Prepare for the Season (and a lot of Bird Activity)

Spring is one of the most exciting seasons for bird enthusiasts. As winter gives way to warmer days, birds become more active, showy and vocal. By being seasonally savvy, you can create the perfect environment to help them thrive. With just a few thoughtful choices, your backyard can become an important stopover for migrating flocks and a safe haven for year-round residents.

As spring progresses, many migrant species will arrive, while winter visitors prepare to leave the area. To support both groups, provide foods high in fat and energy, which are essential fuel for long journeys. Suet, high-fat seed blends and Bark Butter® are excellent options to keep them energized and healthy as they travel.

At the same time, courtship and nesting activities shift into high gear. Soon, young birds will appear at your feeders, eager for a reliable food source. Offering high-protein, calcium-enriched foods helps busy parents and their young. Spring is also the ideal season to enhance your yard by adding new feeders and planting native trees, shrubs and flowers that provide food and shelter for birds.

Visit us soon to learn more about getting your yard ready for spring and the birds that follow.

May Birds to Watch in Your Central Illinois Backyard

May feels like the backyard hits full volume. Everything is busy, loud, and a little chaotic in the best way.

You'll see familiar faces stepping into their busiest season. American Robins are now full-time worm hunters, often running across lawns like they have somewhere important to be. House Wrens show up with big personalities, chattering nonstop as they claim nesting spots. Baltimore Orioles flash bright orange as they move through treetops, often stopping by for oranges or jelly if you put it out. And keep an eye on the air, Chimney Swifts twist and dart overhead like tiny flying cigars, rarely stopping, always in motion.

This is also peak family season. You might spot Northern Cardinals and Black-capped Chickadees making constant feeder runs, grabbing seed and flying off to hungry nestlings nearby. If you slow down and watch for a minute, you will start to notice the pattern, back and forth, back and forth. It is a small window into the hidden nests all around you.

We have May specials for Mom!

May is packed with good reasons to stop in. Migration is peaking, nests are filling up, and your feeders are getting more attention by the day. If you have not refreshed seed, added a new feeder, or tried something new for spring visitors, now is the moment.

Take a look at our Monthly Specials before you visit. You will find timely deals to help you support all that backyard activity, plus a few ideas if you are picking something up for Mother’s Day on May 11. It is a solid excuse to treat her, and your birds, at the same time.

 

 

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.