Bird migration is a fascinating phenomenon that has intrigued humans for centuries. The picture is now becoming clearer on how these creatures get from colder climates to more temperate climates every year. According to an article by Charles Walcott, Professor, Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, and former director, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, it is through a combination of: 1) sighting features like rivers, coastlines, and mountain ranges; 2) monitoring the Earth’s magnetic field (apparently using not only their visual system but also tiny grains of a mineral called magnetite in their heads); 3) they observe the stars and use the sun for guidance; 4) smell; and 5) probably by simply following their neighbors as large flocks migrate. It is thought that, at least in some birds, they have a way to overcome the problem of true north vs. magnetic north deviations. This is believed to be done by recalibrating their internal magnetic compass with star navigation during rest stops. If the rest stops aren’t long enough the birds get lost. Different types of flying techniques also play a major role in the migration of birds. The most basic being the technique of flapping and flying until they reach their destination. It is used by geese and many other birds.
Some birds such as hawks and vultures will “soar” by using thermals. Thermals are updrafts caused by solar heating. Since the thermals are present only during daylight hours and commonly over relatively level terrain, it leads to huge concentrations of migrating birds.
There are also birds that will flap their wings long enough to gain altitude then glide until they need to gain altitude again.
Other birds will flap their wings long enough to gain altitude then fold their wings to go into a closed wing glide. These are birds whose wings would create to much drag if left unfolded.
Happy birding!
By John Wilton
SpeakBeak.com helps birders discover information about birding, bird identification, migration, habitat, conservation, tours, optics and much more. Find out more at www.SpeakBeak.com !
This content is provided by John Wilton. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included.
Bird watching is a popular hobby especially for families where every member of the family can take part regardless of your age or budget as it is a relative inexpensive outdoor activity. It is also not affected by your geographical location as bird watching can be done anywhere in the world in the great outdoors. For those who love birds and are eager to learn more about them, observing these birds in their natural habitat and discovering the different spectacular species is what bird watching is all about. What a sight it is when an eagle soars above the canyons, or a hummingbird hovering close to some pretty summer flowers or a flock of gold and blue macaws fluttering their bright blue wings in the trees.
Unlike many outdoor activities such as fishing or mountaineering which require expensive equipment, bird watching does not cost the earth. Additional gadgets may enhance the experience and help in gathering observational data for research purposes but they are not a necessity. Anyone can bird watch from a chair by the window of a flat, others who are more adventurous can hike to the far corners of the earth to catch a glimpse of some of the more exotic and rare species. It is usually done by using the naked eye and for those who would like to get a better view of the birds, they would use binoculars. Speciality books on birds with rich illustrations are easily available at bookstores and libraries, making bird watching a very accessible hobby for everyone.
Bird Watching Is Not Science
It is very common for bird watching enthusiasts to be very knowledgeable about the different species of birds in the world but this does not make them a scientist. They do not study the birds by scientific methods. They simply take great enjoyment in watching, observing and listening to the different birds, they engage in this activity purely as a favourite pastime. Some are quite happy to observe the birds that visit their backyards, others travel far and wide to observe as many birds as possible around the world. Many bird watchers will get up at the crack of dawn to see what type of birds might appear that day as birds like to look for food in the early morning.
There are many national and international organizations devoted to this hobby. Members of these organizations exchange helpful tips and information to enhance the experience of other fellow bird watchers. Some local bird watching hobby groups are formed to observe and make records of the birds that are in their area.
By Douglas T Adams
Birds are the most visible form of wildlife, they are found in every part of the world that is not permanently covered by ice, and you can see them in any weather, any time of day or night, anywhere you go. Whether you live in the country or the city, there are birds nearby, 835 species of birds spend at least part of the year in North America. You can go out looking for birds or attract them to your home. Birding is one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities all around the world. The Verb ‘To Bird’ would serve as an excellent jumping off point for a feature, which highlights the growing popularity of birding. More than 70 million Americans are feeding and watching backyard birds.
Success in bird watching is, to a large extent, based on location, either by venturing to locations or habitats where birds are plentiful, or by devising ways to attract birds to your own back yard. Birds seen at a distance may be enjoyable to watch, but the true excitement of the hobby is greatly enhanced when you can see the birds up very close. Some of the most useful tools that enhance your bird-watching experience are those that makes birds easier to see in striking detail.
There are numerous ways to participate in the hobby of birding. Aside from simply viewing birds in nature, avid enthusiasts engage in numerous other activities. Some of those may include: feeding birds, providing nesting sites or birdhouses, growing specialized plants and gardens to attract birds, traveling to nature sanctuaries and other bird-watching locales, keeping lists and notes on birds seen in the wild, making diagrams and sketches and spending hours trying to snap the perfect photograph of a favorite bird species. In order to enhance your beautiful experience of bird watching in winter one can learn bird’s song. Birds’ strongest senses are sight and hearing, and they have evolved ways to communicate and to recognize their own species by using signals based on those two senses. Because we are also creatures of sight and sound, we can tap right into all the fascinating distinctions of color and shape that birds embody, and just as naturally we can appreciate the sounds that are so important in their lives. As you begin to recognize bird songs, your own backyard will become a much more interesting place.
For me, it was like gaining supernatural vision, being able to see through the leaves and around buildings. I was amazed at how many birds were all around me and how much I had been missing out on. To broaden your bird-watching experience beyond your own backyard, consider incorporating some bird-rich locales into your next vacation. Serious bird enthusiasts actually plan trips around visiting bird sanctuaries, nature parks and other natural locations where they can view birds in large numbers, in diversity of species and in their native habitats. Traveling to a region of the country other than the one in which you live will allow you to see species you may have never seen before.
Try to observe the birds so they don’t know you are there. Move slowly, make as little noise as possible, and keep your distance. Going too close to a nest or repeatedly scaring a bird off its nest can cause the parents to abandon their nest leaving the eggs vulnerable to predators. Do not touch the eggs or young birds. Avoid trampling fragile natural areas to get a closer look. Stay on paths and trails. Don’t litter. Now once you have started on the bird watching its important to build bird house, start the proper bird-feeding all year around, provide them with water either through bird bath or providing water specially in extreme weathers. In this way the birds would be attracted and would keep coming back to the backyard.
By Paul Duxbury
Paul is Head of Training for a major UK Charitable Organisation with a wealth of experience in personal development, management development, e-learning and operational management. In addition he owns PK eBooks (http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk) and has just published a series of Bird Watching eBooks which can be found at http://www.pk-ebooks.co.uk/birding_for_everyone.htm
If you want to see lots of birds in your yard, give some thought to whether or not your property includes good bird shelter. Birds need shelter from the elements just as we do: when the weather’s cold, hot, snowy, rainy, or windy, they need to find places where they can be comfortable and wait it out. They also need places to hide from predators such as prowling cats, snakes, and birds of prey. Trees of all shapes and sizes provide shelter for birds. The spreading boughs of hardwood trees make shade on sunny days and block the rain on rainy days. Bushes provide similar shelter near the ground and make good places for birds to hide from danger. The warmest bird shelter, good for cold midwinter nights, is the evergreen tree. Birds can get right in near the center of the tree and be out of the wind. Just one bushy evergreen tree can shelter lots of small birds. So if you have trees, don’t cut them down, and if you don’t, consider planting some. They’ll provide shade and shelter for you too, and break the wind. In windy places, a line of trees, planted perpendicular to the prevailing wind, will protect your home and create friendly backyard bird habitat. Plant small shrubs too; they usually grow quite quickly, and will provide good shelter for birds in a season or two. Even low leafy plants, like hostas, and perennial flowers will provide some bird shelter. Another way to provide bird shelter and improve your backyard bird habitat is to build a brush pile. When you clean up your yard, simply throw all your small brush, branches, and woody plants into a heap helter skelter. The messier the better, because this will create lots of airspaces inside the pile – cavities that are ideal shelter for birds. Make the pile two or three feet high and just keep adding to it over the years. You can back it up to a rock wall, fence, or other vertical structure to provide additional support and shelter. If all else fails, consider leaving small holes under the eaves of sheds and outbuildings, and access holes under decks and stairs. These places provide snug bird shelter during extreme weather – and you may even get some birds nesting in interesting places!
By Rosemary Drisdelle
Rosemary Drisdelle is a freelance writer specializing in science writing and creative non-fiction. She is the “Birds” writer at Suite101
I love looking at history and seeing how those in the past saw things. This is especially true when it comes to nature and birds in particular.
My latest dive into the past came up with some really interesting views on bird migration!
Long ago people struggled for an explanation of where birds went when they would disappear in the Fall and reappear in the Spring. Since no one had a clue, they made up what they thought were reasonable explanations.
For instance, Aristotle believed the European Robin transformed itself into the Redstart every Fall, and then transformed back to itself come Spring!
Some, like Linnaeus (noted naturalist in the 1700’s) believed swallows hibernated in the mud at the bottom of streams and lakes. In fact, up until the middle of the 1500’s, everyone believed swallows hibernated. There was no reason to doubt it.
The most interesting item I found was an essay published in 1703 in England that claimed swallows flew a sixty day trip to the moon and hibernated till Spring. It wasn’t written as a joke. The person seriously believed it.
These types of beliefs continued until the 1800’s. What caused the change? Naturalists had been able to explore the world more fully, and came to understand that birds went South for the Winter and North for the Summer. It was at this point, that migration became an accepted reality.
Nowadays, the focus is on how birds navigate during migration. The following are 6 fascinating ideas in circulation.
Idea 1: Family Tradition! Birds know where to migrate because their parents show them which direction to go.
Idea 2: Birds With a Compass! Since the earth is a giant magnet, birds use the magnetic field like a compass to guide them. It’s rather like they have their own frequency to fly by.
Idea 3: You Smell Funny! There are those who believe that some birds use their sense of smell to guide them to their particular flyway! I pity the bird whose allergies are acting up. Maybe that’s why some birds end up in places they’re seldom seen! Just kidding.
Idea 4: Don’t Forget the Sunglasses! Some believe the sun’s position guides them.
Idea 5: Now Where Did I Put My Sky Chart? Some believe that there are birds who might use the star constellations to determine their flyway.
Idea 6: Hey! I Know That Place! Lastly, many birds are able to keep on course because they recognise different landmarks.
In the past, bird migration wasn’t understood because travel in those days was so limited. In the present, even with all our technology and ease of transportation – we still don’t understand it all.
So, take a look in the past for yourself! You never know what exciting things you’ll discover to share with your kids around a campfire or out on a nature walk!
By Yo Coleman
Over the past 27 years, the author has been an amateur ornithologist and a wildlife scientist. If you’d like to learn more cool stuff about birds, check out her blog at Pelican’s Post!
Some of the best gifts you can give to a bird lover are those that have to do with birds! Here are a few favorites of all bird lovers:
* Bird Houses – You can find a wide variety of bird house designs and styles. Usually anyone that really loves birds also really loves different types of bird houses too. Also, when shopping for a bird house, keep in mind that some bird houses are made for specific types of birds, and others can be used by multiple types and sizes.
* Bird Baths and Fountains – These also make wonderful gifts for bird lovers because they tend to attract more birds to the yard. Birds love to play in water as well as drink and bathe in it. So these make fantastic gifts for bird lovers. Something to know when buying bird baths and fountains though: Birds are easily scared. So try to avoid any bright colors – especially red – and try to avoid shiny things that reflect the sun.
* Bird Feeders – Another nice gift for bird lovers because this also tends to draw birds in from miles around. Birds also remember their feeding spots over the winter… and when they come back to their feeding spot the following spring they’re likely to bring more birds with them.
Attract Wild Birds to your Garden this Spring with Bird Feeders, Bird Houses, & Bird Baths! This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.
By Kathy Burns-Millyard
Creating the perfect garden for birds begins by understanding the needs of birds. Birds, as with other wildlife, require certain elements in the garden to survive.
These elements include:
Food
Water
Shelter
Planting for birds can add beauty as well as function to your backyard.
Food:
Begin by surveying your yard. You may already have some of the ingredients needed for a bird friendly backyard.
Many flowers you already enjoy provide food for the birds. Coneflowers are a favorite summer and fall food source for Goldfinches. Sunflowers offer the seed that attracts the greatest variety of birds.
Consider tubular flowers for attracting Hummingbirds. Favorites include Trumpet vine, Cardinal flower, and Scarlet runner.
Annuals can also attract these tiny hummers, try including mass plantings of salvia, impatient, and containers of geraniums.
Adding some of the ornamental grasses will also provide late summer feeding for birds, while providing beauty in the landscape. Those tall plumes provide seed Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees, and Purple Finches love.
Shelter: Trees and shrubs in the landscape not only provide beauty but offer the birds a place to hide and raise their young.
Flowering Dogwoods, and the small fruited crabapples, not only provide a valuable food source, but will attract Robins and others to nest in spring. Select varieties that hold their fruit well into winter.
Favorite shrubs include, Service Berry, Honeysuckle, and American Holly. Plant these and you are sure to be visited by Robins, Thrashers, Mockingbirds, and more. Shrubs are also a favorite nesting site of the Northern Cardinal.
Evergreens are an essential part of the bird garden. Providing important shelter and berries during winters cold. In spring, you’ll be rewarded by nesting birds by planting a few varieties of tall evergreens.
Water: How you provide water isn’t important. Whether you add a full backyard pond or a simple bird bath, just be sure to add water. Birds need water not only to drink, but also to keep their feathers in tip-top shape.
Even in winter, a water supply is needed. Consider purchasing a bird bath heater. A heated bird bath will not only keep an open water source available for the birds, but will offer you a greater variety of birds to watch. Without a winter source of water, birds will have to use energy used to keep warm and survive to find water.
Allow your plants to remain in the garden through the winter. This allows the birds to feed on seed heads and insects much longer.
Consider placing feeders and birdhouses in your yard. Once you’ve watched House Wrens scouring the soil for insects in your vegetable and flower gardens, you’ll be convinced, gardening for birds is in your best interest.
Visit Wild-Bird-Watching.com for bird watching information on the nesting, mating, and feeding habits of backyard birds.
By Gene
During Autumn, all of the birdfeeders and birdseed go on sale. So why not feed birds all year long! But how do you attract the kinds of birds you want? We have six foods that will help you attract the birds you adore.
1. Sunflower seeds: If you are only stocking one type of seed, this would be the best choice. Sunflower seeds of all kinds are loved by finches, chickadees, nuthatches, grosbeaks, cardinals, jays and some types of woodpeckers. Serve sunflower seeds from a feeder that allows only smaller birds to enter the feeding chamber.
2. Nyjer seed (thistle): For finches, you will want to fill feeders with this tiny black seed. It is also a favorite of chickadees.
3. Safflower seeds: Cardinals, grosbeaks, mourning doves and house finches will feast on these.
4. Sugar water: For hummingbirds and orioles mix up some sugar water in the kitchen: 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water.
5. Suet cakes: Suet is a great source of energy for many birds such as, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and titmice. Unfortunately, much of the commercial variety contains lots of extras that offer little value to the birds.
6. Wild birdseed mixes: This is the “mystery” mix on the grocery store shelves. Usually it contains a mix of millet, cracked corn and few sunflower seeds. This kind of variety brings out the riff-raff; undesirable birds and night critters like raccoons and rats. Avoid these mixes as they won’t bring the birds you would prefer to feed.
By the way, now is also the time to add some additional birdfeeders- Everyone has them on sale! Please visit http://www.yourwholesalegardendecor.com for more articles on gardening and creating a home away from home in the out of doors.
By LMMcGee
The author is a nature and gardening enthusiast. She enjoys being outdoors. In addition, she desires to create her own retreat in the out of doors and to help others achieve that end, as well.
Backyard bird watching is one of the most relaxing and inexpensive hobbies you can pursue along with your family and friends. It is both fun and educational because you can learn a great deal about your environment and survival from the various species of birds that are prevalent in your local area.
Equipment Necessary for Backyard Bird Watching
Birds are very sensitive to sound and the presence of humans so you have to maintain a safe distance so that the birds aren’t frightened away. Because of this, a pair of binoculars is a must if you want to watch the birds behave in their normal manner. If you want to keep a record of the birds you see, you may want to invest in a camera with a telephoto lens as well. Having pictures will also aid you in researching the birds so that you can later look-up the species of the birds you have seen either over the Internet, or at your local library.
Most birdwatchers who take their hobby seriously also keep a journal to record the various types of birds they see. It can also be used to take notes on their different behaviors as well. It can be fascinating to go through the pages of your journal every year as you will observe some of the same birds returning to almost the exact same location at the same time of the year. After doing this for a few years, you will find yourself waiting for them and predicting the time of the year that each species of bird returns.
Attracting Birds to Your Backyard
There are many different ways in which you can attract birds to your backyard to ensure that they visit your home. One of the most common practices is to install a water fountain or birdbath where the birds can find relief from the scorching summer sun and quench their thirst. You can also provide them with a feeding place by putting a birdfeeder in your yard or hanging one from a nearby tree. You may want to experiment with different types of birdseed and food in order to learn what types of food attract various species of birds. You can also provide some nesting facilities by strategically hanging birdhouses in the trees in your yard. If you don’t have trees, birdhouses that sit atop stands are available as well. You may be surprised that some of the birds may adopt your bird houses as their home and return to them every year.
Backyard bird watching can turn into a fun and enjoyable adventure for the whole family if you dedicate some time to this pursuit. You will find that you can recognize most of the different species of birds each season without having to look up their picture and description. You will also learn their behavior and habits.
Helpful Tips
When preparing for backyard bird watching, be sure that you have plenty of water and some high energy snacks available, especially if you plan to spend several hours under cover entertaining your hobby. A baseball cap or visor during the summer time and a stocking cap in winter will protect you from the sun and cold respectively. Also, during the summer, you’ll want to have plenty of bug and insect repellant, as well as suntan lotion if you aren’t watching the birds from a shaded area.
Birds can be fascinating creatures to observe and in time you will find yourself planning bird watching vacations, especially if your family enjoys the same backyard bird watching hobby as you do. If you’ve been looking for ideas on how to bring your family closer together, then you’ll seriously want to consider getting them involved in bird watching.
By John Wollitz
Putting a bird feeder in your garden is a very kind thing to do. It is getting harder and harder for birds to find food in urban areas – not only in winter, but all year round – and so bird feeders can often save their lives. They are also great for birdwatching, if that’s what you’re into, especially if you leave the bird feeder in the same place for a long time so that the birds start to remember where it is. But what kind of bird feeder should you get? The simplest bird feeders are just tables for you to put food on, but the food you put on these is easily stolen by squirrels, who will keep coming back for more and burying it all over your garden. You should consider a cage feeder, where the food is inside a cage so that birds need to use their beaks to get it, or perhaps a feeder with a specially-designed perch that will collapse under the weight of a squirrel. However, both of these options can be impractical if you want to feed larger birds, so you need to consider whether it’s really worth it or if you might as well just put out more food. The other thing you should think about is what you’re going to put in your bird feeder. Obviously this depends mainly on what kind of birds you expect to attract. Most birds will prefer seeds such as millet, but meat-eating birds will prefer ‘bird cake’ and a few birds like hummingbirds want a mixture of sugar and water (a kind of substitute nectar). Some birds also like to eat fruit, so you might try leaving pieces of apple or orange in the mixture as well. If you’re not sure which birds will come, then the best thing to do is to have a little of everything at first, and then see what is popular.
By John Gibb
John Gibb is the owner of bird feeder resources , For more information on bird feeders please check out http://www.bird-feeder-resources3k.info
Bird watching is growing in popularity as a hobby that gets people outdoors and increases appreciation of nature, as well as being a great stress reliever. This blog will help you to be equiped with all you need to enjoy this great recreational pastime.
Here are a few favorites of all bird lovers: