Fall Brings Changes for Your Backyard Birds
As fall arrives, it brings a season of change for us. Summer vacations are over, the school year starts, and the air becomes crisper. At the same time, our backyard birds are going through even greater changes in their lives. They may change the foods they eat, their social arrangements, plumage, and even where they live. Most of our backyard birds have been eating protein rich insects in summer and feeding them to their young. In fall, they may change to feeding on the ripening seeds and berries, partly because of the abundance but also because insects are becoming scarce as winter approaches.
As autumn deepens, the activity at your feeders will increase as jays, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches begin caching seeds for the winter by the hundreds. In a behavior called “scatter-hoarding”, each seed is individually hidden in a unique location. Common storage sites include under tree bark, dead leaves, knotholes, and even house siding and shingles.
Most birds also change their social behavior in fall. With breeding over, many abandon individual territories and paired relationships and roam more widely in flocks. Chickadees form small flocks of young and adults that roam over several breeding territories. They will also team up with White-breasted Nuthatches, titmice, and Downy Woodpeckers to forage together in a group known as a foraging guild. They all benefit from the teamwork of multiple birds looking in different locations for food…many eyes makes the success rate increase.
In addition, backyard birds undergo a complete molt of their feathers each fall. For some, like cardinals, this is just a replacement of the same colors of feathers they had all year. While other birds change into different colors just for winter, as in the case with male goldfinches, which replace their bright yellow feathers with a duller plumage that resembles their female counterparts.
Many birds move to new areas in fall. Sometimes it is just a shift to a nearby location with a better winter food supply, such as your bird feeders. Others, like bluebirds, will move from open areas where they had a nesting cavity to locations rich with berries. Then there are birds such as House Wrens, which leave northern areas and migrate south, where they can continue to eat insects through winter.
Fall is a time of tremendous change in the bird world. Take some time this fall to look for and enjoy these changes as you watch your backyard birds at the feeders.
September birds to watch in Central Illinois
September brings a gentle shift in the backyard chorus. American robins gather in loose flocks, swapping solo songs for chatter as they feast on berries. Northern flickers can be spotted hunting ants on the lawn, their polka-dotted feathers and bright yellow underwings flashing in the sun. And listen for white-throated sparrows beginning to pass through — their clear, whistled notes are a sure sign of fall on the horizon.
Chickadees and nuthatches kick their caching into high gear this month, tucking away sunflower seeds in bark crevices for the colder days ahead. Blue jays join in too, burying acorns with uncanny memory. Meanwhile, goldfinches finish raising their late-season broods and trade their bright summer yellows for a softer, olive-toned fall look.
Along wetland edges, migrating warblers dart through branches in flashes of yellow and green, pausing just long enough to refuel on insects. Keep an eye out for common grackles flocking together, their glossy feathers glinting in the September light. Mourning doves remain ever-present, their soft cooing a calm backdrop to the busy comings and goings.
To make your yard irresistible this month, stock feeders with black oil sunflower seeds, safflower, and fresh nyjer seed. A suet feeder will attract migrating woodpeckers and warblers in need of quick energy. Stop by Wild Birds Unlimited for high-quality food, fresh seed, and friendly tips to help you enjoy every feathered visitor this September.
What's on Sale?
Did someone say 20% off? Take a look at our Monthly Specials page to find this month's deal, plus a bonus 25% off bracelets and necklaces!
Live Raptor Series
The Illinois Raptor Center of Decatur will present every other month starting February 22. Our February program kicks off at 9 a.m. and features a live Red-Tailed Hawk. Seating is limited, so please call or visit the store to reserve your spot. If you’re unable to attend after reserving, we kindly ask that you let us know so others can take advantage of the opportunity.
Dates and raptors for the year are:
April 26 Barn Owl
June 28 Ferruginous Hawk
August 30 Great Horned owl
October 25 Snowy Owl
Red Tailed Hawk
The Perfect Gift for Every Nature Lover
Every nature lover is different, so finding the ideal gift for them can be difficult. That's why our gift cards are the perfect gift for every occasion. They allow your friend or loved one to choose what part of nature he or she wants to enjoy. The best part: our gift cards are redeemable at every Wild Birds Unlimited location.