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With the amount of snow on the ground here in Tioga County it is not surprising that we are replenishing the bird feeder more than we had anticipated. Even though we have corn and oats a plenty and often find wild birds zinging in and out of the chicken coop whenever we enter, everyone it seems is making use of the bird feeder this week. Including this female pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) who has been visiting regularly now since the snow pack increased. Even our flock of Gallus gallus domesticus -also known as Plymouth Rock Barred American Large, and Road Island Reds are making the trek from the chicken coop to the birdfeeder to clean up what their feathered friends have kicked to the ground.

The birds that are visiting the bird feeder have a preference for grains referred to as ‘oil seeds’ and the few that hit the ground are quickly picked up by the ground visitors. These particular seeds have more mono-unsaturated, saturated, and poly-unsaturated fats then other seeds and are sought after to replenish the calories burned during the subzero temperatures of late. Seed such as black oil sunflower, white proso millet and the nyjer seed (Guizotia abyssinica), commonly referred to as thistle on the seed label; are used in bird feeders world-wide. All of these seeds are among the most preferred of the options to our feathered friends this time of year. In addition to the carbohydrates, sugars, fiber, protein, and fat content these seeds provide; they are also a good source of vitamins such as Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid (B5), Vitamin B6, Folate (B9),Choline, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and trace metals such as Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, and Zinc.

Check out the Merlin I.D. App from the Cornell University Ornithology Laboratory in Ithaca, NY which can help you identify 400 North American birds- some of which are out there foraging at your feeder right now. Or check out this Project FeederWatch site also from Cornell University that offers a free mini version of their The Common Feeder Birds Poster which gives a good sampling of some common feeder birds arranged by size, shape, and color.