bird feeder . . . not birdeeder LOL nm
Posted By: ER MT on 2008-02-03
In Reply to: I love the cardinals' red color against the snow - ER MT
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Bird feeder and bird food?
For the older ones somebody might need to keep it filled.
I have a suet feeder
suet feeder hanging on porch and then I put little stacks of sunflower seeds out - mostly for the cardinals but the woodpeckers like it too. .
Well-oiled area around feeder sm
I have several feeders, use heavy chain and keep it well oiled with vegetable oil which gives the squirrels a little slip and slide. I love them as well, throw them a few nuts once in awhile but they do dig up my garden, especially tulips. I tried cayenne pepper around my bulbs, but they like it!
I had a cat who once caught a bird...
in mid air. I saw it with my own eyes or never would have believed it.
Maybe it was a bird - a hawk!
My hubby saw one land in our back yard. I'm grateful my dogs are over 50 lbs so they can't get carried off. But a small cat? Maybe. I saw a red tailed hawk carry off a large cottonmouth snake once. Flew right over our truck hood. Loved it.
lonely bird
I've had all kinds of birds but only a couple types of finches, none of them Blues. I do know that finches tend to be colony birds and prefer companionship as a rule. I think she is probably missing her best buddy and she is also afraid because she doesn't know what happened. If there was any blood involved with the dying bird, this will terrify birds even more. (They don't even like it if you wear red nailpolish.) That might account for the odd chirping. It might be to your benefit to try to find out what the other bird died from because if it had anything to do with something that is still in Roxy's environment, this will upset her.
Some birds bond for life and will never accept another companion. Others can resist a companion at first but then get used to them. This is breeding season. I would think she would be accepting of another bird right now.
My first suggestion would be to get a mirror and put it in her cage and see if that helps calm her down. Just seeing another finch like her buddy might help. Then, if you want to try getting another bird (which I would definitely do if she accepts the mirror bird), get one and put it in a separate cage right beside this one. Don't just put it smack into her cage. She could attack it for not being her buddy or for territorial invasion. But if the new bird is sitting in its own cage (can be a small travel cage for the trial) and yours acts like she wants to go be with it, then put them together for short periods of time at first and watch them carefully to be sure she doesn't attack the new bird. If they are compatible, then you've got yourself a new pair and Roxy has a new best friend. Also, it would be wise to keep the birds in separate cages for a while and watch the new bird's droppings, even have them checked out by a vet for parasites, etc., before you let them live together to be sure the new one is perfectly well.
One other thought that comes to mind is perhaps you had a male and female and did not know it. I confess I do not know how easy it is to tell the sexes of Blues. I'm used to the larger birds and using blood tests to be sure, as I paired and bred for sale. But a blood test is impractical on a finch as they really can't afford to lose any blood because of their small size!!! BUT, one could have killed the other since this is breeding season and birds, even finches, can get very aggressive towards one another, even those of the same sex.
I would suggest contacting a Blue breeder and find out more about their personalities and habits. And if you buy your second bird directly from a breeder, you can be more sure it will be a healthy one. The ones that end up in pet shops aren't always the best of the clutch.
I wish you luck and please know you have my sympathies in your loss. These little guys are really easy to get attached to. Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions I might be able to answer.
Yes, get another bird. They become very attached.
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Here is an unusual bird
The lyre bird is a mimic, but does much more than just other birds! See link below.
Bird watching
I like to watch the birds out my kitchen window, but they spook easily, like every time we walk into the kitchen. I'd like to put a film on the window that would allow me to see out, but not be the mirror reflective type that would cause the birds to attack the window or try to fly through.
The only one I've found like that had a military camouflage pattern (not too lovely, LOL). I'm sick of searching, and was hoping somebody else had already found something. Oh, and the easier to apply, the better! Temporary/cling is fine, but I do have to be able to see out.
Thank you. Never in bird. I'm too lazy LOL :-) NM
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Can you tell me where the bird story is?
Thanks
You mean the bird's tail? (sm)
It's fatty meat and tail bone. I think people leave it, but don't serve it.
Bird story
 I just had to share this story with all.
This morning while downstairs doing laundry I hear my cats carrying on and on. I was concerned because the last time they were throwing such a fit our dog was choking and they cried to get my attention.
I walk in my den to see what was wrong and to my surprise sitting on my window ledge was a woodpecker pecking at the window. I shooed him away x5 but he kept coming back. I have never had this happen before.
I used to feed my feathered friends about 3 years ago but gave this up as our dog (german shorthair) started hunting them. While I know it is in his nature I just couldn't see baiting the birds for him.
Now I am wondering what has gotten into this little guy who is still looking in at me right now, not pecking at the glass but just watching, any ideas????
Any bird lovers out there? I have a question sm
I have had to female (didn't want to deal with breeding, been there done that) Cordon Bleu finches for almost 3 years. My hubby purchased them for me for out 17th anniversary. It has been just the two of them in their cage since we brought them home and they hang right beside my desk so I can see them when I work. Last night we found 1 dead. The other one has been chirping continuously since early this morning. They are not extremely vocal birds (usually the males are) but they would normally chirp a little and would fly around quite a bit. I know Roxy is probably wondering where Velma is and that is the reason for the continuous chirping (including a weird sing-sing-whisthiling noise that I have never heard before). I have been searching on the web about getting another bird for her to have as company. I can't find anything definite. We brought these birds 3 hours from here as our local pet store only carries zebra finches. I haven't spoken to anywhere there yet but plan to. Does anyone have any suggestions? My heart just breaks for the lone bird but am not sure if getting another bird is the best idea.
How is the bird who lost its buddy?
Responding to the post below about the dog made me think of the poster whose bird died. How is the little one doing? Did you get him a new friend?
If you didn't stuff it in the bird...
I would just wait until Thanksgiving to bake it.
Hey fellow bird watchers...
We added a new bird to our backyard list today - one that we have been waiting to have visit for six years. I must admit I had given up, as this is known to be a rural bird and we are just inside town. We have downy woodpeckers out the wazoo all day long, but today, much to my surprise and delight, we had a visit from a hairy woodpecker. He landed on the suet cage that I have hanging on the offce window so he was only about 4 feet away and I got a really good look at him. What a thrill! Now if I can just lure in that elusive pileated...
We have a barrel of bird seed that we keep in the basement.
A few years ago, when the contents got low, we found a 3-legged mouse trapped in there. The seed was low enough that he could not jump back out. Well, having had kept mice in the past (pet store varities) I put thick gloves on, caught him and set him up in a nice cage with all the stuff mice like. I would hold him every day and sign Micky, Micky Bo Bicky, banana fana fo ficky....and so on. Every day. But after two weeks I realized that he was not enjoying it. So, 3 legs and all, I took him out to our bottom field and let him loose. He ran and skipped to the closest tree and climbed that tree up about 15 feet. He then sat an a branch and gave me the evil eye. Didn't know he could do all that with just 3 legs.
Well, a few weeks later, guess who was back in the barrel? I got the heavy gloves out and went to reach for him, he FLEW up my hand, arm, jumped 15' across the room and ran under the door to freedom. Guess he really did have enough of my singing. Never saw him again. (was definitely him cause you can't miss noticing a 3-legged mouse). Oh well...
Saw a surviving baby bird today!
That snake got something in my yard, but today I saw a baby bird on the ground. Just like last year there is a baby thrasher (I think I called it a thrush last time?) with this cute, stubby little tail. He's all fluffy and as big as his parents except that he has a little stubby tail in place of their 4-inch long tails, LOL. He hops out into view, opens his mouth, and then a parent comes down and shoves food down his gaping gullet. Soooo cute.
I had Sasha tied up, guarding the front yard to keep the neighbor's cat away. Not sure where the snake is, but he should be stuffed for a couple of days, anyway.
Have seen lots of birds do this with those fake bird-like
sdf
The Bird Cage! I love that movie.
Hank Azaria is a hoot. In fact, all the principals do a great job.
MTness: The bird story below is so strange. (sm)
I'm so sorry for your loss as well. I cannot even imagine (and don't want to!) how hard that must be for both of you who posted about losing your sons.
That bird thing is so bizarre. I have heard of people having signs that loved ones are about to die but did you ever make any sense out of the bird??
yeah, what strange bird story?
I couldn't find it either.
I saw the bird story, but didn't catch
what was odd about it. You saw a huge bird on a roof in Florida, but I've been to Florida and there are some really big birds there, just like on our coast here in NC. I did't catch what was odd about it.
I was watching a bird at work today.
I could hear it calling, so I looked up and watched a hawk circling. He had a lot to say. I believe he had an opinion about the squirrel tail hanging from another plant-stocker's trailer. She usually adorns her cart with flowers, but she recently added a squirrel tail another worker gave her. It's not a plain squirrel tail; she adorned with pink ribbons.
(I'm not missing MT at all, LOL).
So it wasn't contest where they threw bird out of plane and
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Reveling in adding a new bird to my life list
of birds I have seen - a red-breasted nuthatch - not common this far south - at my suet feeder when suddenly birds scattered and my resident Cooper's hawk almost hit the window in front of me. Don't think he scored this time.
Any idea how to keep cats out of bird nests in trees? sm
This is the 4th day in a row I have had to pick up a dead, mauled bird (3rd baby). I am assuming cats are the cause, since neighbors and I did not have a problem until this year, when we started seeing a couple of roaming cats. My dog is no help as he is still a puppy and is afraid of the cats. 
Anyway, does anyone know humane ways to keep cats from climbing the trees? I know, you can't fight nature, but thought I would ask anyway. Thank!
I ran over my science teacher at the dinner table because Big Bird said to. nm
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it takes 3 weeks for a baby bird to learn to
We have to watch the dogs and cats really close until all the babies leave the yard and it is a long three weeks. Our babies usually hide in the pumpkin patch during flight school with mama guarding from the fence.
Definitely get a companion bird - they are very social and need company. Poor thing is lonely. nm
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I am wondering about mixing the bird with another finch species such as a zebra finch. nm
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