skip to main content

Red Wing birds

13 years ago

Does anyone know if the weight calibrated feeding tubes that prevent squirrel and larger birds like grackles, but allow birds like the Cardinal to eat, will they also allow the red wing blackbird to eat as well? 2.2 oz Red Wing, and 1.8 oz Cardinals...

Those red wings, surprise me, they could eat off my clinger's only feeders and now they tube feeder I just bought.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

mosswitch
13 years ago
We have red wing blackbirds in town this winter, never have seen them here before as they normally are country field birds, not woods birds. Not just a few, either. They ran off all the starlings, which is a good thing, but there is a flock of probably 500 red-wings, and they chow down all the bird seed in short order and chase off the smaller birds. Almost as bad as the starlings. If we still have snow next week I'm going to the feed store as soon as we can get out (it's snowing again) and get some chicken feed to put on the ground away from the feeders. Hopefully that will draw them away and the smaller birds can eat in peace, not to mention saving me the cost of all that black oil sunflower seed.
donald lucius
13 years ago
the chicken feed has worked for me i have an old aluminun large cooking sheet that i put under a tree 30 foot from the feeders. the starlings and doves and red wing blackbirds go there first and most fill up there but some are still sneaking in to get at my feeders. I have tried several different models of cage geeders that help a lot to keep out the bigger birds. one type is a wire cage around the feeder with small spacings so the big birds can't get in and the other is dowels on end spaced close enough together so the the little birds can fly thru but the big ones can not. This fall here all the feeds including cracked corn and chicken feed have been going up in price. still a lot cheaper than bird seed but 3 to 4 dollars more a sack than it was.
Related Discussions
Red Wing Black Bird deaths????????
Q
Comments (27)
There were over 100 dead birds that dropped over in Geyserville, CA off the 1010 Freeway this past Saturday. There were also a rather large number of Rooks and Choughs over in Sweden that died.....not to mention the birds in Arkansas, Kentucky, Italy and the fish, crabs, etc. in various places around the world. All in clusters, all falling on or near or within two weeks of, the New Year. Scientists are saying that mass die-offs are very common in birds, especially in winter....as for the fish and sea-creatures, they're saying red tides are on the increase in those areas. So this is hard to pin point....and don't get me started on the conspiracy theorists....egads. Thank GOD He is Sovereign over *all* of it. (Colossians 1: 19-20)
...See More
What nest box should I put up?
Q
Comments (6)
Many of the birds you mention aren't cavity nesters, so a nest box wouldn't matter. Probably chickadees are the most likely. If you put up a box for chickadees, of course make sure it's protected from predators with a baffle on the post or pole, especially since you mention cats and racoons. The hole size is 1 1/8", small enough that house sparrows and starlings won't be able to enter. One thing I read is that chickadees might prefer a larger hole to start with, like 1 1/4", and then once they have established use of the box, you can put a 1 1/8" hole reducer on. Much depends on the habitat in your yard and in the surrounding area. Chickadees seem to like the nest box to be on the edge of a woody or shrubby area. A chickadee box might also attract house wrens, so I guess it depends on whether you want to potentially host them or not. You don't mention what state you live in, so I don't know if you have house wrens. Other suggestions for nest boxes could be wood ducks (since you live near water), or even screech owls, which could use the same box as wood ducks. Or, you could try putting up an Owl Shack in the fall. I've got two up, no luck so far with screech owls, but the woodpeckers sure like to drum on that nice resonant box! If you have many dogs and cats running around your neighborhood, then you might not get anything at all. If that is the case, then you might not want to try and attract wood ducks, because they have to jump out of the box to make their way to the water, and would be easy targets for cats.
...See More
Red Wing Black Bird attacks Geese
Q
Comments (2)
The bird isn't too successful. It just make the geese really angry. The geese in my area aren't as aggressive. They don't seemed to register me as a threat, but they take off when my neighbor's yellow lab (we don't have a fence and he's welcome to run in my yard!) comes by. When the coyote comes by, they run to. The situation is temporary, once the reeds grow up, they stop coming because it becomes difficult to take off.
...See More
red wing bird pic
Q
Comments (2)
they do get a larger amount of red as they get older but also they can fold their wings tighter or looser and show more or less red. especially when they are showing off for the girls
...See More
donald lucius
13 years ago
another thing that has helped is that i save all the mesh bags that oranges and tangerines and lemons and even some onion sacks. ones with a fine mesh i put hulled sunflower or safflower seeds in and bigger mesh homemade suet mix with chopped nuts and cracked corn. and even a leftover nyger sock that i put the sunflower chips or fine chopped nut in and hang them. so far the hanging birds use them but the starlings and red wing blackbirds have not adapted to them.
mosswitch
13 years ago
I also use the mesh bags. The blackbirds and grackles empty those in no time, I think they learned from the finches.
troutwind
13 years ago
For three days last week a large flock of Red Wings turned over the leaves in my back yard. There were so many of them that it looked as if the ground were moving with all the leaves being tossed. They never touched my feeders or the suet. This was the first time I've ever noticed them up here on the ridge. Normally they are down by the creek about a half mile away.

Two more firsts this winter. In late January there was a Towhee on my BOSS feeder. Saw it only once. If it came back I missed it. Last year I saw one under the Suet feeder picking up pieces but this is the first I've ever seen on the feeder. 20 years ago they were all over the place but now that there are no empty lots left I very seldom see any.
There just aren't enough woods left for them.

Another first I could do without, Grackles. Never had them before and they will empty out a feeder amazingly fast. Wish they would move on.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Northern Cardinals in the Snow, and Other Red Birds

By Habitat Network

Brilliant crimson feathers make these friends stand out in a crowd

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Go Owling in October

By Habitat Network

These stealthy nocturnal hunters fill North American skies with their quiet wings and distinct calls

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Red Bird-of-Paradise Soars With Color

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Fiery bursts of red-orange flowers bring hot summer gardens to life, while this shrub's drought tolerance keeps the living easy

GARDENING GUIDES 13 North American Backyard Birds to Know

By Annie Thornton

Find out about these enchanting native species and learn how to attract them to your yard

DECORATING GUIDES On Trend: Wing Chairs Return to Flight

By Mari Richards

Latest versions of the classic rest-and-read chairs have sleek, modern lines

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Healthy Home Habitats for Northern Flickers

By Habitat Network

These colorful woodpeckers found across the U.S. and Canada love berries, seeds and ants and often nest in deep burrows in trees

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Native Shrubs for Year-Round Bird Feeding

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It’s not just about berries. These plants provide insects for birds and seasonal interest for gardeners

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Wild Birds Transform a Woman’s Garden and Life

By Mary Jo Bowling

How Sharon Sorenson created a wildlife haven and became the Bird Lady of Southern Indiana

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Invite Entertaining Hummingbirds Into Your Garden

By Habitat Network

Hummingbirds — unique to the Americas — zip through open landscapes seasonally or year-round. Here’s how to attract them

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning

By Alison Hodgson

Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family

Sponsored

Dream Baths by Kitchen Kraft

12 Reviews

Your Custom Bath Designers & Remodelers in Columbus I 10X Best Houzz

More Discussions

A MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION, PLEASE

0

What bird is this?

2

Did you know Hummingbird-flower mites?

0

where is everybody?

0