Bird Feeding

Basic Bird Identification

WHERE TO BIRD - KERN

Rare Bird Photos - Kern Specialties

California Birding

California Nature Events & Festivals

California CBC's

California Important Bird Areas

Great Backyard Bird Count Online Bird Guide

Joe Morlan's California Birding Pages - An interactive map of California with birding statistics, sites and other resources for all 58 California counties.

Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter US Geological Survey put this fantastic site together on bird identification.

eBird A site where you can record your bird sightings, a joint project of the National Audubon Society and Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Kern County Birding by Michael McQuerrey - A listserve discussion group of Kern County Birding

CalBirds by Steve Sosensky - A listserve discussion of rare birds, birding events and other things significant to California birders

The Bird Digest by Dave Ranney - A digest of bird discussion around California.

Guide to some Birds of Kern County

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Exotic Bird Species

Eurasian Collared Dove - Streptopelia decaocto

European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris

House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

Ringed Turtle Dove - Streptopelia risoria

Rock Pigeon - Columba livia

Rose-ringed Parakeets - Psittacula krameri

Spotted Dove - Streptopelia chinensis

Recommended Reading / Listening

Birder's Guide to Northern California, LoLo & Jim Westrich

A Birder's Guide to Southern California (Lane/Aba Birdfinding Guide.), Brad Schram

Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds, Paul Ehrlich

Bird Songs of California audio CD, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Birds of My Region, Our Birds, Thayer Birding Software

Birds of North America, Kaufman Focus Guides, Kenn Kaufman, Houghton Mifflin Co.

California, National Audubon Society Regional Field Guides, Peter Alden, Random House

California Birds, Their Status and Distribution, Arnold Small, Ph.D., Ibis Publishing Co.

The Condor's Shadow, The Loss and Recovery of Wildlife in America, David S. Wilcove, W.H. Freeman

The Distribution of the Birds of California, Joseph Grinnell, Alden Miller

Guide to Birds of North America v3 Cornell Lab of Ornithology & Thayer Birding Software

An Introduction to Northern California Birds, Herbert Clarke

An Introduction to Southern California Birds, Herbert Clarke

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America 4th Ed., Mel Baughman & Barbara Brownell, Editors

Sibley Guide to Birds: Audubon Society Nature Guides Series, David A. Sibley

Voices of New World Parrots, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Watchable Birds of California, Mary Taylor Gray, Mountain Press

Watchable Birds of the Great Basin, David Lukas, Mountain Press

Western Birds, Peterson Field Guides, Roger Tory Peterson, Houghton Mifflin Co.

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, David A. Sibley

SIMPLE CHECKLISTS

AREA SPECIFIC BIRD LISTS

Birds of Buena Vista Area

Birds of the Kern River Parkway

Birds of Hart Park

Birds Of Pin Oak Park

Birds of the Kern National Wildlife Refuge

Birds of Pixley National Wildlife Refuge

Mammals of the Pixley National Wildlife Refuge

Mammals of the Kern National Wildlife Refuge

ILLUSTRATED CHECKLISTS

Kern Butterflies

Kern Dragonflies

Kern Fish

Kern River Valley Amphibians

Kern Reptiles and Amphibians

KRP Amphibians & Reptiles

Kern Birds

Kern Mammals

Kern River Watershed Rodents

Habitats

Plants

Flora of the Kern River Preserve

WILDLIFE

Setting up your Bird Feeders

Figuring out where to set up your bird feeding station is one of the most important steps. Placing your feeders in an area where you can see them safely from the house will add hours of pleasure to your daily life. There are two things to remember, that birds need someplace to escape to and that if your backyard is full of cats, no place may be safe. So, look for areas that have some type of cover or perches, a bush, tree, or a woodpile. A brush pile near your feeder will make shy birds feel more at home.

One of the easiest ways to attract birds is to have running water available. Even in the dead of winter this is one of the most important aspects to becoming a magnet for birds. Make sure you keep water stations clean, in summer many types of bacteria can foul the water and in winter small amounts of bacteria or mold can kill cold stressed birds.

Locally, we don't have to worry too much about mold build-up as long as the feeders are cleaned frequently, but areas that have abundant rainfall are more prone to rapid mildew. One thing to remember when buying feeders or bird baths is how easily mildew can be removed from them. Mold can kill our feathered friends.

Another thing to remember is to make it easy on yourself, place your feeders in locations near hoses and your feed bins. If it becomes a chore dragging hoses or spreading seed then you might neglect to refill and clean your feeders properly.

Important Rule for Feeding anything - including yourself!

WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER!

What type of Feed

Knowing which birds are likely to visit your backyard is key to beginning to know what type of feed to put out. Look for area checklists and see when certain birds are likely to visit your area. Woodpeckers are for the most part found year-round in central California, but they do migrate, so spring and fall expect to see more of them.

Woodpeckers of course enjoy acorns, but this year has proven to be one of the worst acorn crops in years. Putting out suet might just keep the woodpeckers alive not just be a supplement. Planting oaks for future years should guarantee woodpeckers in your yard.

Hummingbirds enjoy many flowering plants especially the red varieties. Penstemon, fuchsia and gilias are three that come to mind immediately. These are native to my region and grow with little care or fuss. Try to find plants native to your region for ease of growing.

In central California, there are fewer species of sparrows in summer so the bulk of their foods should be grown for fall through spring feeding. Growing different types of flowers from the aster family are best as many flower in fall.

Types of supplemental feed

I have seen woodpeckers drink from hummingbird feeders, jays trying to hover like hummingbirds on suet feeders, and many other strange antics. The point is most animals will eat what is available, so many times trial and error will help narrow down what works best in your yard.

Sparrows - Wild bird seed with millet and sunflower on platform feeders or scattered on dry ground. Birds that prefer sunflower seed will empty tube feeders to get at the sunflower seeds wasting much seed.
Finches - Thistle seed in sock or tube feeders and regular wild bird seed on platform feeders or scattered on dry ground.
Most birds - Black-oil sunflower seed in tube, hopper or platform feeders.
Nuthatches, jays, chickadees, titmice, grosbeaks, and cardinals - thick-shelled gray-striped sunflower seed and shelled whole nuts.

Hummingbirds - 4 cups of water to one cup of sugar - boiled then cooled. No dye is necessary.
Orioles - 4 cups of water to one cup of sugar - boiled then cooled. No dye is necessary. Slices of fresh fruit.

Woodpeckers - Commercial suet in suet cages - peanut suet is the favorite of my yard birds and raw unsalted peanuts or shelled whole nuts in peanut feeders.

Store your seed in a clean, dry, air-tight container, such as a metal or plastic garbage can. Store suet in the refrigerator until ready to use as heat can make suet rancid and unhealthy for birds. Store clean boiled sugar solution in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Tips for a healthy bird bath

Put bird baths where droppings cannot fall into them. Don't place them under feeders or perches.

Rinse and scrub birdbaths as often as possible, at least daily in summer. Clean out bird droppings immediately.

Once a month, scrub with a light bleach solution (1/4 cup of bleach in 2 gallons of water), rinse thoroughly and refill.

Tips for a healthy feeding station

WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER!

Disinfect feeders every few weeks or sooner if needed (if they get wet or moldy). Scrub with a weak bleach solution (1/4 cup of bleach to 2 gallons of warm water). Rinse and allow feeders to dry before refilling.

Use hummingbird feeders that are easy to clean.

Wash hummingbird feeders thoroughly with hot, soapy water, and rinse completely, every time you refill them. [Every day in hot weather and every three days in cooler weather. ]

Get some spatulas and brushes and keep them with your bird supplies for easier cleaning.

Shake your seed feeders to loosen compacted seed before you refill them.

Dump out wet or moldy seed then clean the feeder before refilling.

Clean all hulls off platform feeders and out of seed trays daily.

Move your feeding station when the ground beneath it becomes covered with seed hulls and droppings.

Rake, sweep or wash the old site to remove hulls.

Turn up the soil to refresh the area.

If you provide suet, reduce the amount you offer in hot weather. Runny suet can stick to birds' feathers. Use rendered suet or heat-resilient suet blocks that are available commercially.

Don't use petroleum-based products on your feeder poles or wires to hinder squirrels, ants, or other feeder-marauding creatures. Petroleum (jelly, oil, grease) is impossible for birds to preen or wash out. Squirrel baffles and non-poisonous ant guards are available commercially.

If you see a sick or dead bird at your feeders, stop your feeding for a few weeks to keep healthy birds from being infected. Remove and discard in the trash any dead birds unless you suspect it may have died of West Nile Virus: wrap and refrigerate the bird and call: 1-800-WNV-BIRD

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Nature Alley is dedicated to protecting natural communities wherever they exist. She is involved in many scientific and educational programs, promoting environmental appreciation and ethics.

Frontispiece: Different types of bird feeders hang on a coated wire between trees in my backyard.