re here to help if you have any questions. Also, visit our Bluebird resource page for all things Bluebird!

Take action TODAY to help nesting Bluebirds survive extreme heat.

In conclusion, during this stretch of 95+° days, it’s critical to take action! With quick thinking and creative use of household items, you could help nesting Bluebirds, nestlings and eggs survive. Just a few degrees cooler can make a difference.

Now, some good news!

Finally! Now for some good news! Bluebird Conservation efforts in our area have been tremendously successful, not just by increasing Bluebird populations locally, but also by inspiring other conservation efforts nationally. It all started here in Silver Spring, with The North American Bluebird Society! Together, we really can make a difference!

We encourage you to join The Maryland Bluebird Society that coordinates local conservation efforts.

The mission of the Maryland Bluebird Society is to assist in monitoring and increasing the population of the Eastern Bluebird and other native cavity-nesting birds through education, support and research.  MBS will also cooperate with other organizations with similar conservation purposes.

From The Maryland Bluebird Society website

Thank you for supporting wild birds! Also, a huge thank you to our customer, Betsy Taylor for sharing her photos and creative solutions with us.

Debi, Mike and The Backyard Naturalist Team

Let’s all stay cool!

Creative way to help shield Bluebird nestbox during. extreme hot weather. Photo by Betsy Taylor.
A super quick way to add a heat shield to a nestbox: A light colored umbrella attached with a bungie cord. If it’s windy or a thunderstorm is coming, don’t forget to remove it temporarily.

Betsy Taylor’s creative and quick solutions to lower temperatures in her Bluebird nest boxes.

This week, while outdoor temperatures were rising closer and closer to 100°, customer Betsy Taylor observed nestlings in distress from the heat.

After a quick consultation with Pete Givan at The Backyard Naturalist, they came up with a simple emergency solution: attaching a light-colored umbrella to the pole with zip ties.

Betsy’s sister took immediate action, using items she had on hand. Home alone, she installed the umbrella herself in about five minutes “using bungie cord and two hands, a shoulder, and one nose to hold it all in place while she managed to wrap the cord around the box”.  This is a temporary solution, Betsy emphasizes and they will take it down if wind gusts or storms are eminent.

Betsy Solution #2

How to help nesting Bluebirds survive extreme heat: Here's a creative way to help shield Bluebird nestbox during. extreme hot weather. Photo by Betsy Taylor.
Detail: Betsy added a temporary ‘double roof’ to her Gilbertson nest box using items she had on head so she could install it ASAP.

Betsy assembled what she had on hand in this emergency situation: two C-clamps, two wooden clothespins and a scrap board already painted white. Spacing the double ‘roofs’ is important to allow air flow.

At 4 p.m., right after installation, Betsy’s instant read thermometer measured the nestbox interior as 102°! Measuring again ten minutes later, the interior temperature had fallen to 98°.

How to best support wild birds during cold weather: The Backyard Naturalist's Winter Checklist for Backyard Birding: Focus on the Fundamentals and provide best quality.

Supporting Wild Birds During Winter, Our Backyard Birders’ Checklist

Help your backyard birds get through winter by focusing on fundamentals

Here’s our winter checklist for backyard birders and supporting wild birds in Winter. We’re keeping this simple: Focus on providing three fundamental needs. Be prepared to provide them consistently—even during the worst winter weather!

Helping your birds survive and thrive comes with rewards for all!  Seeing healthy birds frequent your feeders and baths each day will be a joy. Your backyard birds can help you get through this winter, too!!

Food – Feeding Wild Birds During Winter

Maximize nutrition in your feeders.
Provide high calorie seeds and suet with essential protein, fat and carbohydrates.

Food quality directly affects birds’ ability to survive cold weather. Keeping warm takes extra calories! With fast-acting metabolisms, birds must be efficient eaters. For survival, they absolutely must maximize each and every opportunity for nourishment. Quality food in clean feeders matters!! You may also need to check feeders more frequently for refilling.

Please remind your friends and family to never feed bread to birds. Bread has ZERO nutrition while filling birds’ stomachs, robbing them of their best chance of not freezing to death.
Find the facts here: Bread is Bad for Birds

Birds Need Water All Year Round for Drinking and Bathing. Even in Winter!

Keep bird baths from freezing over.
Get heated bird baths or add deicers.

We can never, ever, say it enough: Water is critical year round for wild birds to drink and bathe. During freezing temperatures, your heated bird bath might just be the only accessible, unfrozen source of water nearby for your backyard birds.
See our website: Birds, Water and Winter

Your Bird House is Welcome Shelter from Freezing Winter Weather

Have bird houses up now.
Bird houses offer sanctuary for songbirds during winter weather.

Yes! Your bird houses offer songbirds, like Bluebirds, Chickadees, Titmice and Carolina Wrens (among others), safe places to keep warm and roost when weather is extreme. Be sure you’ve removed all previous nest debris.
Learn more: Shelter Birds During Winter in Your Bird HousesBonus: Even if birds aren’t using your houses, they’re making note of their locations ahead of nesting season. Especially early nesters like Bluebirds. (It won’t be long!)

We hope you and your families are well.  Thank you for supporting wild birds.  Your continuing support of our efforts here at the store means the world to us.

Happy Winter Birding!
Debi & Mike Klein and The Backyard Naturalist Team

Food + Water + Shelter = Habitat!

By providing your birds, quality food, un-frozen water and opportunities for respite from winter weather, your backyard now has the three simple elements that define a ‘micro-habitat’! Find out more about how important our backyard micro-habitats are, and the contribution each little backyard patch makes to the overall well-being of wild birds. See our Habitat resources in the top menu.

Do less yard work this Fall! Goldfinches are happy to deadhead your flowers for you.

Feeder Slowdown Every Fall

Feeder activity is down and everyone’s asking: “Where are my birds?”

You’re not alone in asking this question! Everyone is seeing fewer birds at their feeders right now.

Don’t worry! A slowdown is normal for this time of year and temporary. Traffic at your feeder is likely to start picking up as we get further into Autumn. However, your fresh bath continues to be necessary for all wild birds whether seed-eater or non-seed-eater!

Hummingbird migrants are still coming through so keep feeders filled and nectar fresh. Keep them up until two weeks after your last sighting. (Feeders do not keep Hummingbirds from migrating!)

There are several factors overlapping right now to explain why your feeders aren’t attracting as many birds. It’s all about timing and seasonal events.+

Why this is normal:

  • October brings a bounty of natural food sources.
    It’s harvest time! We’ve entered the peak of Nature’s food production. Plants are going to seed and berries are still abundant. Insects have not yet gone dormant. Your birds are very happily eating food provided by natural habitats and the native plants and insects in your garden.This year, because we’ve had a recent long stretch of warm, dry weather, it’s possible there is even more food than usual.
  • Broods have dispersed.
    All those juvenile birds are now winging their way alone and feeding independently. If you’re missing their squeaky voices and enthusiasm at your feeders, you’re not alone!
  • Migration.
    Some of our favorite birds have quietly left the area, heading south to their winter homes. It’s always sad to see them go, but this year we are feeling even more bereft.

How we can help sustain wild bird populations, at home and at work:

  • Create and maintain micro-habitats in our yards, which includes three simple elements, no matter the scale: Food, Water, Shelter. See our habitat resource pages for more info.
  • Put decals on the outside of our windows.
    It’s estimated that up to a billion wild birds per year die after crashing into glass. See The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s recommendations ‘Why Birds Hit Windows—and How You Can Help Prevent It’.
  • Keep our cats indoors.
    The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center lists this as the No. 1 human-caused reason for the loss of birds, aside from habitat loss.

Backyard by backyard, all our micro-habitats are helping to make a difference.

Thank you for supporting our efforts here at the store, but most of all, thank you for supporting wild birds. 

Debi, Mike and The Backyard Naturalist Team