If you’re wondering when to put out your hummingbird feeder, you’re not alone. Every spring, backyard birders ask the same questions: Is it too early? Too late? Will I hurt hummingbirds if I get the timing wrong?

The good news is that hummingbird feeder timing is more forgiving than most people think. This guide explains when to hang your feeder based on your region, what happens if you’re early or late, and how to choose a feeder that works well throughout the season.

The Short Answer

Put out your hummingbird feeder about two weeks before hummingbirds typically arrive in your area.

Hummingbirds migrate based on daylight and natural food sources, not backyard feeders. Putting a feeder out early won’t delay migration, and leaving it up a bit late won’t stop birds from moving on.

When to Put Out a Hummingbird Feeder by Region

Tip: Weather and elevation can shift arrival dates slightly, so being a little early is usually better than being late.

Is It Too Early to Put Out a Hummingbird Feeder?

In most cases, no.

If hummingbirds aren’t present yet, they simply won’t use the feeder. Early placement does not confuse birds or interfere with migration. Just be sure to keep nectar fresh and bring feeders inside overnight if freezing temperatures are expected.

What If You Put Your Feeder Out Too Late?

Hummingbirds won’t starve without your feeder. They rely on flowers, tree sap, and insects first. Feeders simply supplement natural food sources. That said, having a feeder ready early increases the chances of helping the first migrants passing through your yard.

Choosing a Feeder for Early Spring

Simple designs are especially helpful early in the season because they’re easy to monitor, refill, and clean. Below is a classic design which uses an antique bottle. Its deep ruby red color is helpful in attracting hummingbirds of all kinds.

Managing Bees and Ants as Temperatures Warm

As spring progresses, insects become more active. A high-view hummingbird feeder designed to reduce bee and ant access can be especially helpful later in the season, when competition at feeders increases.

These feeders help keep nectar available for hummingbirds while limiting insect access without harming them.

Faceted Ruby Hummingbird Bird Feeder

The Schrodt Faceted Ruby Hummingbird Feeder is a popular choice. Its handcrafted ruby-colored blown glass refracts sunlight which shines through a floral pattern at the base.

During warm weather, feeders should be cleaned every two to three days to prevent spoilage.

How Long Should You Leave Hummingbird Feeders Up?

Hummingbirds migrate based on changes in daylight, not food availability. Leaving feeders up will not stop migration.

A good rule of thumb is to leave feeders up two to three weeks after your last hummingbird sighting, which helps late migrants and stragglers refuel.

Final Thoughts

Knowing when to put out your hummingbird feeder doesn’t need to be stressful. Follow regional timing, keep nectar fresh, and choose feeders that are easy to maintain. Whether you’re early or a little late, providing a clean, reliable nectar source helps hummingbirds thrive throughout the season.

The post When to Put Out Your Hummingbird Feeder (By Region & Migration Timing) appeared first on Backyard Chirper.

If you have a nesting box, you’ve probably put it away for the next few months. If you have a roosting box, you might be taking it out of storage.

With the Convertible Winter Roost from Coveside Conservation Products, you can provide a warm place for birds in the winter and a safe place for nesting in the spring all in one item.

This wooden box is designed for year-round use with features your backyard birds will love.

During nesting season, the front panel can be flipped so the entrance hole is on the higher end. When it’s cold, birds like when the entrance hole is lower, so the front panel can be flipped back.

Three removable perches can be added to the inside of the box during nesting season, allowing a group of birds to roost together.

With a 1-1/2-inch entrance hole, the Convertible Winter Roost attracts the most common backyard birds, including chickadees, wrens, nuthatches, bluebirds, and titmice.

For more information on the featured product, head over to the product page for the Coveside Conservation Products Convertible Winter Roost.

The post Coveside Convertible Winter Roost appeared first on Backyard Chirper.

Instead of putting away your birdhouses, convert them into winter roosting boxes.

Winter is a tough time for birds and finding shelter is a tall task for many species; however, with a few modifications, you can provide your local birds with a place to stay when the weather gets rough.

Clean it out and repair any damage

The first and most important thing you should do is clean it out. You’ll want to completely remove all the nesting material left in the house. This needs to be done to make room for visitors, but it also removes any mites or bacteria from previous occupants.

Once it’s sanitized, you should repair any damage and unclog every drainage hole. By taking some time to get it back into tip-top shape, this will extend the life of the birdhouse and ensure your birds are safe and sound.

Make sure the birdhouse is dry before putting it back up.

Flip the front panel upside (if applicable)

Along with cleaning and general repair, you should make sure the birdhouse is optimized for roosting. Some birdhouses and nesting boxes have front panels that flip upside down, moving the entrance to the lower part.

An example of this is the Convertible Winter Roost from Coveside Conservation Products.

Insulate the inside of the box

To insulate the box, add a layer of dried grass, sawdust, or hay to the floor of the box. Block ventilation holes by stuffing them with foam to trap the heat. This will make the inside nice and cozy.

Add perches inside the box

When the birdhouse is used for nesting, it should be nice and roomy, but the opposite is true when it’s cold out. Birds like a smaller space with more opportunities to huddle together.

An easy solution is to lay twigs or small branches across the inside. If you’re the handy type, you can drill holes in the side of the house and insert a dowel that you can also remove when spring arrives.

Position it in the perfect spot

After all that, you’re ready to set up the box. You have to pay a little extra attention to the placement of your new roosting box. Make sure the entrance faces away from the wind to prevent the inside from filling with frosty air. The box should also be placed so it receives as much of the afternoon sun as possible to keep it warmer at night.

Some say that having the box up high during the winter is more appealing to roosting birds. This also protects it from predators.

The post How to Winterize a Birdhouse appeared first on Backyard Chirper.

Before we relay some tips for attracting wild turkeys to your property, it’s important to note that turkeys aren’t always the easiest guests. Wild turkeys can be loud, messy, gluttonous, territorial, and even dangerous. If you haven’t heard that great This American Life story about a turkey wreaking havoc on Martha’s Vineyard by literally attacking people, you should take a listen.

Live in a wooded area where turkeys frequent and still interested in getting these rambunctious birds into your yard? Read on.

Offer seeds, cracked corn, nuts, and berries

Turkeys eat a wide variety of foods, including everything from insects to crabapples. One way to attract wild turkeys is to set up a ground feeding station or use a platform feeder with cracked corn, nuts, and mixed birdseed. You may not want to encourage turkeys to go to the feeding stations you use for other species because turkeys can be territorial and drive away songbirds.

Plant native oaks and nut/berry producing plants

Even better than offering food to turkeys is to provide them with natural food sources. Not only will this make it easier on you and your wallet (feeding turkeys can be expensive) but it’s also great for the general ecosystem.

Native oaks produce acorns for turkeys to eat. Pecans, crabapples, hackberries, and hickory nuts are also staples of turkey diets so opt for plants that produce these types of food and are native to your area.

Leave plant matter on the ground

When the leaves fall from trees, don’t rush to pick them up. Leaving the leaves will help foster the types of ecosystem and critters that turkeys love. Insects will thrive in the cover and turkeys (and other birds) will have a field day.

Along the same lines, leaving piles of brush will create a mini-ecosystem where turkeys thrive. A brush pile also provides a place for turkeys to nest.

Provide water

Water is another way to get birds to come to your yard. Ground bird baths that mimic puddles or small streams, like the Winged Aquatics Bird Pond, will give the turkeys a place to drink. If you find larger flocks coming around, you may need something a bit bigger.

Don’t use pesticides

Pesticides and herbicides can cause harm to animals that frequent the area you spray. However, pesticides will also kill the types of insects turkeys love eating. Like everything else on this list, what’s good for turkeys is usually good for many other types of bird species.

The post How to Attract Wild Turkeys appeared first on Backyard Chirper.

According to some pilots who were stationed in the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War, they devised a game in which they would slowly fly over a group of penguins. The penguins—fascinated by the large, loud plane—would watch it fly over, follow the plane with their heads, and topple over onto their backs.

Wait, what?

That’s right. Many people actually claim this happened. Even the Audubon Society Magazine apparently talked to someone about the phenomenon. Here’s the widely spread excerpt from Audubon Magazine:

A Mexican newspaper reports that bored Royal Air Force pilots stationed on the Falkland Islands have devised what they consider a marvelous new game. Noting that the local penguins are fascinated by airplanes, the pilots search out a beach where the birds are gathered and fly slowly along it at the water’s edge. Perhaps ten thousand penguins turn their heads in unison watching the planes go by, and when the pilots turn around and fly back, the birds turn their heads in the opposite direction, like spectators at a slow-motion tennis match. Then, the paper reports, “The pilots fly out to sea and directly to the penguin colony and overfly it. Heads go up, up, up, and ten thousand penguins fall over gently onto their backs.

So, it this just a silly myth or is it based in reality? As of right now, all signs point to myth.

I know it seems funny to imagine a colony of penguins falling over onto their backs as a plane flies over their heads, but studies and experiments have yielded nothing. And yes, people have actually conducted experiments to find out.

According to the BBC, researchers went to Antarctica to investigate the longstanding legend. They found that the penguins wobbled or walked away from the noise, but didn’t topple over. Penguins are far from graceful, but they wouldn’t get to the point where they’re trapped on their back and someone actually has to come around to flip them (another aspect of the myth).

Still, some people claim that they know someone who’s seen the penguins fall over and that it’s very possible. Perhaps in the perfect environment, it’s entirely possible, but until there’s empirical evidence, we’ll just have to watch this outrageously funny video from RT News.

The post Bird Myths: Penguins Fall Over When Airplanes Fly Over Their Heads appeared first on Backyard Chirper.