The black-capped chickadee is one of the most widespread, year round resident in Canada. They nest from the northern forests, to the southern parks of suburban areas. Chickadee calls are complex and language-like, communicating information on identity and recognition of other flocks as well as predator alarms and contact calls. The more dee notes in a chickadee-dee-dee call, the higher the threat level. Even when temperatures are far below zero, chickadees virtually always sleep in their own individual cavities. In rotten wood, they can excavate nesting and roosting holes entirely on their own. The best bird feeder for chickadees is a caged feeder where they feel safe feeding at a tube feeder surrounded by a cage. FLAP CANADAA great source...
FUN FACT SUNDAYTo experts, anting is something of a mysterious behaviour where birds rub insects, usually ants, on their feathers and skin. Some birds will sit still on an anthill and patiently allow the creatures to crawl freely through their feathers. At other times, they have been seen to pick the ants up with their beaks and rub themselves with the tiny insects. Sensing a threat, the ants shoot a spray of formic acid from their abdomens or anal glands, which is absorbed into the bird's body and acts as a natural insecticide For additional information on Anting details click this link Wikipedia Photo Credit - Tony Austin 2021 (Metchosin,B.C.photographer) at Victoria's Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary Article Source - Jessica Stewart - CBC Canada MILL CREEK...
FUN FACT SUNDAY Trumpeter swans are native to Ontario while mute swans are not.The name mute for this swan species was due to their hoarse, muffled trumpet or bugle call given during territorial defense. It doesn't carry like the calls of other swan species. Mute swans also make an explosive snorting or hissing sound when threatened or disturbed. Their aggressive behavior and voracious appetites can disturb local ecosystems, displace native species, and even pose a hazard to humans. The black knob at the base of the male mute swan's bill swells during the breeding season and becomes noticeably larger than the female's. The rest of the year the difference between the sexes is not obvious. The mute swan is reported...
SWEET ARRIVAL TO BIRD HOUSE NATURE COMPANYBird House Nature Company is excited to add some sweet treats on our shelves by way of Candy Shoppe (store located on Hwy.11 southbound). FINDING WALDOManticore Books, your community bookstore is the largest independent bookstore north of Toronto and for the month of July the source for a fun adventure of Finding Waldo. In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, Candlewick Press is teaming up with independent bookstores for some hide and seek fun! There is no charge to participate. For more info on Finding Waldo in downtown Orillia visit Manticore Books for a passport and details about the participation of more than 20 downtown businesses. Manticore's Where's Waldo party is to be held on Saturday July 22nd. If you want to add to the fun,...
While we as humans are experiencing the effects and taking precautions during the wildfires in Ontario and Quebec, Bird House Nature Company would like to remind everyone how important it is to have clean water and clean feeders available for the wild birds that transit through your area while the fires continue to affect wildlife. Now is the time to be extra vigilant in keeping your bird baths and feeders clean. How are birds affected by wildfires? Smoke from wildfires is extremely hazardous to birds, which have sensitive and specialized respiratory systems. According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, “Wildfire smoke has the potential to impact migratory birds at a geographic scale far beyond the bounds of the fires that generate...
