June: Baby Birds Fly


June is the month when you might see a crowd at your feeders, as parents bring their newly fledged youngsters to eat. The babies don't come to feeders automatically, so parents will entice them by perching on the feeders with some food in their mouths. When the fledglings perch beside them, theys ee the food right in front of them.

Left: A Black Phoebe prepares her nest

At our store, a Black Phoebe adopted us last year. She would come to the back parking lot and chirp, and we would throw fresh worms up in the air. She would swoop down expertly and snatch them in midair. A few days ago, she brought her two fledglings to the parking lot. Now, when she swoops down to catch the worms, she goes straight to the perched babies to feed them. We don't know how long they'll be here, but we are thrilled to see her motherly love in action.

Even if babies aren't at your feeders yet, you may hear a cacophony of chirps and sqeeks as baby birds, almost as big as their parents, beg relentlessly for food. Parents are used to the din, which lessens as the young birds improve their foraging skills, including learning how to use feeders.

Prominent in the crowds at your feeders are the House Finches, distinguished by the tomato-red heads of the males. The females resemble many sparrows, but have stouter bills and streaks that are more blurry than sparrows. They love sunflower chips and obligingly will drop millet seeds on the ground for the Doves and Dark-Eyed Juncos.

 

Right: Two Hooded Orioles enjoy nectar and bird-berry jelly

Also queuing at your feeders will be Orioles and Grosbeaks. They are fledging their young and leading them to feeders. The Grosbeaks hope to find sunflower seeds and berries. The Orioles want nectar. And, everyone is looking for bugs, their main source of protein. They will work hard cleaning up all kinds of insects in your garden if they find seeds or nectar also.

Shiny-black male Phainopeplas are not seen often, but now is when they are likely to be near local coastal canyons to nest. The females are a dull charcoal-gray, and both have beautiful black crests and red eyes. They perch atop trees and swoop down to well-planted gardens to capture insects. If your garden has mistletoe, they might stick around until winter for the berries.

Left: Raven (very similar to crows but bigger) at Carrizzo Plain by Larry Naylor

Baby Crows are fledging, which means that some of them are ending up on the ground. Even if they are not flying right away, that doesn't mean they are injured. They're just inexperienced. First, look around to see if parents are around. If you can, carefully put the bird up as high as possible in a tree or bush. Then observe for an hour. The parents likely will start to feed the baby, and it may even fly once it feels secure. If the young bird seems truly injured, however, contact one of the resources on our Rescue and Rehab Page

There are so many flowers this year, that some hummingbirds are skipping local feeders. As the warm air moves in, the flowers will fade, and hummingbirds will need their feeders for moisture and nectar. They will be back soon, so keep feeders clean and ready.

Called "least" because, at nine inches long, they are the smallest of their species, Least Terns are fledging their young in June. They nest on offshore islands or on beaches that are fenced off and protected, because the "nests" are little more than a scooped out depression in the sand. Juvenile Least Terns are fluffy with black streaks over gray and their wings and back. Adults have a black crown over a soft-gray back and wings, and white front.

June is Perennial Garden Month and National Rivers Month