Warbling vireo was hard to see but showed up on bird song app

Q: Walking along the river I heard a bird that my bird song app identified as a warbling vireo. My bird guide only shows a red-eyed vireo, are they the same? Wish I could see the bird.

A: Once you hear a warbling vireo, it’s easy to identify this species by its song — a repeat of 15 melodious notes, one of the prettiest and longest songs in the bird world. It’s described as fast and rollicking, repeated frequently near nesting sites, which are often near water. Warbling vireos are small and well camouflaged, with gray-green feathers, so the bird’s song is its most distinctive feature (hear and see the bird here: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Warbling_Vireo/). It’s in the same family as the red-eyed vireo but they’re very different birds. Some folks use a zippy mnemonic to remember the pattern of this bird’s long song: “If I see you, I will seize you, and I’ll squeeze you till you squirt.”

Q: I saw several flocks of Canada geese flying toward the northwest in early June. It seemed late in the season for them to be migrating.

A: These weren’t late migratory birds — instead, you were seeing an example of a phenomenon called molt migration, an early-summer activity in the waterfowl world. Ducks and geese lose all their flight feathers at once, before growing new ones, so once the breeding season is underway, many unmated males tend to head north. They travel to Canadian peat lands or boreal forest areas to wait out the molting process, which renders them flightless for up to seven weeks. They rely on the northern wetlands’ rich food before heading back to breeding grounds with their new flight feathers in place. Female waterfowl raise their brood and then molt nearby, where they feel safe while flightless.

Q: I had to change my usual walking route in my neighborhood because of a crow. This bird sits on top of a big front-yard tree and yells at anyone walking on the sidewalk, and sometimes flies low overhead. Why is it doing this?

A: I walked that same route, after you provided the location, and a crow on top of a large evergreen cawed at me, too. I suspect there’s a crow’s nest in the neighborhood, and this crow feels he has to protect it by threatening those that pass nearby. He’s probably not one of the parent birds, but could be one of their offspring from a previous year who’s spending time assisting his parents. Such “helpers at the nest” are not uncommon in the crow world.

Q: I got up at 3:30 a.m. to see the aurora borealis some weeks ago, and a robin was singing at that early hour. It sounded loud enough to wake people up and I’m wondering if this is normal or was something wrong?

A: This is entirely normal: American robins sing at dawn in spring and summer, and some robins begin to sing very early, before there’s even a hint of light in the east. Northern cardinals also start singing at an early hour, sometimes as early as 4 a.m.

Q: Any suggestions for keeping undesirable birds away from my feeders? I’m thinking of grackles, starlings and red-winged blackbirds, which gobble up so much suet and peanuts.

A: My feeders have been overrun by these same species this summer and they do put a big dent in the food supplies. If you have a saucer feeder with a domed roof, you can set the dome low enough to bar these blackbirds from gaining access. This has worked for me at my safflower and sunflower hearts feeders. Finch feeders are safe from these big-billed birds, and I’ve decided to let them feast away on the peanuts and suet. Other than taking down the feeders they visit, I can think of no other solution.

Q: I was doing some research online and found several posts saying not to feed birds during the summer. Your thoughts?

A: I like to feed birds year-round, in both hot and cold weather. Yes, there is more natural food around in summertime, but it saves birds time and energy to eat at feeders, without having to spend time foraging for berries or insects. They can spend that saved time and energy in raising their brood.

Summer’s heat does require some extra care, and this may be why some people advocate against keeping bird feeders up. Suet melts in the heat, so only offer it in rendered form, in suet cakes, so birds’ feathers aren’t compromised by melting fat. And when rain enters feeders, fungus can form, so it’s important to check seed after every rainstorm, tossing any clumped stuff. Seed may also go rancid more quickly in the heat, so if birds are avoiding a feeder, it’s time to change out the seed in it. If done right, bird feeders bring joy to bird watchers and to birds in all seasons.

Q: I have a cardinal coming to my feeder that has no head feathers. It’s completely bald. Is it going to die and can other birds catch whatever caused it?

A: It’s startling to see a bald cardinal with black skin where red feathers should be; such birds look a bit like vultures. But this is a temporary condition and is not at all life-threatening. The baldness is likely due to genes that cause a fast molt (in rare cases it might be due to feather mites). Other birds will not catch this condition, and the feathers will grow back quickly. Blue jays frequently show up with bald heads, too.

Q: The sparrows in my backyard are visiting my new rain garden’s bare ground. I see them vibrating and fluttering around on the ground. Why are they doing this?

A: They’re dust-bathing to help keep their feathers in good condition. The birds may have recently visited a birdbath, or they’re using the dust in place of a water bath. The dust absorbs any excess oil on their feathers, then can be shaken off. Feathers perform many functions for birds, insulating them from heat and cold and acting as sunscreen, and they need constant care.

St. Paul resident Val Cunningham, a member of the St. Paul Audubon Society, writes about nature for various publications. She can be reached at valwrites@comcast.net.