Bird Feeding in Summer
With the summer heating up, you may be wondering about your bird's behavior in the new season. With such hot temperatures, you may even be concerned about their health and how they can stay cool.
Typically, the amount of birds coming to your feeders will lessen during the warmer months. This is because there is a lot more natural seeds and insects for them to eat, and they will gravitate to this over seeds we provide. Whether or not you'd like to continue putting out seed is completely up to you, and there's absolutely no harm in providing seed over the summer. If you put out suet, be sure to use a higher quality suet over the summer. Low quality suet will often melt when it gets too hot, which can cause quite a mess! High quality suet will hold it's shape all summer. If you're storing suet, just be sure to keep it stored in a cool place.
As for your hummingbirds, it's important to change the nectar more frequently when temperatures are high. The nectar will go bad a lot more quickly in the heat, so be sure to keep a close eye on it and clean your feeder! Don't be too concerned if you're not getting as many hummingbirds around as usual, as there is a lot more natural food for them in the summer. They'll be back at your feeders in swarms for the fall and winter.
In your backyard, there are steps you can take to reduce the heat for the birds. You can move your feeders to a shady area, create spots for dust baths, and place out birdbaths or shallow dishes of water! Your birds will definitely appreciate it.
Happy summer and happy birding!
