Nature Trivia #2

• The tree frog’s remarkable ability to climb or rest on vertical surfaces is the result of a mucous layer produced by toe pad cells. This mucous creates a sticky bond with the vertical surface that’s strong enough to support the frog’s weight.

• A great time to enjoy activity at the bird feeder is after a snow storm or even sleet. Both these conditions cover natural food sources and makes your feeder handouts very attractive.

• Hemiptera (Sucking bugs) Also called "Squash Bug" or "Stink Bug", it is a very common insect in North America. This variety is common in the Midwest and can be found up to 1" long. When squashed a very strong odor emits from the thorax (body). This is to deter birds and mammals from eating them. Some subspecies on the East Coast can cause blisters to the skin; however, in the Midwest, this variety does nothing other than smell bad.
I have a bunch of them out here in the deep woods of Michigan. They invite themselves in when it gets cold. They can fly faster than a Denny McLain fast ball. They entertain the cats and are very intricate in design and pattern. I feel bad every time I flush one.

• Crow, house sparrow and starling problems can be eliminated by seed and feeder selection.
Cats are another story altogether. Feral cats and your neighbor’s tabby are a serious threat to nestlings, fledglings and roosting birds. Too often, the presence of just one cat on the prowl near your feeder can take the enjoyment out of your backyard bird watching experience.
If there are no cats in your neighborhood and you find a pile of feathers near your feeder, look for a hungry hawk perching on a tree nearby.
Don’t get upset. Consider yourself fortunate to see one, right in your backyard. Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks eat birds and play an important role in the natural community.

• When birds desert your feeder, it may be simply that you haven’t offered them coconut. It’s the Jimmy Buffett buffet, or a lot of natural food is available nearby. Or something may be wrong, such as your seeds are spoiled or your feeder contaminated. Throw the seeds away and wash the feeder. Take a look at where your feeder is placed. Be sure it’s not vulnerable to predators.

• Birds don’t have sweat glands in their feet, so they won’t freeze onto metal feeders. There’s no need to cover any metal feeders parts with plastic or wood to protect birds feet, tongues or eyes.
• There’s no evidence that birds can choke on peanut butter. However, birds have no salivary glands. You can make it easier on them by mixing peanut butter with lard, cornmeal, and/or grit. Your birds will appreciate a water source too—a bird bath or trough.

• In the winter, you may see flocks of birds along roadsides after the snowplows have passed. They’re after the grit. Birds have no teeth to grind their food. The dirt, sand, pebbles, and grit they eat sits in their crop and helps grind up their food. Adding grit to your feeder is helpful year-round, but particularly in the winter and spring. Crushed eggshells do the same thing, and in the spring have an added benefit. They provide extra calcium during nesting season.

• It’s natural for moths to lay their eggs in sunflower seeds. The eggs lay dormant as long as the seeds are stored in a cool dry place. In the summer, seeds get hot and the eggs hatch. The best way to avoid this problem is to buy seeds in smaller quantities, or store your seeds in a cool, dry place.