Feeding wild birds - year around, or winter only?

[gentlearts]

I try to provide bird friendly plants. Here in zone 8 there are only a few months in which there are no seeds or berries around. I’d rather not mess with the birds natural migration, or feeding patterns in the winter. I hate to create dependency.

[Ohiogirl81]

Hawks have to eat, too, and if it's nature's way that they eat other birds, so be it.

I just wish they'd take the entire bird away with them, instead of leaving bits and pieces behind in the yard.

[Southern man]

Originally Posted by LilyMae521

As LIcenter notes, we usually see the morning doves get taken by hawks, here in NH county, CT.

But here is a something cool we see quite often... A couple of our blue jays have got the call of a hawk down pat. They will come flying in, calling out like a hawk. All the sparrows, junkos, cardinals, titmouses, doves and nuthatchers will scatter pdq.

Then the blue jays settle down and eat with no competition. Works every time.

LOL

Yep, Blue Jays do mimic hawks.

[James Bond 007]

That's the normal call a blue jay makes. I'm not sure they're trying to mimic anything.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by James Bond 007

That's the normal call a blue jay makes. I'm not sure they're trying to mimic anything.

But they do

https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/bl...imitate-hawks/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWcWW65I8qM

[James Bond 007]

Well, I must say I've never heard a blue jay make that sound. I thought everyone was referring to the standard blue jay call.

[jim9251]

I put a feeder up winter only. Summer there's enough bugs for them to eat.

[VTsnowbird]

this is what I am going to do.

[1973PINTO]

this morning is the first time i have ever seen blue birds at my feeder .. i crush pecans and put some out daily during the winter .. i usually use walnuts but could not find any this year .. some years they produce and some they dont ..and i have a robin defending the feeder for some reason .. they never eat from it ..

[1973PINTO]

Originally Posted by HOSS429

this morning is the first time i have ever seen blue birds at my feeder .. i crush pecans and put some out daily during the winter .. i usually use walnuts but could not find any this year .. some years they produce and some they dont ..and i have a robin defending the feeder for some reason .. they never eat from it ..

i stand corrected .. the robin does eat the pecans .. just now saw it for the first time