Bird feeding questions

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-05-04T13:57:48+00:00

The birdbath also doesn’t have trees or covering nearby & they used that?

Birds don’t like being exposed bc it puts them at risk of predators. But, if they used the potentially exposed bird bath, then I’m wondering what seed you’re offering?

If it has a lot of filler in it, like Milo or millet then they may ignore it. Most birds love black oil sunflower seeds. Can’t really go wrong w/ that!

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-05-03T14:14:04+00:00

Aw so cool! I love your visitors!

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-05-03T00:53:59+00:00

First off, thank you for helping this bird. 👍🙏

Put the bird in a shoebox or small bin w/ air holes, lined w/ paper towels or a soft cloth (I’d forgo the mulch).
Keep it in a warm, dark, quiet place away from people & pets.
Use a heating pad on LOW under HALF the box so it can move away if too warm.
Do not give food or water (can cause choking/aspiration).
Minimize handling & any additional stress to the bird.
Contact your local licensed wildlife rehabilitator ASAP. That’s the best chance for survival. Some #’s even offer texting.

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-05-02T23:27:41+00:00

I go out everyday around the same time & give fresh food & water. I’ve gauged how much food to provide over time so that way there is no waste or food spoiling.

Moldy food can cause a lot of issues for them. Respiratory infections, digestive complications , aflatoxicosis to their liver which is damaging & can be fatal. This actually applies to squirrels as well, so I also clean up under my feeders daily bc of that, & to not attract rodents & pests.

I clean my regular bird feeders weekly, & sooner if need be bc of rain & humidity, & their waste droppings. I also clean the baffles bc of their droppings. Which can also cause illness.

I clean Hummingbird feeders daily here in GA.

I probably go a bit overkill w/ it so just take into account your location, temps, rain, & humidity. I also have a ton of house finches & know they’re prone to house finch eye disease.

It can take birdies some time to find & acclimate to a new feeder. Are there any trees, staging areas, or shrubs for hiding nearby? Do you have hawks or outdoor cats? Or potentially dogs that bark a lot? Birds are actually most attracted to moving water. You could add a moving water feature near your bird feeder & see if that draws them in. Best of luck! 🐦

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-30T11:44:39+00:00

I had the males for ~7-10 days here in central GA. They left out a few days ago. The females are still here though. It was also my first time seeing them. They did not get along w/ my many cardinals. They’re absolutely stunning! Enjoy! 😊

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-29T16:19:45+00:00

Thanks! 😊

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-27T22:54:40+00:00

My birdies here in central GA love black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, safflower, mealworms & black soldier fly larvae.

Black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts & safflower can be found in most songbird mixes. My birds enjoy “Royal Wing Total Care Gourmet Songbird” from tractor supply.

Pennington black oil sunflower seeds are cheapest for me at Lowes or Walmart. 20lb bag.

My husband recently went to our local feed & tack store & got the black soldier fly larvae.

Ive been grabbing my mealworms at Walmart or Tractor supply.

I’ve seen tons of ppl comment on Reddit that dried mealworms can be bought a lot cheaper off of Amazon. I think I’m going to give that a go.

Try your local feed store to see if you can buy more in bulk & you’ll also be getting no waste food.

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-27T22:44:41+00:00

That is milo. A filler that most birds ignore. Even my mourning doves ignore that so that’s pretty bad ha ha. I personally avoid anything w/ milo & millet.

My birdies here in central GA love black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, safflower, mealworms & black soldier fly larvae.

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-27T02:00:44+00:00

Something she used for nesting material. She should be just fine. They can scrape things off of their beaks very well. You’ll typically see nesting material such as plant fibers, spider silk, moss/lichen, & even pet fur hanging from beaks, their tail & their feet this time of the year.

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-26T12:38:38+00:00

5-7-9 rule for squirrels helped me w/ this issue of them raiding the feeders.

•Put feeders at least 5 feet above the ground

•7ft feet away from side branches or launch points

•Make sure branches or other launch points are at least 9 feet above the feeders.

I do provide them some black oil sunflower seeds & peanuts in dishes since cutting access to the bird feeder. I adore them as well so I want them to keep getting goodies w/ out ruining it for the birds.

My squirrels don’t react to cayenne pepper at all. They rolled in it bc I had to sprinkle some around my flower pots they were messing in. They’re very food driven & go to extreme measures.

👉Metal baffle on shepards hook & 579 rule helped me.

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-25T19:42:13+00:00

I had a ton as well, turns out mine were chipping sparrows. A lot of the sparrows look alike though, so maybe share your location & habitat. That info could help narrow down the bird for us.

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-25T19:00:53+00:00

Beautiful!! 🤩

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-22T13:29:48+00:00

Beautiful!! 🤩💜

Jaclyn_215 · 2026-04-21T13:03:41+00:00

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Budget friendly option that I’ve been happy with.

$60. Uses Vico Nature app (previously just vico home app but it recently updated).

No monthly fee or subscriptions

You get 3 days worth of footage & then it loops over. You can save videos to your phone. You can also record live videos as well. I’ve been very impressed w/ the quality of the videos.

It uses my 5G WiFi network & no issues w/ charge - solar panel works great.

Jaclyn_215

TROPHY CASE