TO FEED OR NOT TO FEED
Depending on the situation, it's more appropriate to hand-feed small birds, such as this tufted titmouse.
If you feed birds long enough, you're almost certain to have a close encounter. Maybe a hummingbird zooms to the sugar-water feeder while you hang it up. . Or perhaps a chickadee perches just above your head as you bring out a fresh batch of sunflower seeds. It's only natural to wonder, Could I get these birds to eat out of my hand?
The thrill of connecting with a wild bird is undeniable. For something so small, birds are intensely alive, especially when seen up close. And, with patience, many songbirds can be enticed to take seeds from your hands, but here are some things to think about before trying.
Safety First
Consider whether it's safe for the local birds to become tame around humans. If you have a large property and peaceful neighbors, wild birds that learn to trust people may not have any problems. But in other situations, it might be risky for them to become too friendly.
This story is from the February/March 2023 edition of Birds & Blooms.
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This story is from the February/March 2023 edition of Birds & Blooms.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Food-Focused and Fierce - Meet Canada jays and learn why they eat almost anything they can find
Even if you haven't heard of Canada jays, you've heard of their relatives. Members of the corvid family, they belong to the same group as American crows, blackbilled magpies, and jays including blue, Steller's and scrub. "Unlike many of the other jays, a Canada jay doesn't have a crest of any kind; it just has a rounded head," says Dale Gentry, director of conservation for Audubon Upper Mississippi River.In 2018, the Canada jay's name was changed from gray jay, but Dale thinks the former adjective was fitting. "Most of its body is shades of gray with some white," he says. "There are different subspecies that have different physical traits, but most of them have some lighter coloring on their foreheads, upper breasts and throats, each with a darker streak that starts at each eye and goes back."
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