Wild Birds Unlimited

And our last Bird Dad of the Day, the Mourning Dove! These dads are dedicated family men, helping to raise up to six broods a year, usually with 2 eggs per clutch! This is the most of any bird in North America! Because they typically construct a new nest for each brood, dad gathers materials for the nest so mom can build it quickly. Both the male and female mourning dove take turns incubating the eggs and both will help feed the babies once they hatch. ... Father's Day gift ideas for Doves: They LOVE millet and our no-mess seed blends! Because doves are ground feeders, offering these seeds in a tray feeder is the best way to make food accessible to these very busy parents!

From now until 6/21, when you buy a Quickbites feeder, you get a free 8-pack of Barkbutter Quickbites! (while supplies last )

Bird Dad of the Day: the white-breasted nuthatch! Nuthatch dads are handymen! They actually get their name from the way they wedge seeds into crevices to crack them open. They're also skilled in pest control, and have been known to crush stinky beetles and spread them over the nest to ward off predators, like squirrels. Nuthatch dads make sure to bring plenty of food home for their families, and within the first 4 days of their babies hatching they make 7-12 trips per hour!... Father's Day gift ideas for nuthatches: These guys love suet, mealworms, and seeds/nuts! We actually have a suet feeder specially designed for nuthatches because they love to eat upside down, and it's so fun to watch them!

This month, bird families are forming and becoming a part of your family’s world, too. The next generation of youngsters are making their first appearances everywhere around your yard! Be ready to welcome your new birds with the food, water and the habitat they need to have a bright future.

Bird Dad of the Day: the American Goldfinch! These dads are always happy to take their kids out to eat! Once the babies fledge, dad will show them how to find food and point out the best feeders. It's a lot of fun to see goldfinches showing their babies how to use their favorite feeders! Father's Day gift ideas for goldfinches: Adding a finch feeder to your setup is a great way to attract goldfinches! We have feeders designed specially for smaller birds like finches, and they LOVE our nyjer and finch blend!

Feeder Fatigue (noun): a state of exhaustion resulting from trying to keep up with hungry birds in the winter (Pine siskins may also be a contributing factor ) Worry not, bird lovers! Seed cylinders are here to help you enjoy your morning coffee without getting those excuse me, the feeder’s empty! looks through the window. Our cylinders are densely-packed with nothing but our premium seed (no fillers, as always!) held together with a bit of safe and natural gelatin, which... makes them take a bit longer to eat than traditional loose seed. They are sometimes called vacation feeders because you can put them out before leaving town to make sure your birds don’t go hungry, but they are great to offer all the time! We have seed cylinders designed for all kinds of appetites, from insect eaters to fruit lovers... and we even have a hot pepper alternative to keep squirrels away! We’d love to help you pick the right feeder and cylinder variety for your backyard, so feel free to stop by and ask us any questions

Wondering what to do with all of these pine siskins?? As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, pine siskins are an irruptive species which means they aren’t usually here! They chose to spend their winter with us, further south than they typically travel, and toward the end of April they will head back north to their normal nesting grounds in Canada. While they’re here though, we have a chance to do something really cool... hand-feed them! Pine siskins are particularly brave ...and will land right on your hand if you offer some of their favorite foods (we recommend a no-mess blend because the shelled seeds are easier for their little beaks). All you have to do is stand or sit outside by your feeders and hold your hand out, they’ll come right up to you pretty quickly! Let us know in the comments if you try this, all of us here at WBU Athens have been having an awesome time getting closeup encounters with these hungry little guys! This is Emily’s video from last week

#MondayMischief - I want to eat at Grandma's house. . .

Happy Valentine’s Day, lovebirds! Have you ever seen cardinals share a little kiss with their valentine?? They do this frequently as a mating ritual, but what you’re actually seeing is the male feeding the female. It’s their way of saying I can provide for our future family... pick me!... Sometimes the fastest way to your Valentine’s heart is giving them tasty treats!

The great backyard bird count has begun! Here’s a quick rundown on the proper way to record the birds that you count. Let’s practice counting Northern Cardinals for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). We will practice with the photos below and count Northern Cardinals pictured only, and we will exclude the first photo that asks How many birds can you find? For the GBBC, your count for each bird species is the largest number of that species that you see at one time. In ...the photo with the long feeder, we have 3 Northern Cardinals for our count. (For the sake of the GBBC, sex doesn’t matter.). Let’s say that later we see the number of Northern Cardinals in the next photo with the feeder that is shaped like a witch’s hat on top. How many Northern Cardinals do you see? There are 3 at the feeder, but it also looks like there is one in the bushes behind the feeder, so our count for the GBBC is now 4. Finally, later we see the 2 males pictured at the hopper feeder. Our count for the GBBC stays at 4, because that is the largest number of Northern Cardinals we saw at one time. It’s that simple! Do the same for each species you see during a time frame of at least 15 minutes today through 02/15/21, and enter your count through either the free eBird app, or go to this link to enter on the website: https://www.birdcount.org

Welcome back to "What bird is that??" Wednesday! A spotlight on wintering birds you might be seeing at your feeders during this season! Today's bird is the Ruby-Crowned Kinglet!! These fast-moving and spunky little birds are known for the little tuft of red feathers that sticks up from the male's head, but their ruby crown is not always visible. They are easier to spot if you look for their characteristic wing flicking as they forage for food. Ruby-Crowned Kinglets can be... mistaken for goldfinches in the winter time due to their green-grey coloring, but they are a bit smaller and have distinctly different beaks-- goldfinch beaks are wider and yellow, while kinglets have more narrow/pointed beaks that are black, and they also have a white band around their eyes! Of course, if you see an excited or agitated male, you will notice the raised ruby crown that normally lies flat against the back of their head. Fun facts: - while kinglets are tiny, they lay up to 12 eggs in a single clutch! - metabolic studies suggest ruby-crowned kinglets only need to use about 10 kilocalories per day for survival, which helps them survive the cold! - they are monogamous during mating season, but choose a different mate each year - Their Latin name is "Regulus Calendula", and the word Regulus means small king! They certainly have the spunky attitude to back up such a title These little guys like to eat insects and are BIG fans of our WBU suets! If you would like to attract them to your yard, our staff will be happy to help you pick out some treats for them. Have you seen any Ruby-Crowned Kinglets at your feeders yet? Feel free to brag in the comments below

It’s almost Halloween, and many of us here in Athens are getting into the spooky spirit! Unfortunately, some decorations are not so fun for our feathered friends. Fake spider webs are a fun and easy way to dress up bushes and doorways, but unfortunately these are places our birds call home! Large and small birds can become entangled in these large spider webs and may be unable to free themselves, which can lead to serious injuries. So what can we do to help?? If you see a... bird stuck in a Halloween decoration, wildlife rescues recommend (very carefully) cutting the material away rather than trying to pull the bird out they are very fragile and can be easily injured. If you would like to avoid this problem altogether, we recommend putting Halloween decals on windows and doors and skipping the fake webs! This is a fun way to stay spooky without putting birds in danger. Happy Halloween, everyone!! Stay safe and as always, enjoy the birds!

#MondayMischief - Have a safe Halloween. . .

Emily and Gary share some of their favorite feeders and food ideas!

We’re giving one lucky winner $20 off any feeder of their choice! Emily and Gary will be going live to discuss what feeders they love and why the birds love them, too! To enter our drawing to win $20 off a new feeder, all you have to do is comment below and tell us what YOUR favorite bird feeder is! You can also share this post or tag a friend in the comments for an extra entry The deadline to enter is Sunday (10/25) at midnight, because we will be announcing the winner during our live event at 9 am on Monday (10/26)! We hope to see you all there!

What’s that bird that’s always doing acrobatics on your feeder?? That’s a white-breasted nuthatch! These little guys live here in Athens all year, but fall is a great time to watch them because you might figure out where they get their common name... from jamming nuts and seeds into tree bark and then using their beaks to hatch the seed from its shell! One of the funniest things about nuthatches is their ability to flip upside down or go sideways on vertical surfaces wh...ile looking for food, or to get out of another bird’s way. White-breasted nuthatches like to eat insects (and spiders! ) so they are great to have in your backyard. At feeders, they love nuts and seeds, and they’re big fans of our WBU suet we even have an upside down suet feeder for them! A big thank you to our store manager Gary Whiting (who is also a highly-skilled photographer, if you didn’t know!) for this incredible picture! Gary says, I call it ‘Impatient Nuthatch.’ My fly-through feeder is just out of the photo to the left. I think the Nuthatch on the bottom got tired of his friend waiting too long to get to the Bark Butter Bits, so he went right under him!

#MondayMischief - After many tries, all I learned is that I'm not as smart as a squirrel. . .

Who can relate?? One of the most common things we hear from our customers is that squirrels are cleaning out their feeders! Did you know we have a long list of solutions to this frustrating problem?? Our staff can help you find a way to make sure your bird feeders are actually feeding the birds! (And if you want to feed the squirrels, we can help with that too )

Wondering what to do with nesting boxes now that it's Fall?? Nesting boxes are great for more than just nesting! In the colder months, birds seeking shelter from the cold weather will use these boxes to roost. So how can you help? - Take inventory of your nesting boxes. Now is a great time to repair or replace any damaged boxes to ensure they provide suitable shelter... - Clean out the nesting boxes-- many of us worry about disturbing a nest, but at this point in the year, these nests have already served their purpose. It is best to freshen up the nesting box to avoid pests and mold. pro tip: we carry a bird-safe nesting box/feeder cleaner in our store! - Uh-oh... what if there are eggs in the nest? There are many reasons this can happen, but at this time of year it is safe to assume the nest has been abandoned, and the nest can be discarded. - If you want to go the extra mile, we do carry boxes made for roosting! These have a ladder which allows the birds to perch so they can all squeeze in together, and the ladder can be taken out in spring for nesting. Offering shelter in the winter months is a great way to keep your birds around all year, and they will also remember these spots when they are looking for a good place to nest in the spring! image: Male and female Eastern Bluebirds in a wooden nesting box

Welcome to "What bird is that??" Wednesday! A spotlight on fall birds you might be seeing at your feeders! Today's bird is the rose-breasted grosbeak. One of the most beautiful songbirds in North America, the rose-breasted grosbeak stops through Athens in spring and fall, as their preferred breeding ground is in the North Georgia mountains. The male has bold black and white feathers, but they are most recognized for the rosy feathers under their wings and the red triangle on... their chest! They are members of the cardinal family, believe it or not. These beautiful birds love sunflower seeds, berries, and insects, and you will most likely notice them in your tray feeder or hopper, but our 'bug, nut, & berry' cylinder is also a great option for these guys. Have you seen any rose-breasted grosbeaks at your feeders? Feel free to brag in the comments below! If you would like more information on attracting migratory birds into your yard, our staff is always happy to help!

Looking for an excuse to skip raking the leaves? Look no further! This article from the National Audubon Society has some great tips for making your backyard a fall and winter haven for the birds, making you more likely to see some exciting new visitors this season! ... https://www.audubon.org//to-help-birds-winter-go-easy-fall

Our much-awaited seed characters are back in stock to bring some festive fall fun to your yard! This is the last weekend to save 15% on all bird food, including these fun seed characters! Sale ends Monday the 12th, so don’t forget to come stock up on fall favorites!