Living with Backyard Birds
Neighborhoods are perfectly good
homes for all kinds of birds. We find everything from the smallest hummingbird to
large birds of prey, noisy starlings to cawing crows. All of these birds can
find a comfortable niche in our neighborhoods and backyards.
Along
with the pleasures of these wild and beautiful creatures come the hazards of
mingling wildlife into city settings. What do we do with the orphaned baby
birds that our children find or the frightened robin the cat brings in? What
about birds hit by a car or caught in fishing line? Birds sometimes fly into
the house or into windows. They dive-bomb passersby or nest right above the
front door. All are perplexing problems. How do we deal with these situations
in a way that doesn't harm these otherwise welcomed visitors to our yards and
neighborhoods?
It is important to remember that
birds and almost all wild animals are afraid of people. No matter how stressful
the situation is to us at the moment, it is even more frightening to the bird.
This means that handling and close contact with people should be avoided
whenever possible and kept to a minimum when it does become necessary.
How to Prevent Problems
*1* Put a bell on your outdoor cat,
especially if you hang bird feeders in your yard. A breakaway collar, with a
bell and ID tag attached, is safest for the cat. The bell will warn birds of
the approaching predator.
*2* Sometimes birds appear to be
attacking the windows. This is actually a seasonal problem. There are times
when the light is just right for a bird to see its own reflection and think
that a rival is in the territory. At this season or time of the day, cover the
outside of the window with newspaper or somehow shade the window from the
outside. Usually this inconvenience is short-lived and, as the seasons change,
the window becomes less of a hazard for backyard birds.
*3* If birds habitually nest on the
light fixture above the front door or some other inconvenient location, it is
often easy to prevent nesting by putting an obstacle in the bird's way. A
chicken wire barrier can make a favorite nest site seem quite inhospitable. If
you like the birds, but not in that location, try putting a nest platform in a
more acceptable location. Maybe the bird will oblige and everyone will be
happy.
*4* If you find birds entering the
attic or chimney, try to scare them out before the nests are completed. Put a
barrier, like chicken wire, over all the openings before the birds return. It's
okay to disrupt nest building. The birds will find another spot and start over.
But if you don't discover the birds until after the eggs have been laid, you
will have to put up with baby bird noise for awhile. Most birds are protected
by federal law and once the nest has eggs or young in it, it is against the law
to disturb the nest. Luckily, most baby birds are only in the nest for three or
four weeks. As soon as the babies are fledged (that is, out of the nest), seal
off their entry way. Many species nest twice in a season and will set up
housekeeping again in the same location within a few weeks.
*5* Dive-bombing birds or birds that
seem to be attacking passersby are usually protecting their nest. If people or
pets get within a certain range of a bird's nest, the parent birds may try to
drive these intruders away. Give the birds as wide a berth as possible so that
they don't feel threatened by your presence. In about three weeks, after the
babies are fledged (that is, out of the nest), this territorial behavior will
stop.
*6* For ducks that land in the
backyard swimming pool, try leaving a beach ball and some brightly colored
floating toys in the pool. This is usually enough to discourage the birds from
landing.
*7* Vegetable gardens and fruit
trees are another favorite spot for our wild neighbors. Birds will often get
rid of unwanted insect pests, but they also love brand new foliage and newly
ripened fruits and vegetables. Short of enclosing our trees and gardens
completely, there is no perfect solution to this problem. Scarecrows, plastic
owls, or plastic snakes sometimes work to scare the birds away. To increase
their effectiveness, move these devices periodically so that the birds don't
get used to them in one location. Large whirligigs shaped like flowers are
available in garden shops. They work to distract the birds as long as the wind
is blowing. Tin can lids or aluminum foil flags strung over a garden can create
enough reflection and clatter to keep birds out as well.
BIRD GETS INTO THE HOUSE
If this happens, remember that birds
will most often fly to the highest location they can reach and will fly towards
light in search of an escape route. You can help them find the way out by
closing all the curtains and doors except for the opening you'd like the bird
to use as an exit. Birds will quickly tire after flying around a room so let
them rest where they land before shooing them toward the lighted opening. If
the bird lands on the floor, you may be able to toss a pillow case over the
bird. Gently scoop it up and release it outside.
BIRD FLIES INTO PLATE GLASS WINDOW
If the injury is not serious, the bird
may recover from the shock of such an accident in a matter of minutes. Gently
place the bird in a small cardboard box or paper bag and leave it alone in a
quiet place for half and hour. After thirty minutes, stand near a tree or thick
brush and open the box or bag so the bird can fly off safely. If the bird has
not recovered after thirty minutes, call a rehab. facility (Critter Creek: 559-338-2415).
INJURED BIRD
Do not offer it food or water. Do
not attempt to remove fishing line or something else that might be caught or
tangled around the bird. Gently place it in a small cardboard box or paper bag
lined with tissue. Call a rehab. facility (Critter Creek: 559-338-2415).
BABY BIRD FALLEN FROM ITS NEST
You can put baby birds back into
their nests. It's an old wives tale that the mother will reject her babies if
they have human scent on them. Most birds do not have any sense of smell at
all. So if you know where the nest is, put the babies back in and leave it
alone. The parents won't return to care for the babies if people are around. If
you can't find the nest, you can make one using a small basket or margarine
container. Punch holes in the bottom and
line the container with paper towel (not grass, as moisture in the grass can
cause birds to become too cold). With a nail or wire, fasten the makeshift nest
to a shady spot in a tee or tall shrub near where the bird was found. Put the
baby bird in the makeshift nest. Usually the parents will hear their youngster
and feed it.
BABY BIRD HOPPING AROUND ON THE
GROUND
Baby birds
often leave the nest as much as seventy-two hours before they can actually fly,
so the baby bird you found may not be abandoned or orphaned. The adult birds
hide these fledglings in bushes while looking for food. If the bird is not in
any immediate danger from cats or dogs, place it under some thick brush and
leave it alone.
When to get the bird to a wildlife rehabilitator:
·
If the parents don’t find the new nest within two
hours, or if you are certain that the mother of the baby bird is dead.
·
If the bird is hurt or sick (unable to flutter
wings, bleeding, wings drooping unevenly, weak or shivering, or was attacked by
a cat or dog
Call
a wildlife rehabilitator immediately
The longer the delay, the less chance the bird has of surviving.
Pick
the bird up with your gloved hands and place it in a well-ventilated, covered
box that is padded with paper towels.
Keep the baby bird warm and in a quiet, dark place until you can get it
to a wildlife rehabilitator. If the bird is cold, put one end of the bird’s
container on a heating pad set on low. Or, fill a zip-top plastic bag, plastic
soft-drink container with a screw lid, or a rubber glove with hot water. Wrap
the warm container with cloth, and put it next to the animal. Make sure the container
doesn’t leak, or the animal will get wet and chilled.
Do
not give the baby bird any liquids (they get all they need from their food and
very often will inhale any liquid).
If
you are tempted to keep the baby bird…DON’T. Migratory birds, including song
birds, are protected under federal law.
Possession of a bird, its nest or eggs without a permit is illegal.
To
contact Critter Creek Wildlife Station call
(559) 338-2415 We will refer you
to our closest available volunteer.