The first week of May is an exciting time for backyard birders, as it marks the return of several favourite migratory birds to Ontario. In this post, I share what you might see in your yard and what feeder and seed combinations work best for attracting them.
Welcoming Ruby-throated hummingbirds back each year is such a delightful experience. Dissolving 1/4 cup of sugar in 1 cup of boiling water is the simplest and most cost-effective way to feed these tiny gems. You can’t go wrong with the Perky-Pet pinch waist hummingbird feeder. Complete with wasp guards and a built-in ant moat, this feeder is a bargain at $12. It’s not just the features or the price that I love about this feeder; my dad had one when I was a kid, and I’ve had mine for years. I’ve been watching hummingbirds flock to it for over 40 years, and simply put, it works.
Male Baltimore orioles are easily recognized with their orange and black plumage. Often heard singing from treetops before they are seen, these colourful songbirds are regular backyard visitors. Making a homemade nectar mixture by boiling 1/4 cup of sugar in 1 cup of water and then pouring it into a specialty feeder is one of the best options for feeding orioles. Perhaps the easiest method is to place orange halves or slices on a branch, shepherd’s hook, or a tray feeder. Squirrels will eat oranges if accessible. If you buy the naturally imperfect bagged oranges from the Loblaw chain of stores, you will save a few dollars. Grape Jelly is another favourite food of the Baltimore oriole. However, not all jelly is created equal. Avoid high-fructose corn syrup-based jelly as it provides no nutrition to the birds. Yes, they will eat it and lots of it, but this provides empty calories and is not a good option. Natural jellies or better yet, BirdBerry Jelly are the best option. The birds choice feeder lets you offer all three of these foods in one feeder, which is a favourite among orioles.
Rose-breasted grosbeaks will use almost any feeder they can land on. Hopper, tray, and tube feeders are all great choices, as long as the tube feeder has a perch large enough to accommodate these medium-sized songbirds. The Woodlink Going Green platform feeder is a great choice. This rugged feeder is made of recycled plastic, designed to last a lifetime, and is incredibly easy to clean. The mesh bottom lets moisture drain away, keeping the seed fresher for longer. The Squirrel Buster Classic is a great tube feeder, as the perch is plenty large enough for grosbeaks to land. As the name suggests, these feeders are squirrel-proof, with the seed ports closing when they detect the weight of a squirrel. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks love safflower seed, and as a bonus, this seed is less desirable to grackles and starlings. Black-oil sunflower seed is another great choice to attract grosbeaks.
Several sparrows can be seen foraging under feeders in early May. It’s important to look for the subtle differences in field marks to separate these native sparrows from the less desirable introduced house sparrows. Native sparrows also have some of the most beautiful songs. White millet and finely crushed sunflower hearts are great options for feeding sparrows.
If you are one of the lucky ones, you might even have the stunning indigo bunting show up in your yard. I’ve been fortunate over the years to have these beauties show up, albeit briefly, at my feeders. White millet is one of their favourites offered in either a hopper, tray, or tube feeder. The Aspects quick clean tube feeder is a great choice. These feeders are available in a variety of sizes and colours to suit your style. Thanks to their quick-release, removable bottoms, these feeders are easily the most convenient tube feeders to clean.
If you have a variety of backyard birds and struggle to identify them, my book Backyard Birds: A Beginner’s Guide To Backyard Birding in Southwestern Ontario is a great resource. This book features 24 of the most common birds found in the region, explains how to identify each species, and outlines which feeders and seed combinations work best based on years of my own experience. The book features photographs I took and even include a checklist in the back so you can record your sightings.
It’s an exciting time of year for bird enthusiasts. If you haven’t already, set out your hummingbird and oriole feeders; they’ve returned! Keep an eye out beneath your feeders for the LBJs, or “little brown jobs” (a birder’s term for sparrows), as you might spot a hungry new visitor in your yard. Keep your feeders clean, the food fresh, and sit back with your favorite drink to enjoy the magic of spring migration.
Good birding,
Paul
