Got Nature? Blog

Evening Grosbeaks are common winter visitors to bird feeders. (Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

When the temperatures drop and the snow falls, we often turn our attention to what we can do to help the wildlife which calls our yards home. In most cases, professional wildlife biologists don’t recommend the feeding of wildlife.  We instead focus on providing structural elements that provide food, water and cover to provide the necessary wildlife habitat. However, bird feeding, and particularly winter bird feeding, is an exception. It should not replace providing other elements of wildlife habitat in your backyard.

What can you do? Like most things, it comes down to how much time you have and what you want to spend. There are a couple good tips you can follow to get the best results for your investment.

Food type – bird seed mixes can contain “fillers” that is relatively inexpensive and can attract undesirable species of birds. Different bird species have different needs. If you can, offer a single type of bird food in a single feeder.  Mixes are ok, but birds will sift through what they don’t want to find what they do want.  If you have to pick one to start, offer black-oil sunflower. It is a high-quality food that is attractive to a variety of bird species. Suet is a favorite food of woodpeckers and nuthatches. Commercially available suet cakes also contain seeds and nuts that other birds will consume.

Feeder type – different bird species are adapted to feeding in different ways and locations (e.g., for example). Better designed feeders are sturdy, easy to clean, and easy to fill.  Covered platform feeders keep seeds protected from moisture and is attractive for many species of birds (you can fill with black-oil sunflowers).  Even though they are covered, the tray should have drainage holes. Tube feeders attract different species of birds such as finches.  The small perches and access holes for feeding exclude larger birds such as grackles and blue jays. Open trays close to the ground are good for jays and doves.  However, they offer no protection from moisture or squirrels.

Non-targets – squirrels are a common problem at feeders. Metal or plastic baffles or cones can exclude squirrels from many feeders that are mounted on poles or hung from a wire.  Some feeders are enclosed in wire cages that prevent squirrels from reaching the seed but still allow access to smaller birds. Starlings are a common problem at suet feeders. However, their feet are relatively week. Suet feeders that only allow access from the bottom prevent starlings access but still allow access for woodpeckers and nuthatches.

Placement – feeders should be placed in areas where you can observe them. Placing them within a few feet of cover can provide “rest” areas for birds to wait their turn.  However, low and shrubby ground cover can provide hiding places for domestic cats to ambush birds. Avoid placing feeders in these locations.  In extreme cases, you may have to fence off feeding areas to exclude cats.

These are just a few tips to get you started. There are many good resources for feeding songbirds and attracting wildlife to your backyard.

Publications
– Henderson, C.L. 1995. Wild about birds: the DNR bird feeding guide. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul, MN.
– For the Birds, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Resources
– Cornell Lab or Ornithology, Cornell University
– Audubon Society, Bird Feeding Tips

Brian MacGowan, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

Managing Woodlands for Birds

Learn how forests are used by birds and how best practices in forest management can increase their numbers in these newly released videos on birds and their relationship with woodlands.

In the first video, “Managing Woodlands for Birds,” J. Barny Dunning, professor of wildlife ecology, discusses how forests are used by birds year round, important habitat features of woodlands that can benefit birds, and how woodland owners can enhance their property for birds. In the second video, “Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Forest Birds,” Professor Dunning and graduate student Patrick Ruhl cover how disturbance and forest management impact birds. Management recommendations for both videos were developed in part from the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, a long-term, large-scale experimental study of forest management and its impacts on plants and animals.

Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Forest Birds

Check out “Managing Woodlands for Birds” and “Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Forest Birds” to learn more about how birds use forests and how we can impact them in a positive way. To learn more about the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, please visit the HEE website.

Resources:
Managing Woodlands for Birds – YouTube, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment – Forest Birds – The Education Store
Breeding Birds and Forest Management: the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment and the Central Hardwoods Region – The Education Store
The Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment: Indiana Forestry and Wildlife – The Education Store

J. Barny Dunning, Professor of Wildlife Ecology
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) is a national program of 4-H Youth Development and FFA in which youth learn wildlife identification, wildlife natural history and habitat management, along with testing their knowledge during regional, state, and national Career Development Events. WHEP began in Indiana in 1997 with one 4-H team of four students and has grown to a size of over 33 teams with almost 130 youth participating.

WHEP has recently created a new Facebook page that will announce national and state events, provide information about teaching aids and resources, and offer updates about the latest news in natural resources management throughout the country.

The new publication Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program: Preparing for the Wildlife Challenge​​ was recently released to help youth practice wildlife identification for the Wildlife Challenge during the WHEP Career Development Event. For more information about WHEP, check out the national website and be sure to like WHEP on Facebook!

Resources:
WHEP Facebook Page
WHEP National Website
Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program: Preparing for the Wildlife Challenge – The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Wildlife Habitat Education Program – Teaching and Learning Wildlife Management Practices – The Education Store
WHEP – Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program video – Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) YouTube Channel

Jarred Brooke, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Natural Resources

One of the main problems facing eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) conservation is that many people mistake this endangered salamander for another common species called a mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus). Conservationists and researchers encourage any outdoor enthusiasts to report eastern hellbender sightings by going to helpthehellbender.org​ or by reporting to a conservation officer. Unfortunately, many hellbender sightings are actually mudpuppy sightings. This can cause confusion in conservation efforts, so the need for public education on hellbender identification is strong.

We have created the “Eastern Hellbender ID Video” to teach people:

On August 29th, the Colombian Park Zoo in Lafayette hosted ‘Help the Hellbender Day’, an outreach event filled with fun and educational activities to promote awareness of this fascinating at-risk salamander. Partners in the community including Purdue University, Illinois – Indiana Sea Grant, Tippecanoe County Partnership for Water Quality, and the Wabash River Enhancement Corporation provided activities and booths to teach the community about water quality issues and how they can get involved to help the hellbender. The Salamander Tale exhibit featuring the Hellbender Havoc video game made an appearance as well.

A new sing-along music video has been added to the Help the Hellbender website. This provides a fun and catchy way for teachers and students to learn about hellbenders and see the researchers hard at work helping add to their numbers.

The Help the Hellbender website also has other resources for teachers and students including lesson plans, coloring pages and a Hellbender Havoc video game. Check out the site and sing along with the hellbenders!

Resources
Help the Hellbender, Purdue Extension
Purdue Partners With Indiana Zoos for Hellbender Conservation, Purdue Agriculture News
The Nature of Teaching: Discovering the Watershed, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Amphibians & Reptiles, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Purdue Extension-Forestry and Natural Resources