How do I make a bird seed cake with just seeds and gelatine?
by adminFiled under Feeding Backyard Birds
I buy large formed bird seed cakes from pet stores and see the main “sticking” ingredient is gelatine. I DO NOT want suet cake, or peanut butter recipes. I am looking for a simple ratio of gelatine, water and birdseed from someone who has done this before or has an excellent reference for me to study.
- Chimera
I found a slight cracked bird egg?
by adminFiled under Bird Emergency
I found a egg in a nest with three eggs near it, it must have dropped and the three eggs fell out but one remained in the egg. It has a really tiny hole in it, must be a crack, and i didnt want it to die so i brought it and put it under a lamp to keep warm and ive been turning it every couple hours. Im not sure if the egg is still alive or not. Is there any way I can tell or jsut keep it under the lamp for a couple days?
- nicole s
I found an injured baby bird?
by adminFiled under Bird Emergency
I just brought it inside. It seems to have very less feather from its head and body. I’m keeping it warm under a lamp with a towel over it so it’s not open to too much light. Also, I fed it some bread with water. Why does it keep chirping? I can’t stand it. I tried feeding it again, but it won’t eat. WHY DOES IT CHIRP SO MUCH??????
- Up4answers
Backyard Birds of Verona, WI – Vol. 1 – Summer 2007
by adminFiled under Backyard Bird Videos
Delightful birds we have seen in our backyard here in Verona, WI this summer. In order of appearance: *Rose Breasted Grosbeak *Northern Cardinal (quite the songster!) *Various Finches (Purple Finch, GoldFinch, etc.) *Mourning Dove (nesting) *Robin *Cowbird *Red Winged Blackbird *Grosbeak, again. At one point he lifts his wings and you can see their red underside…which I had never seen before!
- lessbeefplease
The World Atlas of Birds
by adminFiled under Backyard Bird Articles
Birds truly represent the most beautiful forms of life. Each species of birds has unique traits and characteristics. The love for these fascinating creatures makes bird watching one of the popular and interesting hobbies in the world. Especially, bird watchers would love to watch new species of bird coming to their countries at the time of seasonal migrations. If you are passionate about birds, World Atlas of Birds from WindowAlert is a good starting point. This world birds guide is highly recommended for amateur bird watchers.
To quench your thirst for Ornithology, World Atlas of Birds from WindowAlert includes beautiful full-color illustrations, color maps and diagrams of 500 species of birds. This birds reference guide also includes more than 200 line drawings to facilitate easy and simple understanding of the subject. The world birds guide is divided into various sections based on zoogeographic realms, like the Nearctic Realm or North America, the Ethiopian Realm or Africa.
Unlike other academic guides, WindowAlert’s World Atlas of Birds is interesting as well as easy to understand. It contains information on Magpie Goose of Australia, which still confuses even leading ornithologists, as it possesses the traits of swan, goose, and duck. This world birds guide also lets you know and understand about many other unique birds like Galapagos Hawk that hunts small birds like a falcon, catches insects in midair like a nightjar, and eats decayed flesh like a vulture.
Apart from general information on birds, World Atlas of Birds has an appendix that categorizes birds into modern order and family. It offers information on many topics, like habitat, nesting, feeding, food sources, social behavior, and general physical characteristics. It is a must-have book in your shelf, if you aspire to become an ornithologist.read more…
- Brice
I found some bird eggs. What should I do to take care of them?
by adminFiled under Bird Emergency
There is a bird nest outside my window and the mother hasn’t come back. So I’m going to try and take care of them until I can find a place that can care for them. What should I do to take care of them without buying a heating lamp?
I do not intend to keep the eggs; I’m trying to find a place that takes abandoned eggs.
- Bella
The Purple Martin: Backyard Birding at Its Best
by adminFiled under Backyard Bird Articles
The Purple Martin also known as Blackish swallow, Golondrina Azulnegra, Golondrina grandenegruzca, Golondrina azul americana, Golondrina Purpúrea, Hirondellenoire, Andorinha-Azul, Andorinha-Púrpura.
Wherever you live and whatever you call one, you cannot deny the precious tie that binds this bird to the Americas. This wild bird that flies hundreds of thousands of miles to nest on Northern American soil depends upon us, almost completely, to breed. If Purple Martin landlords (nest cavity providers) did not exist, these birds could possibly go by way of the Dodo or passenger pigeon.
What other bird captures the beauty of nature like the Purple Martin? What other animal-wild or tame, traverses oceans and continents to return to the same exact place-year after year? We have been honored with a sacred trust over hundreds-perhaps thousands of years, to provide homes for these birds. It is a duty that some have been called for; to maintain their homes and provide for their safety.
No one truly knows when Purple Martins began their long standing relationship with humans. European settlers to the New World documented the native Americans providing housing for these swallows. It is also only speculation why these birds were favored. Some say as natural insect control, or maybe as a early warning system for predators. One thing is known, that without humans providing housing, Purple Martins would not exist in their current splendor. Early writings describe Native American’s hanging dried and hollowed gourds from poles, as nest sites for these wonderful birds. Europeans familiar with many of their own swallows, eagerly placed housing up for them. And thus the tradition of providing for these birds has carried on to today.
Purple Martins are secondary cavity nesting birds. That is they will only nest in a preexisting cavity excavated by another bird. Due to human involvement, East of the Rockies, Purple Martins have under gone a behavioral shift. This means that, for the most part, they no longer recognize natural cavities as potential nest sites. Due to several factors they have become dependant on humans to fulfill their need for nest sites. Factors such as extensive deforestation and urbanization have left the Purple Martin with little options.
Western Purple Martins, which are actually larger subspecies, still use natural nest cavities. Huge forest fires and urban sprawl continue to take their toll on the dead tree “snags” that these martins mostly use, and their already small populations are suffering. There is a growing movement trying to recreate the same behavioral shift in the western martins that occurred hundreds or maybe even thousands of years ago for the eastern martins. The survival of these birds may very well fall into the hands of these dedicated individuals.
Placing a Purple Martin house is not as benign or common place as other types of nest boxes such as a Bluebird box, for example. Purple Martin houses were a common place sight in the 1940’s due to a common misconception that Purple Martins eat mosquitoes. As that population ages and those people either take down Martin housing, move or pass away, less and less housing is put up to replace the housing that is taken down. Unfortunately, Purple Martin numbers reflect this trend. Fortunately, North Americas largest swallow can rebound with our help.
Many people try for years to attract their first pair of Martins, to become Purple Martin Landlords. While some seem ‘blessed’ with attracting these aerial artists, others seem cursed with failure. What can YOU do to increase your chances of obtaining the privilege of being host to these little wonders? How can you provide a Purple Martin friendly habitat in your backyard? What common mistakes can you avoid to provide for the safety and well being of these birds? How can you become a Purple Martin Landlord?
Step one is to put up housing. There are 5 basic types of housing.1. Aluminum
2- Foam. 3- Gourds. 4- Plastic. 5- Wood.
ALUMINUM
PROS: Look nice! MANY different styles to choose from. Traditional Martin house look to newer stylish models now on market. Last forever. Fairly light weight.
CONS: Fairly expensive. Least expensive is around $80 for 8 small compartments (6×6) Some houses range -$200-$500 and even more. Harder to modify as you may have to cut metal to enlarge rooms.(depending on manufacturer) Poor insulation capabilities, even though more expensive models usually have insulated roofs. The compartments can be enlarged, by cutting metal to enlarge the compartments to 6×12, but that cuts down the amount of rooms on the house by half. It is strongly encouraged to enlarge the compartments to both protect the Martins from predators and to increase clutch size.
FOAM
PROS: Excellent insulation…as it’s made out of…you guessed it, INSULATION material. Very light weight. Fairly easy to modify as insulation material can be cut with box cutter or hand saw.
Makes a great do it your self project.
CONS: No pre-manufactured foam housing available. Quite fragile unless covered with some other material-which will increase the weight. Not considered the most attractive house.
GOURDS
PROS: Birds seem to love them. Can be quite roomy inside. Less domination of multiple compartments by 1 male. Countless variations and combinations. Natural gourds are budget friendly. Natural gourds are very light weight. Environmentally friendly.
CONS:
Natural gourds need seasonal repainting to increase life of gourd. Natural gourds can crack and break. Natural gourds are labor intensive to prepare for use. Not as “compact” as a traditional house. There are natural gourds and plastic artificial gourds. It is recommended that all gourds have access ports for easy cleaning and nest checks. I use both plastic and natural gourds. Statistics show that number of eggs laid, number of eggs hatched and number of surviving young is greater in gourds vs “houses”.
PLASTIC
PROS:
The least expensive way to start trying to attract Purple Martins. The lightest -which may or may not be a consideration. Easy to modify rooms-no power tools needed.
CONS: May look the least expensive-which you may or may not care about. UV rays from the sun can degrade the plastic causing light to enter the compartment over time. This leads to excessively high temps in the nest. Most plastic housing compartments are 6×6 which is technically sufficient for a Martin but not ideal. Again, the compartments are easily enlarged to 6×12, but that cuts the amount of rooms on the house by half. You’ll find peoples opinions on plastic housing is quite heated.
WOOD
PROS:
Excellent natural insulation. Can be a fun do it yourself project-for the handy-person. Environmentally friendly and look nice too.
CONS:
Heavy as sin. Needs occasional repainting to protect wood. Also need tools if modifications are needed.
If you still don’t know what type of housing you want to offer, look at your budget and what appeals to you-esthetically.
For more info on Purple Martins visit PurpleMartins-R-Us.com . We offer good solid information to those beginning their journey into the conservation and enjoyment of Purple Martins through active participation.
Article © purplemartinart.com 2008
- PurpleMartins-R-Us.com
A way to attract wild birds to your garden?
by adminFiled under How to Attract Birds to Your Yard
I love wild birds,
is there a way to get them to make my garden their home?
- Syathe_Reigne
Homemade Bird Feeder – Stupid Squirrels
by adminFiled under How to Build a Bird Feeder
Stubborn things… but I found a solution. Read more at mareadmare.blogspot.com
- mareadmare2008
The Miracle of Talking Birds
by adminFiled under Backyard Bird Articles
Each and every species on Earth has been created with miraculous characteristics and wondrous skills. Even in one single living species, we can find abundant proof of God’s magnificent creation. According to one verse of the Qur’an:
There is no creature crawling on the Earth or flying creature, flying on its wings, who are not communities just like yourselves—We have not omitted anything from the Book—then they will be gathered to their Lord. (Qur’an, 6:38)
This verse draws our attention to birds which, of all living creatures, are worthy of special consideration and observation. There are approximately ten thousand different species of birds, many of which have miraculous characteristics. Wherever we live, we may encounter many of these creatures and can admire the different aspects of each variety. They exhibit countless examples of the evidence of creation, through their aesthetic appearance, their perfect flying mechanisms, their expertise in migration, their nest-making skills and their self-sacrificing behavior.
Meanwhile, other species of birds are created with a special aptitude for forming social groups. Many varieties live together as a community, warn one another of danger, work collectively to find food and shelter, and make various sacrifices to help each other out in any number of ways. (For detailed information, see Harun Yahya, Devotion Among Animals: Revealing the Work of God). As God pointed out in the Qur’an, these creatures are capable of establishing their own form of communication and performing in cooperative ways the duties inspired in them by God.
Some birds distinguish themselves by their superior intelligence and special talents. These particular species are defined as birds that can imitate sounds, include the parrots, songbirds, and hummingbirds. Many of us have heard about, seen on television or even personally witnessed these birds’ ability to talk. However, we may not have considered what a great miracle it is that these creatures can mimic in this way, or to the perfection of the way in which God has created them.
These creatures’ being hatched with their ability to talk or imitate sounds is one of the miracles of creation and, at the same time invalidates the claims of evolutionary theory.
The Special Design which Enables Birds to Produce Sound
Talking, or even imitating sound, is not just a simple matter of opening and closing the mouth, as some people believe. A complex system is required for this action to take place, and all parts of this system must be synchronized in perfect working order. Birds with a talent for sound mimicry enjoy all of these requirements and demonstrate their ability in extraordinary ways.
Some of these species have a talent rarely found in any other creature except man. The best example of this are parrots, which can imitate, in addition to human speech, a wide range of sounds that even humans can’t duplicate convincingly—for example, as the creaking of a door, the cap being removed from a bottle, a ringing telephone, or a tune being whistled. This talent to imitate, observable in parrots and some other bird species, is not an ability that can be acquired by coincidence. For any living creature to imitate a sound it has heard, it needs to have complex physiological structures already in place. Particularly in the case of birds that can closely imitate the human voice in terms of tone, stress and expression, these structures must be very sophisticated.
For a bird to reproduce a word or a melody it has heard, it needs to have an appropriate physical structure. Its sense of hearing must be functioning perfectly, and it must be able to memorize the information received by the senses and the ability to conceptualize meaning in its own terms.
People are astonished the first time they hear a parrot say “Hello!” when the phone rings, ask “Who is it?” when the doorbell rings, or greet someone familiar by name. But even though it’s an astonishing achievement for a bird to say even one word, many don’t really give it due consideration. Over time, they may even come to see it as normal and commonplace.
Not only does the bird see and recognize the person approaching; what’s more, the bird knows how to react to a person it knows. It remembers—and reproduces—words it associates with that person. This is evident proof that the bird has an accurate memory. If we consider that some species of birds seem to understand questions they are asked and give a seemingly logical answer, the issue becomes even more complex. One important example of this is a trained grey parrot by the name of Alex. When he’s presented with a red (rose) piece of paper and asked “What color?” he answers “rose.”1
A bird possessing such talents is a great wonder of creation, for birds and other animals do not have free will and reason, and do not share the human characteristics of thought, the ability to make conscious decisions and the determination to carry them out. The ability to talk and imitate sounds is taught by God to certain species of birds. These creatures do not talk because of their own rational thought, will or consciousness, but through God’s inspiration. In a verse of the Qur’an, God conveys that He is supreme over all living creatures: “… There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock…” (Qur’an, 11:56) All the wondrous characteristics of birds that can imitate sounds are just part of the evidence God shows to man so we may witness the magnificence of His creation.
The Physical Formation of Sound in Birds
You might assume that in order for a parrot to be able to imitate the human voice—to use a person’s same spoken words, stresses and pronunciation—they must possess a larynx whose structure is similar to a human’s. However, the structure of the human larynx bears no resemblance to these creatures’ physical structures. The larynx, vocal cords, tongue, lips, palate and teeth that humans use in speech are completely different in birds, and some do not exist at all. But even though all birds lack these structures, still these species can reproduce phrases spoken by humans—and in the same tones. If we consider that a person without a tongue is unable to speak or that we lose our voice if the vocal cords are damaged, it’s also worth considering that parrots, budgerigars, and mynahs, members of the crow family, have completely different physical characteristics which nevertheless enable them to talk in the same way as humans.
There are other differences between the systems that humans and birds use to produce vocal sounds. We produce most sounds by expelling air from the lungs through the larynx. Different sounds are created, according to the degree of vibration of the vocal cords. The position of the tongue and lips and the flow of air through the mouth or nasal cavity are only a few of the many other factors affecting sound production. The pharynx, found in humans, lets the tongue divide the vocal tract above the larynx into two cavities with their own distinct resonances. Where these resonances occur, the overtones of the frequencies (or number of vibrations) from the vocal cords are amplified. Formants (from the Latin formare: to shape, or form) are resonant frequencies of the vocal tract, the natural shapes that air assumes in the vocal passage. When you make a consonant, for example, this has an effect on the formants of the neighbouring vowels, raising or lowering formants as the vowel sound gets closer to the corsonant. Experiments have shown that two formants are sufficient in order to differentiate speech sounds from each other.2
Birds have no larynx similar to a human’s, but do have a special vocal organ, known as the syrinx, that enables them to produce sounds. In birds, air from the lungs passes through this organ. In a sense, the bird’s syrinx is the equivalent of our human larynx. One of the principal differences is that in humans, our vocal cords are positioned closer to the windpipe. So far, the fact that the bird’s syrinx is deep inside the body has prevented scientists from obtaining a complete answer as to how birds produce sound. Scientists have filmed birds using infra-red and x-ray cameras, and have made close studies of their song and speech by means of fiber-optic microscopes inserted in their throats. Yet we still cannot explain the physical process by which birds produce song and imitate sounds.
Within the bird’s breast, its vocal organ is like a branched instrument, located at where its voice box meets the two bronchial tubes. As shown on in the picture, one branch of the syrinx opens into one bronchus and the second branch into the other; and either one of these two bronchi can produce sound. Some birds can use either both sides of their voice organ simultaneously, or one of the two independently and, by this means, can produce two separate tones of the same frequency, at the same time. They can sing a high note with one side, while producing a low note with the other. And since the bird’s vocal organ is situated at the juncture of the two bronchial tubes, it can produce sound from two different sources. This even allows the bird to produce two different notes simultaneously, and even to sing a duet with itself. To a great extent, sounds produced here are subsequently combined, giving birds the potential of creating rich melodies. While humans use only about 2% of the air they inhale to produce sound, birds have the ability to use it all. 3
The syrinx is located in a pouch within the clavicle below the bird’s throat. The membrane covering this pouch is sensitive to the air coming from the lungs, and its elasticity and complexity of the membrane are factors that determine the quality of sounds. The sound quality is also affected by the length of the windpipe, the constriction of the voice box, the neck muscles, structure of the beak, and their respective movements. In short, the complexity of the birds’ syrinx determines the complexity of the sounds they produce. Its muscles affect the air flow and consequently, the quality of the sound. In parrots, budgerigars, and some songbirds, the syrinx has a greater number of muscles, and its structure is more complex.
Furthermore, the different techniques that parrots and budgerigars employ for imitating the human voice are most effective. Like humans, parrots have thick tongues that enable them to produce sounds resembling ours. Sound is produced by blowing air through two separate places in their syrinx, and at the same time producing the independent sounds required to produce consonants. The initial sound from the syrinx is shaped with the help of the throat, and then in the mouth with the tongue. In their research studies with grey parrots, Dianne Patterson and Irene Pepperberg reached important conclusions on vowel production: Due to the radically different anatomy of this parrot’s vocal organ, even though they lack teeth and lips, they can produce sounds that closely resemble sounds produced by humans.4 Indeed, parrots and budgerigars can quite clearly imitate sounds such as “m” and “b,” which we normally produce with the help of our lips.
Budgerigars, however, due to their small size, are not able to use the same technique as parrots. Using their syrinx to create frequencies from 2,000 to 3,000 Hz, they then add on a second vibration. This system is known as frequency modulation or FM, the principle behind the AM (amplitude modulation) radios to be found in practically every home. These days, many FM broadcasting stations add low transmitters to their signals which, in common with normal signals, are adjustable through a transmitter, but are of a very high frequency. While the frequency of normal signals varies from 20 to 20,000 Hz, the frequency of many low transmitters starts at 56,000 Hz. The main reason for using the FM system is to offset the major disadvantage of the AM system—namely, the interference of many natural or man-made radio sounds, called “parasites.” Because the weak signals of AM radio are quieter than the stronger ones, differences in signal level are formed, which are then perceived as noise. AM receivers have no facility for cutting out these parasitic sounds.
To solve this problem, Edwin H. Armstrong invented a system for eliminating noise caused by the power of the waves. Instead of changing the transmission signal or the strength of the transmitter, he changed the frequency of sound waves per second. Thanks to this system, the amplitude of noise (strength of sound waves) could be reduced to a minimum. But scientists are still mystified how budgerigars manage to use this same system.
Of course, no little budgerigar can possibly work out for itself from the time it is hatched how to apply a series of principles discovered by man only after long trials. In the same way, no parrot can know that it must produce auxiliary sounds in order to make consonants distinct or to develop systems in its throat to enable it to do so. Also, it’s not possible for such a system to be the end product of a series of blind coincidences. All these complex systems are without doubt, the work of God, the Creator.
There is No Room for Coincidences in God’s Creation
Most humans, with their far superior intelligence, have difficulty in imitating other voices or speech while these little birds are able to imitate many sounds they have heard with perfection, showing how exceptionally skilled they are. Scientific research has concluded that this perfect mechanism in birds is a masterpiece of design. God’s supreme knowledge and art, as shown in the magnificence of His creation, is too evident to be obscured by deceitful theories. Swans, peacocks, brightly colored parrots, budgerigars and an infinite variety of living creatures invalidate any claims of coincidence and demonstrate the infinite power of the Lord, our Creator.
Darwinists insist on trying to attribute this perfect system to coincidences. According to their mentality, all the living creatures we see around us, all the skills they possess, and all their aesthetics and beauty are products of blind chance. The truth is, it’s not possible to explain away the consciousness and design seen in all living creatures, at all times, with coincidences. It is purely because of ideology that Darwinists cannot see this evident reality—or rather, they do see it but won’t accept it. These people cling to evolutionary theory out of their belief that it explains the mechanism of life. Accepting that it cannot forces them to accept the only possible and true alternative explanation, which is the truth of creation. This results in the complete collapse of Darwinism and any related materialist ideologies.
The thousands of examples that we see around us, but which the Darwinists pretend not to, are important pieces of evidence that destroy the distorted philosophies of those who deny the miracles of God’s creation. Every person with a conscience will see in the wonderful structures of living creatures, and in the exceptional balance of the universe, the power of our Supreme and Omnipresent Lord. Darwinism and, consequently, the materialist philosophy that has deceived the world for nearly two centuries, will collapse. People will perceive the existence of God and start to live according to the beautiful ethics bidden by our Lord. The invalid system of thought that forms the basis of Darwinism will be completely destroyed, as God makes known in a verse of the Qur’an:
Rather We hurl the truth against falsehood and it cuts right through it and it vanishes clean away! (Qur’an, 21:18)
- Harun Yahya