Our garden birds - Harsh winter weather can spell doom

[imokyrok]

If you have an airgun or rifle and see any magpies make sure to kill them. They predate on small birds. I know someone who traps and kill magpies in his neighbourhood. It has led to a bloom in the numbers of small birds around his garden during the summer.

This lad here seems to sell traps for them For Sale: Magpie, Crow, Mink & Fox Traps. - DoneDeal.ie

These dangerous immigrant birds with their ideology of hate must be stopped

Are the magpies not as entitled to survive as the blue tits or whatever? Why impose some man made definition of "cuteness" on the matter?

[imokyrok]

Anne I stopped feeding the birds a couple of years ago because even double belled my five cats are pretty successful predators. However they don't spend much time out doors in this cold weather so perhaps it would be a good idea to feed the birds temporarily during the cold snap. What do you think?

[flavirostris]

Magpies are technically an invasive species as well, arriving only about 300 years ago ( recent compared to how long native species have been established ) but it's true that they cop a lot of undeserved blame for declines in songbirds. You can't blame the extinction of Corn Bunting on Magpie for example - that was down to changes in farming practices.

[imokyrok]

Yea, Russell Crow, he was hand reared when his nest fell apart and the dogs and cats couldn't be trusted. So he moved into the house and spent some afternoons out in the outhouse with his family.
This was his "transiition" spot. He was accepted back by his family and comes to visit at the window every now and again.

Beanie your garden is glorious. Is that some sort of climbing pelargonium on the house wall? You must be in a fairly sheltered spot in west Limerick!

[MsAnneThrope]

Anne I stopped feeding the birds a couple of years ago because even double belled my five cats are pretty successful predators. However they don't spend much time out doors in this cold weather so perhaps it would be a good idea to feed the birds temporarily during the cold snap. What do you think?

Yes you should try if you can Imokyrok. As I said in the OP:

If you have cats please take the necessary measures to ensure they cannot pounce. The most important feeding times for birds are first thing in the morning and the hour or two before dark, so if you do feed the birds make sure the cats are indoors at these times. Ideally place feeders up high out of the reach of cats. Note however that some birds like the songbirds (blackbirds, thrushes, robins) are ground feeders, whereas birds like finches, tits, sparrows take readily to feeders hanging from trees or walls. The ground feeding birds will take to a bird table easily though. These are easy to make and place anywhere. Even a plank of wood attached to a wall or lodged in a tree will ensure that birds who cannot use hanging feeders can get food too. Again make sure this is out of the reach of cats.

If you can find a high up feeding place, to which a cat cannot get to and pounce, then go for it. I have seven cats (and three dogs) and while they're indoors a lot they do go out. The last evidence of a dead bird was in September (a sparrow) and I don't even know if that was the cats. I have a large garden and have the feeders and feeding tables located in places and heights where no cat can launch a suprise pounce.

If you're unsure just try keep the cats in for say 2 hours first thing in the morning while you feed the birds, and the same for the 2 hours before sundown. These are the most important feeding times, as they need to quickly replace energy in the mornings and eat before dark to get through the cold nights.

[Húrin]

Yer better off trapping them yes, you can strangle them or whatever then, so im told. cue gasps.

Nothing compared to what the original Telemachus did!

[truthisfree]

Thanks MsAnneThrope, was wondering about this yesterday evening while watching a thrush forage for food under some dead leaves outside. I knew that some foodstuffs were bad for them and did not want to chance it, but thanks to this I now have a selection to go out tomorrow.

[beanie]

Another important point is that if you are putting bread out make sure it is wet/moist. Dry bread can swell up in their gullets or stomach and kill them.

Its best to moisten it with melted lard, or vegtable oil, if water is used it could freeze, and milk isn't the best either as birds are unable to digest it.

Yes you should try if you can Imokyrok. As I said in the OP:



If you can find a high up feeding place, to which a cat cannot get to and pounce, then go for it. I have seven cats (and three dogs) and while they're indoors a lot they do go out. The last evidence of a dead bird was in September (a sparrow) and I don't even know if that was the cats. I have a large garden and have the feeders and feeding tables located in places and heights where no cat can launch a suprise pounce.

If you're unsure just try keep the cats in for say 2 hours first thing in the morning while you feed the birds, and the same for the 2 hours before sundown. These are the most important feeding times, as they need to quickly replace energy in the mornings and eat before dark to get through the cold nights.

Placing a bell on the cats collar can sometimes help too.

Beanie your garden is glorious. Is that some sort of climbing pelargonium on the house wall? You must be in a fairly sheltered spot in west Limerick!

No idea what it is, some potted geranium that went mad. Yea, very sheltered, about a half mile off the road. Frozen in at the moment

[imokyrok]

Yes you should try if you can Imokyrok. As I said in the OP:



If you can find a high up feeding place, to which a cat cannot get to and pounce, then go for it. I have seven cats (and three dogs) and while they're indoors a lot they do go out. The last evidence of a dead bird was in September (a sparrow) and I don't even know if that was the cats. I have a large garden and have the feeders and feeding tables located in places and heights where no cat can launch a suprise pounce.

If you're unsure just try keep the cats in for say 2 hours first thing in the morning while you feed the birds, and the same for the 2 hours before sundown. These are the most important feeding times, as they need to quickly replace energy in the mornings and eat before dark to get through the cold nights.

I previously used to use 8 ft bamboo canes in a teepee to hang bird feed. The cats couldn't get up that. But the big increase in garden birds that resulted also resulted in many kills. Since I stopped feeding the birds the bird kills have decreased substantially. It's a toss up to know what's best. My cats also catch common lizards, voles and mice as well. It's difficult to combine wild life and cats. I never intended to have so many but with many feral cats in the neighbourhood stray kittens just kept popping up.

[Thranduil]

I always look after them but the feed i buy in Woody's doesn't seem to be taken by them so much (ie they leave most of it), i tried grated cheese instead this morning, will check to see if any was taken.

Any other ideas for common food scraps that would be especially appreciated by them are welcome.