Birds Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Nature in Flight

Best Hummingbird Feeder (Which is Clean? Easy? Works Best?)

By Riley, last updated July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment

Who doesn’t love birds congregating in their yard? Hummingbirds are quite majestic to behold. These quick, agile birds are a member of the Trochilidae family and are the smallest bird species known to man.

On average, they measure only three to five inches, and weigh about two-and-a-half grams. Hummingbirds are marked by their colorful appearance, with varieties appearing in bright blues, greens, and the like. Most notable, though, is the Hummingbird’s great speed. They fan fly at more than thirty-four miles an hour and flap their wings more than fifty times a second. As such, they have a high metabolism, the greatest of any homeothermic animal.

They’re beautiful birds, and to give them a boost (plus attract them to your yard), you’ll need a quality hummingbird feeder to supply them with nutrients when they decide to hang around your property.

So what is the best hummingbird feeder? [Read more…]

What Do Baby Ducks Eat? (How To Feed These Cuties)

By Riley, last updated March 29, 2023 1 Comment

Ducks. The name is a general term used to refer to a group of species in the Anatidae family of waterfowl. As you might already know, this family also includes swan and geese, but ducks are unique in some of their characteristics, hence the distinction.

One should not confuse ducks for similar fowl, like loons or coots, although they are all primarily aquatic birds that will normally congregate in salt and freshwater areas.

Ducks are smaller than geese and swan, and while their necks are long, they are nowhere near the immense length of a swan neck. As they are similar to these other water bird varieties, one might also assume that they share some dietary characteristics.

Is this the case, however? Let’s look at where the duck, specifically youngling ducks, turn to for nutrition. In short: what do baby ducks eat? [Read more…]

What Do Swans Eat? (7 Foods To Feed These Beautiful Birds)

By Riley, last updated March 23, 2022 8 Comments

There are about six species of Swans, members of the Anatidae family of birds, within the Genus Cygnus. They are closely related to geese but are still considered to be in a grouping all their own. The major classifications are as follows:

The Mute Swan
The Black Swan
The Black-Necked Swan
The Whooper Swan
The Trumpeter Swan
The Tundra Swan

Most people know of the Swan’s cultural significance, through tales like the ugly duckling or their use in various emblems and coats of arms. Swans are also known, though, for some of their more interesting habits.

They will, for example, feed almost exclusively on the water. They are aggressive and will protect their territory fiercely. They are also known as being monogamous creatures that will mate for life (though in some cases, they will split from their partners).

Less discussed in all the talk of swans, however, is their diet. What do swans eat, and where do they procure the bulk of their nutrition? [Read more…]

What Do Hummingbirds Eat? (How To Attract These Fun Birds)

By Riley, last updated August 12, 2018 1 Comment

They can be as small as a length of a finger and weigh as little as a penny.

Their wings flap 50 times per second, and their metabolism is so fast that they eat half their weight in sugar every day.

They were revered in some cultures. Aztecs, for instance, believed that fallen warriors would return to Earth as these creatures.

They are hummingbirds, and this is an overview on what they eat, how they eat, and how you can bring them to your yard.

Hummingbirds are New World birds, in that they reside solely in the the Americas. They live as far north as southern Alaska and as far south as Tierra del Fuego, the southern-most tip of South America.

The majority inhabit the more temperate climate of Central America, with other species migrating there during the onset of winter in the different hemispheres.

They are known for certain distinctive traits and they have a pronounced bill that is slender and can be used to eat and to chase off competition at the same time.

Their bill is a handy bit of evolution for hummingbirds, as it remarks on their food source and why they’ve spread throughout the Americas when other species have disappeared.

So what do hummingbirds eat? Read on to learn more about these amazing creatures and how to attract them to your yard. [Read more…]

What Do Blue Jays Eat? (How To Attract These Stunning Birds)

By Riley, last updated March 23, 2022 9 Comments

One of my favorite birds is the Blue Jay. I just love their deep blue color, especially when I can get picture of them with deep green grass or bright white snow in the background.

So what is a blue jay? The blue jay is a partially migratory songbird in the Corvid family, along with ravens and crows. It has black and blue plumage, a white face and a thick bill.

Those who have spent time or live in central or eastern North America tend to recognize them easily.

They are mostly often remembered for that bright blue color, as there aren’t a wealth of boldly colored birds in this part of the world.

Attracting blue jays to an area can be tough though, so read on if you want to know more about how to bring them to your area or are just curious enough to ask ‘what do blue jays eat’? [Read more…]