Many bird watchers think that feeding birds like pigeons and crows in the summer is pointless as the birds could get lazy and stop looking for natural food sources. However, research indicates that birds just get 25% of their daily food from feeders, and certain species could get even less. Heat stroke can result from abrupt temperature fluctuations and overheating pet birds. Heat Waves can damage tropical birds, which originated in woods and jungles with temperatures between 81°F and 86°F and high amounts of moisture. To protect your birds’ health and well-being and to adjust to the changing environment, you must master bird care techniques in the summer.
Give More Water
Add many bird baths to your yard, such as pedestal baths, hanging baths, and ground-level basins, to keep birds like Bulbul and sparrows cool. This gives every bird additional places to bathe and drink, as well as more possibilities for getting access to water. A solar fountain placed over a bath can attract more birds by signalling to them that water is available. Keep your backyard bird baths maintained to draw birds who don’t often visit feeders and to supply fresh water for bathing and drinking. It is very important to stay hydrated in the summer heat. To avoid mosquito infestations or growths caused by the heat, keep your bath no deeper than three inches at its deepest point and scrub it two or three times a week with a sharp brush.
Fill Bird Baths with Ice
In the summer, keep birds cool by placing a block of ice in each bird bath filled with chilly water. One excellent way to keep birds like pigeons and crows cool in the summer is to place a huge block in the bird bath early in the day and freeze water in a plastic dish overnight. The water will stay colder and the bath will remain full while the ice melts. Along with keeping the bath cleaner, this will reduce the amount of insects that could reproduce in the water.
Serve Food of High Quality
A useful tool for giving birds dependable, wholesome food is a bird feeder. Mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, and blended fruit and nut seeds from Kaytee are a few of the well-liked summertime bird diets. Other well-liked options include peanuts, peanut hearts, and seed cakes. Bigger feeders guarantee that birds will always have easy access to food.
- To draw in a greater variety of birds like kingfisher, you may scatter various kinds of bird seed in the summer, such as nyjer and black oil sunflower seeds. Songbirds such as orioles, grey catbirds, cardinals, and tanagers can be drawn to fruits like orange halves, banana slices, and apples.
- Similar to fruit, jelly can draw a lot of birds like parrots, but it’s important to use minimal amounts to prevent mould or rancidity. Nuthatches, woodpeckers, and orioles all like nectar, which is the most often utilized kind of nectar. Flowers that are high in nectar can also offer additional nutritional help.
- Mealworms are especially appealing to birds that eat insects, such as warblers, bluebirds, wrens, and grosbeaks. Although dried mealworms can also be added to a seed mixture, fresh mealworms ought to be the preferred option.
- Woodpeckers, blue jays, chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches all adore peanuts, whole or shelled. They can be included in seed mixtures or provided in platform feeders that are at least two feet from the ground.
- Suet can be served in meals in tiny amounts; it is still tasty but created with less fat. Making the proper feeder selections for your yard will help guarantee that birds like pigeons have access to wholesome food throughout the sweltering summer months.
Foods to avoid feeding birds in summer
Backyard birds need to have a diverse range of nutrient-rich diets to ensure their healthy growth. Particularly for nestlings and young adults, summertime provides too much heat for birds to consume table scraps, bread, and peanut butter. While adult birds may occasionally take delicacies like bread, nestlings and young adults do not benefit nutritionally from such foods. Furthermore, birds shouldn’t be fed peanut butter since it melts easily, damages their feathers, and becomes rancid rapidly in hot weather.
Place Bird Feeders in the Shade
It’s important to place feeders in shaded spots throughout the summer to keep birds cool and stop seeds from spoiling. The coolest and most shaded feeding areas are found when feeders are suspended beneath large trees or thick awnings. For backyard birds, creating tiers of landscaping with native plants with wide leaves may offer a cool haven that doubles as food and shelter. Additional cover is provided by the vegetation that grows around tree trunks and the sides of buildings like sheds. In addition to providing shade, native plants, vines, bushes, and trees help ward off predators. To prevent oily seeds from deteriorating and to allow cooling air circulation, place feeders in shady places. Place bird homes in shaded areas with enough openings for ventilation to allow cooling air circulation, particularly for nestlings. Different bird species may not feel comfortable nesting close to crowded feeding stations, therefore it’s crucial to maintain space between feeders and nesting locations.
Reduce the amount of pruning
Avoid pruning trees and bushes more than is strictly required since in the summer, birds like parrots, and pigeons will seek out shaded locations to stay cool. In addition to keeping birds cooler, thicker, unpruned plants will give summer birds safer places to nest and better protection from thunderstorms and scuttling predators.
Boost the Vents in Birdhouses
Enough airflow is essential in every bird home to keep tiny nestlings and brooding birds cool. To ensure that the house has enough ventilation on hot summer days, add more vent holes. Additionally, make sure that dirt or nesting materials haven’t clogged the holes. It is possible to prevent rain from saturating the nest by placing vent holes beneath the eaves.
Establish a Calm Midday Sanctuary
It might be difficult to keep birds cool in the late afternoon and throughout the warmest parts of the day because of the heat. Backyard birders should keep their yard quiet and free of distractions, such as dogs and lawn mowing, to create a tranquil refuge. Numerous summertime species, such as sparrows, tanagers, thrushes, hummingbirds, orioles, buntings, and warblers, will be drawn to this. Improved summer sanctuary means that even on the warmest days, birdwatchers and birds may enjoy the season in peace and comfort.
Preventing Parasites
Warm weather can make parasites like fleas, ticks, and mites more likely to appear. These parasites can harm birds’ health by causing infections, anaemia, and skin irritation. Clean cages often and provide birds with new bedding to ensure their safety. To avoid pests, think about utilising natural therapies like diatomaceous earth or pesticides that are safe for birds. Even “safe” goods, meanwhile, can harm birds since neonicotinoids, a prevalent chemical in garden products, have been connected to the mortality of bees and birds. If pesticides are required, see which products are the least hazardous on the website of the Center for Food Safety. For natural substitutes, check with your neighbourhood Audubon Society or conservation groups. You may even make your combination using natural ingredients.
Conclusion
To conclude we can say that feeding birds like parrots, pigeons, crows and sparrows in the warmer months will assist backyard birders keep them cool over the summer. Heat stroke can result from abrupt temperature fluctuations and overheating pet birds. It’s critical to assess the difference between your bird’s and your heat tolerance since abrupt temperature changes might result in sickness or heat stroke. Backyard birders can contribute to keeping birds cool and healthy in the summer by using these strategies.
