Late summer tips for backyard bird feeding
After nesting, comes molting season, when most birds begin replacing their feathers usually from July to September. Since feathers are 90 percent protein, every molting bird needs a little extra to grow back strong feathers for proper flight and effective insulation.
Another need is extra fats for energy growing and providing proper coloration to best attract a mate. Without these nutrients, it could be a difficult winter and a lonely spring.
A good nesting mix works well, but black oil sunflower, sunflower chips, nuts, suet, suet nuggets and seed or suet cylinders are also good high-fat, highprotein choices for your birds.
A little housekeeping
Fresh, top-quality food is the foundation for successful backyard bird feeding. Under normal storage and use conditions, seed will stay fresh and healthy for birds until it is completely consumed. However, our Santa Fe summer heat can hasten spoilage. The following recommendations will help ensure the food you provide will always be healthy and nutritious:
◆ Always store your seed in a cool, dry location.
◆ Store seed in rodent- and insect-proof containers.
◆ If seed is kept outdoors, secure the lids so animals cannot get in.
◆ Keep stored seed out of the sun.
◆ Never mix old seed with new seed.
◆ During periods of especially warm weather, store only a few weeks supply of birdseed at a time. If the seed is in a dry and cool location, you might get by with up to six weeks of storage time.
◆ Keep your bird feeders filled with a one- or two-day supply of seed to ensure it is eaten quickly and stays fresh.
◆ Discard moldy, rancid or foulsmelling seed, because it can be a health hazard to birds.
A note about bugs
Any seed can become infested with grain moths. While this is not a preferable situation, it does not mean the seed is unfit for eating. In fact, the moths and their larvae will be eagerly consumed by many of the birds at your feeders.
Should your seed become infested, be sure to store the seed outdoors; not inside your house or attached garage. If you wish to eliminate the bugs in your remaining seed (although this is not necessary), place it in a freezer for five days. For ease of use, divide your seed into smaller baggies and remove them from the freezer the day before you intend to use it.
Thoroughly clean your storage containers before refilling with fresh seed.
Anne Schmauss is the co-owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Santa Fe and she loves to hear your bird stories. She is the author of For the Birds: A Month by Month Guide to Attracting Birds to Your Backyard and Birdhouses of the World. She has written her For the Birds column for the New Mexican for ten years.