Rosemary Drisdelle's Blog

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle

When we think about Christmas, the first bird that comes to mind is usually the Christmas turkey. But think deeper and you’ll realize that there are lots of other birds in our Christmas traditions.

Christmas decorations often incorporate little birds: birds cling to the branches of Christmas trees, accent wreaths and adorn Christmas cards. Birds with red colour, like Eurasian Robins and Northern Cardinals are especially common, but we also see turkeys and geese and, of course, the perennial partridge in a pear tree. Doves appear regularly as well because these birds, like Christmas, are associated with peace.

Turkeys aren’t the only bird that can be eaten for Christmas dinner. Geese are traditional too, and partridges have long been a popular game bird. Pheasant pie might be on the menu as well. All of the birds in The Twelve Days of Christmas can be eaten, including the “calling birds” which was originally colley birds or black birds. (Remember “four and twenty black birds baked in a pie” from your childhood nursery rhymes?) Maybe the reason for all the partridges, turtle doves, hens, calling birds, golden rings (ring necked pheasants, geese, and swans was so that there would be plenty of food for a feast, with entertainment provided by ladies dancing, lords a-leaping, pipers piping, and drummers drumming. Just a thought…

Once, there was a tradition of going out at Christmas and shooting as many birds as you could—it was a competition. Today, that tradition has been replaced, at least in the Americas, by the “Christmas Bird Count,” a nicer endeavor that helps us keep track of whether bird species are flourishing or failing… and no harm is done to the birds.

Other Content about Christmas Birds

Seven Swans A-Swimming

Decorate a Christmas Tree for Birds

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle

Many people enjoy feeding wild birds and the hobby is increasing. Some assume that we are helping wild birds to survive by providing them with a reliable source of food; others acknowledge that birds know where to find food on their own and we are really only feeding them for our own enjoyment. Whether they really need the food or not, the millions of dollars worth of birdseed and other foods put out every year must be having some effect. Now scientists are asking what the effect is.

Not surprisingly, studies have turned up both positive and negative effects. Among the negative impacts:

• Abundant food at the beginning of the breeding season can induce birds to breed earlier than normal. Unfortunately, chicks may need different food than their parents (seed versus insects), so early chicks may hatch before there is enough food for them to survive.
• Because birdfeeders bring many birds to the same place to feed, they can help spread infectious diseases that kill birds.
• In some bird species, an abundance of food can result in a shift in the male : female ratio.

Positive effects of feeding include:

• Early nesting and good nutrition increase the chances that birds will produce a second clutch of eggs in the same season.
• More eggs are laid, and eggs tend to be larger and of better quality.

We don’t necessarily need to stop feeding birds, but we do need to know more about both the direct and indirect effects of this activity.

For more information, see

“Food for thought: supplementary feeding as a driver of ecological change in avian populations.” GN Robb, RA McDonald, DE Chamberlain, and S Bearhop. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 6 (2008): 476-84.

Related content about feeding birds:

Garden Plants that Attract Birds

Spring Gardening for Birders

Squirrels and Bird Feeders

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle

Bird watchers love to have birds visiting their yards and possibly even nesting there. Putting out a bird feeder is the simplest way to attract a few birds but you can attract many more by landscaping from a bird’s point of view. Some birds don’t come to feeders but will visit a yard where there are other food sources. Some like to bathe in dust or fresh water. All birds need places to nest, roost, perch, shelter from a storm, or hide from enemies.

Even a modest yard can include some or all of these features and still be a lovely space for people as well. The article How to Attract Wild Birds to Your Yard provides a general overview of the topic, while the links below lead to more specific articles. Remember to consider which birds, plants, and habitats are typical of your area and design your bird friendly yard accordingly.

Garden Birds and Transition Zones

Garden Plants that Attract Birds

Spring Gardening for Birders

Creating Shelter for Birds

Hang a Nesting Box for Birds

What is a Winter Roosting Box

Install a Birdbath to Entice Birds

Create Natural Nesting Sites

Build a Dust Bath for Birds

Squirrels and Birdfeeders

Make Your own Suet Feeder

Please comment on this topic. How do you make your yard more bird friendly?

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle

Recently, a Burrowing Owl turned up in Chicago, far from its natural range and clearly lost. After it was spotted and reported by a birdwatcher, other birders gathered to see the rare bird—rare in Chicago, that is. Before long, a Cooper’s Hawk spotted the owl and killed it. A debate immediately arose as to whether bird enthusiasts actually caused the death of this unfortunate bird.

Comments from those who felt birders were responsible included:

• People disturbing an already stressed bird added extra stress and caused it to use valuable energy reserves.
• Flushing the owl repeatedly to get a look at it made it visible to the raptor.
• A bird already frightened by people might not react effectively when attacked by a hawk.
• Birders put their own interests before that of the bird.

Comments to the contrary included:

• The owl was lost and already exhausted from its ordeal (probably a storm that blew it off course). It was probably doomed anyway.
• A Cooper’s Hawk is a keen hunter and doesn’t need help spotting a vulnerable bird.
• Bird watching, a growing hobby, is one of the main forces behind conservation of birds in the world today. When a rare bird turns up, the event fuels that interest and ultimately helps all birds.

Though I didn’t see this mentioned, I would add that hunting raptors have their troubles too. They hunt birds and small animals and rely heavily on weak, vulnerable, careless birds for food, catching very few of the birds they go after. The death of the owl contributed to the life of the hawk. All was not lost.

My own opinion is that, regardless of the rarity, interest, or condition of the owl, or the eventual outcome, it’s not okay to deliberately disturb a wild animal. Not once; certainly not repeatedly. Ethical bird watching means enjoying the birds without affecting them.

What do you think?

Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle

Working online webcams in October watch penguins and seals on the island of South Georgia, nesting penguins in Antarctica, and bird feeders in the United States, New Zealand, and England:

Gentoo Penguins at GARS O’Higgins—This German Antarctic Receiving Station webcam has watched a Gentoo Penguin breeding colony for years. Penguins began arriving in mid-September and they can be seen hanging around the station, but as of October 10, they were not yet nesting. Cameras provide several views and the pictures refresh every 15-30 minutes.

Seals and penguins on South Georgia—penguins, as well as fur and elephant seals are the focus two web cams on South Georgia in the southern Atlantic. There should be good viewing here from October to March. Seals are on the beach now. The pictures refresh about every three minutes.

Feeder birds in New York, United States—a web cam in the garden at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, supported by Wild Birds Unlimited, shows common feeder birds in that area, with a picture that refreshes every five seconds. Follow the link to “Common Feeder Cam Birds” for help with identification.

Feeder birds in New Zealand—the Baggins Little Valley Webcam shows some great views of New Zealand birds. The picture updates every minute. The camera is online somewhat sporadically but it’s still worth a visit.

Feeder birds in England—a variety of feeders in England’s Lake District attract birds at the Ghyll Head Education Centre. These camers are live and viewers can change the picture, zooming in on particular feeders. Badgers and foxes are also sometimes seen.

Do you have your own bird feeder? You can make your own suet mix.