Are Bird Feeders, Bird Houses, and Bird Baths Good Christmas Gifts?

 

The old-fashioned Christmas has always favored gifts with some weight to them—things that promise usefulness long after the wrappings are swept away. A hand-carved toy. A wool blanket. A pocketknife that outlives its first owner. In that proud lineage stand three humble but steadfast garden companions: the bird feeder, the bird house, and the bird bath.

At first glance, they might seem a touch quaint. But don’t be fooled. These are gifts woven from patience, beauty, and the quiet promise of returning life. And in a world that gallops ever faster, a sensible soul might well ask: What better present is there?

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For the Bird Feeder: A Promise of Winter Cheer

A bird feeder is less a gift and more an invitation—an open door to chickadees, cardinals, wrens, and finches. When winter bares the trees and hushes the garden, feeders bring movement back to stillness.

A well-placed feeder becomes a stage for small, feathered dramas: the bossy nuthatch, the indecisive titmouse, the cardinal who insists on looking regal even while stuffing his beak. It’s practical, charming, and never out of fashion.

As a Christmas gift, a feeder says, “Here—lighten the quiet days with song.”

And that’s no small thing.

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For the Bird House: A Shelter Against the Storm

Give a person a bird house, and you’re handing them a front-row seat to spring. Long after the tinsel is boxed away, the bird house stands ready for the season of nests, eggs, and fierce tiny parents guarding their kingdoms.

There’s poetry in that—an enduring, living reminder that life returns, year after year, whether we meddle or not.

A bird house under the tree is appropriate because it looks ahead. It’s hopeful. Steadfast. The sort of gift a great-grandfather might approve of.

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For the Bird Bath: Beauty with a Practical Backbone

The bird bath gets mistaken for mere ornament, but it’s far shrewder than that. Birds need water constantly—especially in winter when natural sources freeze over.

A well-chosen bath gives them a chance to drink, to preen, to remind the world that they were here long before we hung our pretty garlands. And for the homeowner, the bath becomes a sculptural centerpiece—one that changes character with the shifting light, frost, and seasons.

It’s useful and handsome. A rare duet these days.

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Why These Gifts Work So Well

• Because they aren’t fads.
• They aren’t gadgets that grow dull before New Year’s.
• They aren’t things that break as quickly as they thrill.

They are gifts that settle in—quietly encouraging anyone, gardener or not, to step outside, pay attention, and find delight in the creatures that ask for so little yet give so much.

If you give such a gift, you’re really giving a habit: the habit of noticing.

And some would say that’s the finest gift of all.

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Social Distancing Is For The Birds, Too.

 

As much as we loathe social distancing, it can be a good thing. Disease transmission is diminished when we insist on a bit more personal space. This is true even for the common cold. The principle holds for people and for the birds.

Birds can carry diseases, too. According to Medical News Today, “birds and their droppings can carry over 60 diseases.” While bird diseases certainly pass from bird to bird, some can even be transmitted to humans. And it’s not just avian flu that we can worry about. Others include:

• “Histoplasmosis is a respiratory disease that may be fatal. It results from a fungus growing in dried bird droppings.
• Candidiasis is a yeast or fungus infection spread by pigeons. The disease affects the skin, the mouth, the respiratory system, the intestines and the urogenital tract, especially the vagina. It is a growing problem for women, causing itching, pain and discharge.
• Cryptococcosis is caused by yeast found in the intestinal tract of pigeons and starlings. The illness often begins as a pulmonary disease and may later affect the central nervous system. Since attics, cupolas, ledges, schools, offices, warehouses, mills, barns, park buildings, signs, etc. are typical roosting and nesting sites, the fungus is apt to found in these areas.
• St. Louis Encephalitis, an inflammation of the nervous system, usually causes drowsiness, headache and fever. It may even result in paralysis, coma or death. St. Louis encephalitis occurs in all age groups, but is especially fatal to persons over age 60. The disease is spread by mosquitoes which have fed on infected house sparrow, pigeons and house finches carrying the Group B virus responsible for St. Louis encephalitis.
• Salmonellosis often occurs as "food poisoning" and can be traced to pigeons, starlings and sparrows. The disease bacteria are found in bird droppings; dust from droppings can be sucked through ventilators and air conditioners, contaminating food and cooking surfaces in restaurants, homes and food processing plants.
• E.coli. Cattle carry E. coli 0157:H7. When birds peck on cow manure, the E. coli go right through the birds and the bird droppings can land on or in a food or water supply.

"Besides being direct carriers of disease, nuisance birds are frequently associated with over 50 kinds of ectoparasites, which can work their way throughout structures to infest and bite humans. About two-thirds of these pests may be detrimental to the general health and well-being of humans and domestic animals. The rest are considered nuisance or incidental pests.

A few examples of ectoparasites include:

• “Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) may consume up to five times their own weight in blood drawn from hosts which include humans and some domestic animals. In any extreme condition, victims may become weak and anemic. Pigeons, starlings and house sparrows are known to carry bed bugs.
• Chicken mites (Dermanyssus gallinae) are known carriers of encephalitis and may also cause fowl mite dermatitis and acariasis. While they subsist on blood drawn from a variety of birds, they may also attack humans. They have been found on pigeons, starlings and house sparrows.
• Yellow mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), perhaps the most common beetle parasites of people in the United States, live in pigeon nests. It is found in grain or grain products, often winding up in breakfast cereals, and may cause intestinal canthariasis and hymenolespiasis.
• West Nile Virus while West Nile is technically not transmitted to humans from birds, humans can get infected by the bite of a mosquito who has bitten an infected bird. The obvious lesson is that the fewer birds there are in any given area, the better. This translates into a smaller chance of an infected bird in that area, a smaller chance of a mosquito biting an infected bird and then biting a human.”

So, what can we do about it?

Medicines are out of the question. How can we treat wild birds? The populations are too great, and indiscriminate broadcasting can do more harm than good.

Sensible steps can be taken to slow disease transmission. Here are a few examples:

• Keep an eye out for birds that seem lethargic, have fluffed feathers, or won’t fly away when approached. They might be ill. Report them to your regional Department of Natural Resources or local animal control office. Tufts Wildlife Clinic has more to say about this.
• Don't handle sick birds.
• Provide several feeders located in different areas so fewer birds will congregate together. 
• Clean and disinfect bird feeders and bird baths regularly with a 5% solution of bleach.
• Use separate brushes, scrubbers and other tools for cleaning them. Don’t use them for other purposes, and don’t bring them into the house.
• Provide fresh food, throwing away any that seems rancid or moldy.
• Feed only as much as the birds will consume in a couple of days.
• Move your bird feeders occasionally so that droppings, seed hulls and discarded food doesn’t accumulate beneath them. Rake and disperse the debris.
• Change water in bird baths every couple of days.
• Wear a mask when cleaning bird feeders, baths, and cleaning under them. I know you’re tired of being told to wear a mask, but you don’t want to breath airborne disease spores, if any are present.

Hopefully, a bit of care will help to mitigate the spread of disease among us and our feathered friends.

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About The Cardinals

Northern Cardinal

And how to attract them

When the word Cardinal is mentioned, four things come to mind – the bird, the baseball team, a church official and something of major significance. All of these converge in the bird.

The bird – crested and often clothed in bright red – is ubiquitous. Depending on the species, its range spans most of the United States, into Mexico and South America.

There are three perky species in the genus, two of which are common in North America.

Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis

The Northern Cardinal male is crested, brilliant red with a black mask. The female is olive with a reddish cast. It’s so common, widespread and stunning that this species has been designated the official state bird of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is not the state bird of Missouri.

Though the bird is figured in the logo of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, the team was not named for the bird, but for a color in their uniforms. That color – cardinal – is the shade of the cassocks of certain high-ranking officials in the Catholic Church. Important, indeed!

The Northern Cardinal ranges from Maine and Canada, throughout the eastern U.S., westward into Texas, into Mexico and as far south as Guatemala.

It feeds on fruits, seeds – particularly black oil sunflower – and insects, which its thick, sharp beak can dispatch in short order. These are easy enough to find.

The Northern Cardinal sometimes displays the curious behavior of pecking at glass and other shiny surfaces. This is because it’s very territorial, especially in spring. That reflected image of itself is taken to be a threat.

Pyrrhuloxia - Cardinalis sinuatus

The Pyrrhuloxia or Desert Cardinal is mostly found in the arid southwest and Mexico. It is also crested and resembles the Northern Cardinal, though the male is colored gray with a red mask, breast and crest. The female is gray sans mask.

Its diet also consists of insects, fruits – particularly cactus – and seeds.

Vermilion Cardinal - Cardinalis phoeniceus

This one is quite similar to the Northern Cardinal with vibrant coloration and a more distinctive crest. It’s native only to the South American countries of Colombia and Venezuela. Since you won’t likely see it in your yard, you don’t need to worry about feeding it.

If you build it, they will come – certainly!

As noted before, cardinals are common in the United States. But they love to hide and nest in dense shrubbery. A good cardinal habitat will include a landscape of shrubs and low trees, seed-bearing grasses, flowers - particularly of the Asteraceae family.

Northern Cardinals are crazy about sunflower seeds, but they also eat cracked corn, safflower, peanut pieces, milo and millet. I love watching them adorn the winter branches of crape myrtles, devouring the seeds.

Pyrrhuloxia are fond of sunflowers and cracked corn. Bird-watchers in the Southwest should plant flowering, fruit-producing cacti.

If you really want to view them up close, seed feeders will surely draw them in. A vast selection of tray feeders, hoppers, tube feeders and ground feeders are for your choosing. However, if you’re a cat owner, or neighborhood cats visit you, skip the ground feeders.

Cardinals stand out in the crowd. Offer them attractive habitats, hiding places, water for bathing, their favorite foods, and you’ll be rewarded with a yard full of these delightful little creatures.

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About The Orioles

And how to attract them

For a type of blackbird, orioles are exceptionally colorful. Bright yellow, orange to chestnut colors contrast beautifully against black plumage punctuated with splashes of white. 

There are nine species native to North America – Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula), Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius), Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii), Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus), Scott's Oriole (Icterus parisorum), Audubon's Oriole (Icterus graduacauda), Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis), Spot-breasted Oriole (Icterus pectoralis), and Streak-backed Oriole (Icterus pustulatus). Their ranges sometimes overlap, so it’s possible to observe one or more of them in your area.

Baltimore Oriole

The Baltimore Oriole is the most famous by far, if not for its abundance then certainly because of the Major League Baseball team that bears the name. But the bird was here first. They’re so named because their colors are similar to the heraldic crest of the Calvert family and Lord Baltimore, after whom Baltimore, Maryland is named. 

Its head is black, breast is orange, and white patches adorn the wings. As with many bird species, the difference between male and female colors is usually quite different – the males normally sporting brighter colors.

They range from eastern British Columbia to Nova Scotia, southward through Texas to Central America, Florida and Cuba. Their breeding range is from Canada to Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. They overwinter in the warmest climates south of the U.S. border. In the United States, we’ll hear them early in spring high in the trees where they’re searching for insects and nesting materials. Their nests dangle from tree branches.

Orchard Oriole

The Orchard Oriole is slightly smaller than the Baltimore Oriole, and its range is a bit smaller, too. Nevertheless, it can be found in spring from southernmost Manitoba and Ontario, southward through Texas to Mexico, and eastward from Maryland to North Florida. 

Its head is black, and breast color is a darker chestnut. It lacks the large white wing patches of the Baltimore Oriole. 

It’s mostly found in shrubs and orchards, particularly near water sources. They hang around for a briefer period during breeding season – arriving in late spring and leaving by mid-summer. 

Bullock's Oriole

Bullock’s Oriole sojourns in the west. It ranges from southernmost Alberta and Saskatchewan to California, through Texas and into Mexico. They can be found in open woodlands, and shrubs and trees near water sources, which are especially needed in the arid southwest.

The crown of the head is black and bright orange with a black stripe across the eye. The breast is also orange. White patches and streaks adorn the wings.

Hooded Oriole

The Hooded Oriole ranges further west, from California to Nevada, southward through Texas and Mexico. They can also be found in open woodlands and yards, especially among palms from which they find nesting fibers. They actually hang their nests among the fronds to avoid detection.

Their wings, backs and tails are black, as are the lower half of their faces. Their breasts and heads range in color from bright yellow to bright orange. White streaks on their wings.

Scott's Oriole

Scott’s Oriole travels from southernmost Idaho and easternmost Nevada through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and into Mexico. It frequents deserts and mountain slopes, flitting and flirting among yuccas, pines, palms and junipers.

Scott’s Orioles have black heads, backs and wings streaked with white. Breasts and bellies are lemon-yellow.

Audubon's Oriole

Audubon’s Oriole is very much like the Scott’s Oriole, but does not have the black back. It’s doubtful that you’ll spy them very often. They live in southernmost Texas and in limited regions of Mexico. They’re rather shy creatures, searching among brush and woodlands for insects. If you see one, consider yourself lucky.

Altamira Oriole

The Altamira Oriole is another you’ll rarely see unless you live in the Texas Rio Grande region. Their heads are bright orange. They sport black masks and a black streak down the center of the breast. Backs, wings and tails are black with white streaks. 

Look for them in parks, open woodlands, and high branches in trees near water. As with other orioles, their nest can be seen dangling from heights.

Spot-breasted Oriole

Spot-breasted Orioles inhabit a very limited range in the United States in eastern Florida from Cape Canaveral to Miami, only because they were introduced there sometime after World War II. Otherwise, they’re native to the lower western coast of Mexico and into Central America.

They’ve become somewhat common in Florida. They look very much like the Altamira Oriole, but have black spots on the breast spreading toward the wings.

Streak-backed Oriole

Streak-backed Orioles visit the southwestern United States, but are mostly found in western Mexico and southward into Central America. It’s flame orange on its head, belly, breast and back. A black streak marks its breast and black streaks run down its back. Its tail is black. White streaks adorn its wings.

You may find them in arid grasslands, open woodlands and shrubs. They are very much attracted to various mimosa plants, which are rich in nectar, so homeowners in those areas would plant them to attract these avian gems.

Which brings us to the next subject.

How to attract orioles.

Photo credit: Lori Meehleder

If you build it, they will come...maybe.

It just so happens that most orioles are suckers for sweet fruits and nectar. Yes, they eat insects, but they  adore sugar.

Dark and brightly colored fruits, in particular, attract their attentions. Oranges, blackberries, raspberries, blue and purple grapes, plums, blackberries, raspberries, red cherries and crab apples will keep them coming back. You can provide them in feeders, or better still, plant a few shrubs and trees in your yard!

Split oranges in half and secure them on nails or dowels. Chop up pieces of apple to present in bowls or shallow cups. Do the same with grapes and berries. Would you like to provide an opulent feast? Put a few dollops of grape jelly in the bowls. 

Nectar rich flowers such as Trumpet Vine will entice them. Not only is the nectar sweet, but the color is just right, too – bright orange and red.

Those orioles that are native to the Southwest and South will also feed on yucca flowers. Yucca plants are very drought-tolerant, too. They’re perfect for xeriscaping, whether of necessity or simply to save on your water bill.

Since they’ll drop in to feed, why not provide the orioles with nesting materials. Oriole nests are complex things, sort of like dangling purses to hold their young. Fibrous plants will do the trick. Palms and yucca plants are very fibrous. Southerners should be able to grow them with ease. In colder regions, orioles will make good use of long grass blades, hair, threads and string, even plastic strips. Though it’s best not to leave plastic blowing around, it’s good to know that errant pieces can be used for good.

Orioles are certainly some of the most colorful bird species of North America, and they’re more interesting to birders because they don’t hang around very long in their breeding areas. So, be prepared for their coming in the spring. Purchase your oriole feeders, buy grape jelly (!), plant your fibers and save string for the next season so you can enjoy these exotic-looking creatures while they last.

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Quick Tip: Grape Jam Recipe for Orioles

Birds Choice SNOF Recycled Poly Oriole Feeder

Here's a simple, effective recipe from a good customer for feeding orioles. Her birds love it!

I use a whole cup of Welch's grape jam and 1/4 cup of corn syrup. Mix thoroughly and put into a squeeze bottle.

...Remember (to use) jam and not jelly. I think the jam has more grape taste and is thicker.

This year must be a record. I'm going through 4 jars a week.

The mixture is put into any one of our great oriole feeders from Birds Choice. Check them out at our GoGardenNow eBay store.

Many thanks to Marie B. from Michigan!

Do you have any favorite recipes for attracting orioles? Any other thoughts on the subject? If so, let me know in the comment section.

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