Birds of West Cobb

Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo marketing image Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo Detailed Product Review: Is it Worth the Price for Hummingbird Lovers? If you'd prefer to watch a 4.5 minute video of our review rather than reading everything below, we created this for you on YouTube! Birds of West Cobb reviewed the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo! The Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo  is one of the newest smart hummingbird feeders  on the market, combining backyard birding with modern technology. It was designed to let you watch, record, and even help you identify your hummingbird visitors in real time, it promises to take the feeding experience to a whole new level. But does it really deliver? After several weeks of hands-on testing in our backyard, we at Birds of West Cobb  did find a lot to like about this feeder, along with a few quirks that we think buyers should know before purchasing. Here’s our honest review, with real-world observations you won’t find in the product description from Netvue. Please note: this is not a sponsored or paid review however we do make some affiliate revenue from products sold through our links ! Unboxing the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo Inside the box you'll find a neatly packaged feeder, with just a tiny bit of assembly required to get this Hum Feeder Duo into action. You get a quick start guide and user manual, a cleaning squeegee, and a smaller box that includes the hanging clip (with a spring-lock which we liked) a USB charging cable, replacement silicone feeder gasket, and a red perch that snaps right into place. Charging only took a couple of hours, and the feeder did have some charge already on it when it was delivered. Looking inside the box of the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo for the first time The contents of the box: very minimal assembly required and it comes with some spare parts too! First Impressions & Hummingbird Reactions We were a little surprised to find that the hummingbirds didn’t immediately take to this feeder. But after about a week  they began using it—even though we placed it in the same spot that a different feeder they were already visiting pretty frequently. The reason, we think, is the design: The blossoms are the exact same bright red color as the entire base of the feeder. While red is the right choice for attracting hummingbirds, having no contrast made the nectar ports less noticeable/visible to the hummers. There are three feeding ports in total, but a little more differentiation or realism in the flowers would have helped the birds find them sooner. For the price of this feeder, we feel like metal flower ports or 2-tone colors (red with yellow centers) would have been extremely helpful in guiding these bird to drink sooner. Once they did figure it out, the birds fed normally, and we were able to capture some great close-up footage, take a look at a few of the clips below! A young male Ruby-throated hummingbird takes long drinks from the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo Smart bird feeder in Marietta, Georgia A young male Ruby-throated hummingbird investigates the new feeder up-close Build Quality & Design We found that the feeder is well-built overall, and feels durable when you are assembling it or disassembling it for cleaning and refilling. The triple-port design makes it possible for more than one hummingbird to feed at once, and the sleek modern look blends nicely into a backyard setting. One feature we particularly appreciated was the built-in ant moat  at the top of the feeder. This helps keep ants out of the nectar—a problem every hummingbird enthusiast is familiar with. The feeder also comes with a spring-clip hanging hook , which kept it stable during summer storms and could also prevent raccoons from pulling it down (although they can still tear it up if they can access it!) Inside the feeder (beneath the plastic flower feed ports) is a silicone gasket which also prevents bees/yellow-jackets from climbing inside the feeder. They also send you a spare gasket in case yours gets damaged or moldy. That is a nice touch. New Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo fresh out of the box! Camera & App Performance The built-in camera is one of the main selling points of this feeder, and for the most part it does its job pretty well. Video is sharp, colors are vibrant, and the overall quality is pretty good for backyard viewing and sharing clips with friends or family members. That said, we did find the colors slightly oversaturated compared to what we see with the naked eye. The red perch appears almost neon pink, when viewed through either camera. A Couple of Challenges We Faced related to the Cameras One challenge or design flaw? that we experienced with the other Netvue Birdfy Smart feeder we tested also exists here, with the Hum Feeder Duo: By default the video always sets itself to SD or standard definition. The camera is advertised as being a "2k" camera but says on the packaging that it's 3MP or 3 megapixels. If you are in the settings and toggle the camera to HD (to take advantage of the 2k features) this setting only applies as long as you are live-streaming/recording. Meaning that it won't stay in HD mode if you are out running errands and the camera captured some activity on the feeder. Just SD. The bigger challenge we faced was the motion sensitivity . We had some windy days during testing and nearly every time the wind blew and nearby leaves moved on our salvia, the app sent us alerts that there was “activity” at the feeder—even when no hummingbird was present. Unfortunately, there isn’t an option to adjust the sensitivity levels, which can be frustrating if your feeder is set up near many trees or plants that can move frequently. If you have a flat or stationary background, however, this would be a non-issue for you. Screenshot from my Android phone, while using the Birdfy app (this is just an image) you can see how over-saturated the colors are on the feeder itself, while the background colors are a bit muted. Battery Life & Solar Option Battery life was solid during our testing, lasting quite a bit longer than the standard Netvue Birdfy feeder we tested a few months ago. The battery charge was still around 50% after a week, it did drop faster if we used the live video stream. Still, we think most buyers will benefit from investing in the solar panel version . With solar, you won’t have to worry about recharging the feeder as often, making it much closer to a “set and forget” setup. Prime location for our Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo product testing! See the links at the bottom of the blog for info about the sunshade and the clamp-on hanging hook! Price Point & Value The Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo is not what we would consider a "budget feeder". Retail pricing runs $349.99  on Netvue’s website, though we’ve seen it discounted lower than $249.99 during Prime Days on Amazon. Currently, the non-solar version sells for $279.99 , while the solar model remains $349.99 . For many backyard birders, that’s a premium price. But if you love the idea of capturing videos, sharing moments, and adding a smart element to your birdwatching, it may be worth the investment—especially if you opt for the solar upgrade. Our yard is full of trees and we don't have enough direct sunlight for the Solar option to provide much value, so you may want to keep that in mind before adding unnecessary costs to your purchase! Occasionally, the Hum Feeder Duo from Birdfy will capture unintended species - like this Carolina Chickadee. In this instance a female American Goldfinch perched on the feeder for a moment, and the Hum Feeder Duo captured the visit. A Note about Hummingbird Species Recognition In Western states (considered to be those located West of the Mississippi River) there are multiple hummingbird species and this Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo could provide some additional value in helping track when less-frequently seen hummers have made a visit to your feeder, and you may not be around to see it in person. The Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo claims that it can recognize 150+ hummingbird species! That's really incredible, but let's be honest here: East of the Mississippi River, there is a 99.99% chance that you'll only ever see one species - the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. So this is largely a marketing feature for many of us! However, it's possible with these Smart Feeders that you could capture the very moment a rare, migratory visitor stops by for a drink - and we think that's pretty darn cool! A ruby-throated hummingbird: the only species found natively East of the Mississippi River Tips for New Hummingbird Feeder Owners Even with smart features, it’s important to remember that all hummingbird feeders require proper maintenance . Nectar should be changed every 2–5 days , depending on outside temperatures, to keep the nectar fresh, clean and safe for the birds. Pests can also be a concern. Here are a few tips we’ve found helpful: Raccoons : Place feeders high enough and away from railings so raccoons can’t reach them. The Birdfy Duo’s clip design helps here. Alternatively, you can bring the feeders inside the house each night (this is what we do!) Ants : Always use the ant moat and refresh it with water regularly. Bees/Wasps : Avoid placing feeders near bright flowers where insects are already active. ⚠️ Note for Apartment Renters : The Lease agreements for many rental properties prohibit bird feeders because they can attract rodents. However, hummingbird feeders are often treated as exceptions since they use nectar instead of seeds and it's pretty unlikely that you'll create a mess or attract rodents. Still, it’s important to check with your property manager or review your lease before installing one on a balcony or porch. Who This Feeder Makes a Great Gift For The Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo isn’t just a hummingbird feeder—it’s an experience. We think it makes a great gift for: Birdwatching enthusiasts  who want to capture close-up photos and videos of hummingbirds Families with kids , offering an engaging, educational way to connect with nature Elderly bird lovers  who may not be able to spend as much time outside but still want to enjoy hummingbirds daily Tech-savvy nature lovers  who enjoy combining smart gadgets with backyard wildlife watching Who This Feeder Might Not be a Great Purchase For For some of us backyard birders, it's somewhat more enjoyable to go outside with a camera in-hand and manually shoot photos. This allows us to compensate for lighting conditions, shoot with varying levels of zoom, capture images from different angles and capture action around the feeders as well as on them. An example of this: we have several feeders and plates of food that we fill each day. Birds often perch on any available objects while they wait in line for food in these plates, sometimes they land on top of the smart feeders. You'd never know they were there, unless you were standing there physically or maybe looking through a window. Smart feeders only capture what is directly in front of the camera lens. So if someone in your family is a die-hard wildlife photographer, this may not be the greatest gift idea, since these people prefer the hands-on, creative approach to things. Final Thoughts The Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo  is one of the most innovative hummingbird feeders available today. It combines solid build quality with smart features, but it does come with a few quirks—like overly-sensitive motion alerts and a design that may confuse birds at first, although they did warm up to it after the initial confusion period. For those willing to spend a bit more, the solar panel upgrade  is well worth the price, eliminating the need for frequent recharging as long as you have direct sunlight. With proper placement and routine upkeep, this feeder can bring countless hours of enjoyment and some truly stunning video of your backyard hummingbirds. 👉 Shop the Netvue Birdfy Hum Feeder Duo on Amazon here 👉 Or, shop for the Solar version here Additional accessories for your Hummingbird Feeder Installation: Deck railing mounted feeder hanger Adjustable deck-mounted feeder hangers are easy to install and adjust! Flower sun shade for your hummingbird feeders (They come in multiple colors!) Adding a sunshade will keep your nectar cooler and it will stay fresh a little longer in your hummingbird feeders! More Hummingbird Resources for Education: Birdfy Official Website CornellLab All ABout Birds - Hummingbirds Audubon Society: Hummingbirds As always, thanks for reading! — BOWC (Lisa & Dan)

In the Southern United States (We are located in Marietta, Georgia in case you are a new reader) there are quite a few different birds that are either blue, violet or perhaps a combination of these with a few other colors mixed in. You may ask yourself " What is that blue bird on my bird feeder ?" If you are relatively new to the birding scene, you may be looking to identify the species that you've been seeing in your yard or on your bird feeders. Birds of West Cobb is here to help with this! We'll take a look at the most common Blue-colored birds as well as a few less-common species that you may only see occasionally, but not daily like the others. An Eastern Blue Jay fledgling visits Birds of West Cobb in Marietta, Georgia for breakfast The most common (in our opinion) Blue bird that you'll see on your bird feeder is the Eastern Blue Jay. These birds are pretty intelligent and usually arrive in a group of 2-5 birds. Even more are possible in the Spring/Summer months when they are feeding their fledglings. They can be aggressive at times, chasing off smaller birds or slamming down onto feeders with a distinctive "thud". Often times, they will mimic Red-shouldered Hawks or even Red-tailed Hawk bird calls and do this to chase other birds away from the bird feeders so there is ample food for their group and not the others. Below I've included some photos of Eastern Blue Jays, both adults and fledglings, below for help identifying them. Blue, white, black and shades of gray are the key colors you'll see when looking at an Eastern Blue Jay, even in the young (although the colors will be a bit muted. Adult Eastern Blue Jays shown here in the first group of blue bird photos: Here are a few photos of a fledgling Eastern Blue Jay to give you an idea how closely they resemble their parents, as soon as they can fledge the nest. How can you attract Eastern Blue Jays to your bird feeder? These are medium-large birds and they prefer eating from open topped feeders (plates, platforms or similar) that have ample clearance. We often joke that they "come in HOT" because they fly down and hit the plates so hard they often shake on the deck railings. The key to attracting them though, is the right food sources. They enjoy C&S Suet Nuggets (peanut flavored) as well as mixed seed blends with larger seeds included such as peanuts, sunflower chips. However, they are omnivores and will also eat insects and you can attract them with peanut suet cakes as well as dried mealworms. Product Links listed here for your convenience: Cole's Special Feeder Mix (includes lots of peanuts!) C&S Peanut Flavored Suet Nuggets 5lb bag of Dried Mealworms 10lb bag of hulled sunflower chips/Sunflower meats The next most common blue colored bird to visit your bird feeder in the Southeast (thanks to conservationist efforts since the late 1980's & early 1990's) is the Eastern Bluebird. Often referred to as the "Blue bird of happiness", there are few birds more beautiful in North America than the Male Eastern Bluebird. These stunning birds were almost completely wiped out due to feral cat populations, the lack of tree cavities that they would nest in naturally, as well as the increase in pesticides and other harmful chemicals and even window strikes. Due to a huge following and volunteer movement, as well as a large number of retailers now carrying Eastern Bluebird Nest Boxes, the numbers of these beauties are on the rise once again! Below, I've included some photos of the Males, Females and fledgling Eastern Bluebirds. Here are some close-up photos of male Eastern Bluebirds in this first group: In this next group, we've included some photos of adult Female Eastern Bluebirds: Finally, we've also included some photos of Fledglings or Juvenile Eastern Bluebirds. Take a look how adorable these young birds are! How do you attract these adorable Eastern Bluebirds to your bird feeders? Bluebirds love a good water source, but your best bet is once again the food you put out for these beauties. Eastern Bluebirds will seldom eat seeds, but they will eat berries like service berries, blueberries, dogwood berries and more. We are currently planning out our backyard native plant garden so we can provide more of these foods to our feathered friends. However, they are primarily insectivores and the best luck we have ever had, was to offer up dried mealworms regularly in our feeders. We fill the feeders each morning and have been doing this for years. It may take some time, but even with our heavily wooded property we were able to attract these bluebirds to our yard, and they have even been nesting in our bluebird boxes as well - all because we offer the food that they love! Here are a couple of links to the dried mealworms for purchase on Amazon (5lb or 10lb bag): 5lb bag of dried mealworms 10lb bag of dried mealworms Another Blue Bird that may appear on your feeder, which is a small, finch-sized bird that sometimes appears more violet than blue, and is typically seen less frequently than the two species above, is the Indigo Bunting. Keeping the size in mind, the wings are blue/violet just as the head, breast and tail. The Indigo Bunting's beak is much smaller and made for cracking open small seeds, eating berries and tiny insects. Keep these key points in mind as the next blue bird on our list is significantly different! Unfortunately I have only seen a handful of these in 20+ years of birding in Georgia. (I've seen just as many while riding bicycles on the Silver Comet Trail as I have in our yard near the bird feeders!). Keep in mind that theses are small birds, similar to a house finch or tufted titmouse. If you see a blue colored bird but it's larger than these common feeder visitors, you may have just spotted a Blue Grosbeak (next result, below). An adult male Indigo Bunting visited for a drink of water What foods can you put out to attract Indigo Buntings to your feeders? Millet is a popular choice but we don't usually put it out for fear of the "waste" that spills onto the ground below the feeders. Other birders say that they have success with thistle seed, and sunflower chips as well. So far, we've seen them twice in the yard and they only stopped by for water. Product links for food options to attract Indigo Buntings to your feeders: Thistle Seed 5lb bag Sunflower chips 10lb bag Millet Seed 5lb bag There is another Blue Bird that you may get a chance to see as well on your bird feeders or in your garden, this is the Blue Grosbeak! The Blue Grosbeak is often confused with the Indigo Bunting (above) due to a similar shade of blue/violet, however there are significant differences in the sizes of these two birds, as well as the size of their beaks, and most noticeably the coloration of the wing feathers, as they appear as brownish instead of the continuation of blue that you'd see all over the smaller Indigo Bunting. (image below for reference). What do Blue Grobeaks typically eat? Blue Grosbeaks enjoy a diet of berries (seen in the photo above) and they heavily rely on insects and spiders during spring months as well. Typically you can spot these birds at the edges of large fields or meadows, or even some overgrown farmland. We follow a few local birders on instagram that seem to capture these beauties frequently at Green Meadows Preserve , which is located in Marietta along Dallas Highway near the Avenues of West Cobb. Can I attract Blue Grosbeaks to my bird feeder with seeds or seed mixes? Can you attract Blue Grosbeaks to your feeders with seeds? You sure can. You'll probably have better luck with a native plant garden including berries like service berry, native blueberries or black cherries & dogwoods though. Others have luck with Safflower Seeds and Sunflower chips, we just have not had any success (and we live pretty near the Green Meadows, less than a mile away!). We've included some links to purchase these on Amazon, if you'd like to give it a try or if you've already seen these birds in your yard and you want to see them more frequently: 10lb Bag of Safflower Seed 10lb Bag of Hulled Sunflower Seed Have you seen any of these gorgeous blue birds at your backyard bird feeders? Which one is your favorite, and which one is on your Life List? Comment below! We'd love to hear from you! -BoWC (Lisa & Dan)

Winter Encounters with the Timid Ruby-crowned Kinglet For any amateur photographer or backyard birder, it seems like a pretty daunting task. The speed at which the timid Ruby-Crowned Kinglets are able to fly in, grab a bite to eat, and then disappear into the brush is absolutely astounding. For weeks (maybe more) we struggled to snap a few photos that were even remotely shareable to the general public! I am of the opinion that these Ruby-Crowned Kinglets are actually just teasing me and other photographers on purpose. It seems they know exactly what they are doing - and they're just too fast to capture on film. (Digital film, that is!) A Ruby-crowned Kinglet perches in some brush The funny thing is that while we carry bird food and mealworms out to the feeders in the morning, the Kinglet will often fly right next to us and perch on the deck railing... As if to say "thanks for the food, human!". However, as soon as the camera comes out... Poof, they are gone again! Their behavior really makes us think that they are a bit mischievous by nature. Kinglets are skittish, but they are curious as well. In the Winter months you can find them bouncing around quickly from twig to twig with short, quick wing and tail flicks that force you to squint just trying to keep up. (Picture a Carolina wren in your mind, only much faster!) A tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglet tries to decide on which suet nugget to eat What do Ruby-crowned Kinglets eat? We have found that these birds enjoy eating dried mealworm crumbles, (leftovers, or broken pieces of dried mealworms that the other birds didn't bother with) or little chunks of C&S Suet nuggets , but Ruby-crowned Kinglets won't eat any of the seed mixes that we put out for many other backyard bird species, which include the following bird food options: Safflower hulled Sunflower Thistle Special feeder mix and others. Another thing we have noticed, is that they will drink water from your bird bath or from large plates, but they are intimidated easily by the larger birds so we have to put out smaller water plates for them (Much like Chickadees or Wrens!) Pro-tip: Crumble some suet nuggets or mealworm crumbs into a small terra-cotta plate or even into a small platform feeder/ deck-mounted feeder and you may just lure one of these adorable birds in for a quick photo-opp! Ruby-crowned Kinglets visit Marietta, Georgia How big is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet? The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet is a pretty small bird, about the same size as a Carolina Chickadee. We don't see them on or near the feeders in Spring or Summer, but when the weather is chilly and insects are scarce, we see one or two of these charming little birds every morning and sometimes in the evenings as well. The Ruby-crowned kinglet typically measures between 3.5 and 4.3 inches long, with a wingspan measuring only 6.3 to 7.1 inches. Also, they weight only 0.2 to 0.3 ounces! (In metric measurements this equates to length: 9-11cm, wingpan of 16-18cm, and weight of only 5.5-10 grams!). A Ruby-crowned Kinglet shows off his crown in the bright sunlight Common Misidentification: Kinglet versus Pine Warbler The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet could be confused with a dull winter Pine Warbler from a distance, but once you see their "crown" which is typically bright red/orange, you'll know that it is something more special! They are also smaller than Pine Warblers, Goldfinches, and even slightly smaller than Pine Siskins, all which have some degree of yellow/olive green depending on the season. They are generally a dull brownish/grey or greyish-yellow color with a bit of brighter yellow accents on the wings (Wing primaries or primary flight feathers) and the tail feathers. Pine warblers are somewhat larger, (we'd estimate 25-30%!) and are quite a bit less erratic in their movement. Pine warblers typically fly in, grab some suet or some mealworms (whole) and then fly off into the trees/brush. A tiny Ruby-crowned kinglet hops across a deck looking for insects How do Ruby-crowned Kinglets Behave? If you are familiar with a Carolina Wren, and they way they move around, The Ruby-crowned Kinglets move in a similar fashion. They flap quickly, bounce from branch to branch with ease, and small flits of their feathers is all it takes to propel them out of sight. Have you ever seen a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet in person? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below! Sign-Up for the Birds of West Cobb blog! Are you interested in the local backyard birds and other wildlife in the Southeast, or even more specifically, metro-Atlanta areas? Click here and simply enter your email address where it says "Join our Flock" which is our easy sign-up sheet. We won't spam you with junk, we'll just send you a short note that there is new blog content available and ready to read! - Birds of West Cobb (Lisa & Dan) Thank you for the visit and the support!

In this blog post, we share some incredible artists inspired by Birds of West Cobb After around 30-40 posts on Instagram (referring to our @birdsofwestcobb page if you’re new here), we saw a beautiful acrylic painting of a bright, happy male Northern Cardinal in our feed from one of our followers that lives over in John’s Creek , Georgia. She tagged us and said thanks for the inspiration! This actually inspired us more to continue and see what else the world had in store for us! Thanks, Ali Leja ! We appreciate you and hope you enjoy the shout-out here also! (Her Instagram page can be found @alelejaart , and her website can be found here: https://alilejaart.com Stop by her pages and support a local artist today! Art by Ali Leja inspired by Birds of West Cobb Check out this gorgeous acrylic painting by Ali Leja of John’s Creek , GA . A year or so after Ali was inspired to paint this Northern Cardinal in Acrylic, we had another artist tag us in a post and thank us for the inspiration. Enter Tyler Swain (from Utah). He found our page and has since painted many more pieces. You can visit Tyler Swain’s art website at tylerswainart.com . We loved his pieces so much we bought a unique one from him of a young Mourning Dove. Here are some screenshots of the pieces he has since painted, below. (There are more! But we included a few of our favorites). Also, if you’d like to follow him on Instagram , his page can be found here ! Check out this amazing Pine Warbler in Acrylic by artist Tyler Swain , from Utah, United States. Acrylic painting of a Pine Warbler by Tyler Swain Carolina Chickadee painting by Tyler Swain Rufous-sided Towhee (Also referred to now as an "Eastern Towhee") Acrylic Painting by Tyler Swain, inspired by Birds of West Cobb Tyler Swain acrylic painting of a Northern Cardinal with a holly sprig September 2025 - A new artist (to us) reached out and told a fantastic story about how she looked for the perfect photo of a Carolina Wren and found ours, with the wren facing the camera, in a very direct stare that was full of personality. To Sarah Byrnes of Connecticut: we appreciate you reaching out to us and asking for permission to use the likeness of our photo with your work! We hope you make prints and are able to get featured in many galleries in the future - from the looks of this painting you certainly will! Here is a picture of our Carolina Wren capture, followed by her incredible piece: A Carolina Wren gives us an intense stare-down after he noticed movement behind the shutter button Sarah's piece captures the energy better than the photo possibly could! Check this out! Sarah has provided contact information and details about the piece below " Big Fat Bird " painting by Sarah Byrnes © 2025 . Berlin, CT. Inspired by a photograph by Birds of West Cobb, used with permission. This artist may be contacted at: sarahpaintsbirds@gmail.com   Inquiries welcome " Big Fat Bird "   painting by Sarah Byrnes  © 2025 . Berlin, CT. Inspired by a photograph by Birds of West Cobb, used with permission. This artist may be contacted at: sarahpaintsbirds@gmail.com   Inquiries welcome If you like to draw or paint (acrylic, water color, oil, or any combination of the these), and would like to use our photos as inspiration, please just let us know! You can reach out to us via email birdsofwestcobb@gmail.com If you tag us in your posts on social media we can even share future full-quality images with you if that will help you further your art endeavors, and we can promote your work here as well! Thanks for the support! Thanks for checking out these artists inspired by Birds of West Cobb, as well as our Blog! Happy Birding! -Lisa and Dan @birdsofwestcobb

Recently, we read a few Facebook posts about backyard bird feeding and someone shared that they were absolutely fed up with the large number of squirrels in their yard. These squirrels had forced out the birds, and even started fighting amongst themselves. We offered up the idea that this person could ( potentially ) humanely trap some of the squirrels and relocate them to a park or abandoned lot a few miles away. Afterward, we started researching this topic further and discovered that in most cases, trapping and relocating "nuisance" animals is legal. But sometimes there are special rules in place and you should always be aware of the laws in your area before proceeding! Continue reading below to found out which U.S. States allow trapping and relocation of Nuisance Animals! The Gray Squirrel is often seen as either adorable, or a major pain in the ...you know. Which U.S. States allow trapping and relocating nuisance animals? Let's start by defining a "Nuisance Animal"... but before we do, just a little disclaimer here: We are not legal experts nor do we claim to be. We have spent hours researching this topic on multiple state and federal government websites which are quite specific regarding the definitions of a "nuisance animal" and what you can do with it to protect your personal property. "I wouldn't dream of hurting your property!" - Carlton the Raccoon The U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) defines nuisance wildlife as: “ Wildlife that causes damage to agriculture, property, natural resources, or that may threaten human health and safety. ” — Source : USDA APHIS – Wildlife Services Many state agencies (like Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission , Texas Parks and Wildlife , etc.) adopt similar language and criteria when it comes to nuisance animals, or pests. While some states authorize use of poisons (we are STRONGLY against this due to the effects it can have on birds of prey, pets, or even children) , other states require licensed or certified professionals to come and remove the pests. Whenever it is possible and legal, we recommend using a live-trap and relocating these animals. Just be sure to do your local research as it may vary by city to city or municipality. A Chipmunk surfaces in the morning sunlight, before collecting more seeds for his storage cellar If you want to jump ahead and view the list of traps that we'd recommend, click here or scroll to the bottom section of this blog post. If you'd like to view a specific state, you can click below on a specific letter and jump to the appropriate section A | C | D | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W 1. Alabama Alabama law allows for trapping and relocation of nuisance animals as long as you consider the following (this detail came directly from the Outdoor Alabama website which can reviewed here: link ) Nuisance Wildlife Regulation Alabama game and fish regulation 220-2-.27 allows for permits to take protected wildlife causing crop damage, property damage, or concern for human safety.   Which animals are included in Alabama's "Nuisance Animals" legislature? A property owner or tenant is allowed to take  one  squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, beaver or skunk per incident that is causing damage to their property without a permit. Definitely check out the website if you have any question about whether something is illegal or not. 2. Alaska Under 5 AAC 92.420, nuisance wildlife means animals “that have invaded a dwelling, are causing damage to property, or are an immediate threat to health, safety, or property”  law.cornell.edu Directly from Alaska's Department of Fish & Game : "Permits from ADF&G are needed before a person can kill, destroy, relocate, or haze (systematically harass) wild animals that are creating a nuisance or a threat to public safety. Also, any person who kills a wild animal in defense of life or property must file a report and surrender to ADF&G or the Alaska Wildlife Troopers certain animal parts within a prescribed time period." 3. Arizona Arizona defines nuisance wildlife as animal species causing “problems or conflicts for people or property,” such as coyotes, javelinas, skunks, or raccoons encroaching on homes or damaging property. Further, we were able to find the Arizona law pertaining to this topic: ARS Title 17-239 this is a partial snippet of the text on the website but it states that: " A. Any person suffering property damage from wildlife may exercise all reasonable measures to alleviate the damage, except that reasonable measures shall not include injuring or killing game mammals, game birds or wildlife protected by federal law or regulation unless authorized under subsection D of this section.  A person may not retain or sell any portion of an animal taken pursuant to this subsection except as provided in section 3-2403. " 4. Arkansas Arkansas treats nuisance wildlife as non-game species (e.g., beaver, raccoon, squirrel, skunk) causing damage to property and they have pretty specific rules to be aware of if you plan on doing this for your specific situation. You can read more here on the Arkansas website , but we have copied & pasted the related text from their web page, below: "Live traps: Nuisance animals, other than bear or alligator, may also be removed by landowners (or their designees) at any time without a Depredation Permit with the use of live traps. Trapping in towns must be in compliance with municipal ordinances. Live captured nuisance wildlife must be released unharmed on private land with landowner permission in the county of capture or adjacent to the county of capture outside a municipalities boundaries within 24 hours. Live traps must have the trapper’s name and address or his vehicle operator ’s license number or the current vehicle license number registered to the trap user." 5. California California (Los Angeles County specifically) has some interesting rules in place regarding trapping and relocating “nuisance wildlife”. They say that you must either release the nuisance animals in the immediate vicinity of where they were trapped (which really defeats the purpose in our opinion) or, the pest/nuisance animal must be euthanized. This seems a bit harsh but laws are there and should be obeyed! Here is the text we found on the Los Angeles County website : Trapping at Home for Nuisance Wildlife The most common way to trap nuisance wildlife is to use a live trap. However, before purchasing one and catching an animal, it is important to consider what you will do with a live animal once it has been caught. The Fish & Wildlife Code states the requirements for trapped animals. Trapped animals are to be either released back into the immediate vicinity in which they are caught or to be killed immediately (California Code of Regulations- section 465.5). The Code lists kill methods that are prohibited to prevent undue cruelty. 6. Colorado While researching this topic, we're going to say that we are really very impressed with the Colorado Parks & Wildlife Website , specifically the coverage of the nuisance animals and how well-thought out the webpage is. If you are responsible for this webpage, kudos to you ! There are details pertaining to whether or not trapping or removal is possible for many species (27 mammals by our count!). Take a look at the Colorado Parks & Wildlife page , located here ! Per the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website shared above: "Wildlife You can Relocate Without a Permit Cottontail rabbits and tree squirrels can be relocated up to 10 miles from the capture site Raccoons can be relocated up to two miles away from the capture site.  You must notify Colorado Parks and Wildlife in advance and secure permission from the landowner or managing agency where the animal will be released ahead of time. Relocation sites must be appropriate habitats for the species."   7. Connecticut The state of Connecticut requires licenses for Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators who remove wildlife “causing damage to livestock, crops, or property.” Licensed NWCOs are recommended for homeowners that are unable or unwilling to resolve issues on their own accord. The Connecticut specifics can be found here , which relate specifically to trapping nuisance animals. They also include details about which animals you are able to trap (for relocation) and offer alternative options as well for protection of your property from specific species (such as Geese, Racoons, Bears and more). 8. Delaware Delaware defines nuisance wildlife as any wild animal that “poses a threat to public health, safety, or property.” Removal/relocation requires permits for licensed operators (people that professionally remove pests or nuisance animals) however homeowners can also remove pests on their own. The Delaware Dept. of Natural resources states on their website currently: " Can I Relocate Wildlife? Some animals can be trapped and relocated by homeowners. Wildlife cannot be released on any state or public land, and you must obtain permission from private landowners before releasing any wildlife species." For specific species we would recommend that you reach out to the Delaware Department of Natural Resources through their website's " Contact Us " link. 9. Florida Let's take a look at Florida’s regulatory details related to trapping and relocating of nuisance animals. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) states the following on their website : " Nuisance wildlife refers to an animal or animals exhibiting behavior that: causes (or is about to cause) property damage, presents a threat to public safety, or causes an annoyance within, under or upon a building." They continue with some additional context and mention that you should make considerations related to trapping and relocating animals. Some species won't do well with relocation, whether it's due to the ability to find food, or how they are received by the local species, or for other environmental reasons. If you have made these careful considerations, you should still have permission from a land owner before releasing your captured pests on their property! Additionally, you should be familiar with the specifics for the species you are concerned with. Florida has provided a link (shared here) for their regulations related to " Taking Nuisance Wildlife " 10. Georgia Georgia, home of Birds of West Cobb , your backyard bird blogging friends! Georgia's Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division has a very helpful website and it state the following: "Need wildlife trapped and removed from your property? You can hire a nuisance wildlife control operator, remove the animal yourself during regulated hunting and trapping seasons , or obtain a nuisance wildlife control permit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Always consult your local ordinances regarding rules related to discharging firearms." Pay special attention to the part about "you may need to obtain a nuisance wildlife control permit from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources." We don't want our readers getting into trouble with law enforcement! Additionally, Georgia has provided a number of helpful pest fact sheets (we've linked to a few of them, below. However there are more on their website): Squirrels Raccoons We didn't see a document specifically related to chipmunks so we have reached out to the GA DNR for clarification. After ~2 weeks we have received no response from them yet!! Rats & Mice can be removed at any time, by any means due to their classification as a pest and also likely due to the fact that they can be carriers of many diseases. 11. Hawaii Hawaii has very protective laws/regulations intended to keep their diverse ecosystem safe and thriving! Fun fact: Chipmunks, Raccoons and Squirrels are not native to Hawaii , and they are considered invasive if they ever did show up - meaning that they are dealt with very quickly. Raccoons have been known to make the trip as stowaways on ships or planes but due to the risk of rabies, they are removed as soon as discovered! For Rats and Mice, it is generally permissible to remove them with traps or euthanize them for safety of your person and your property! 12. Idaho While Idaho lacks a single “nuisance wildlife” definition, the state's Wildlife Services notes common conflicts—rats, mice, raccoons—with protections guided by policies that address wildlife-human conflicts. To put it simply, for squirrels you would need to contact the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and request their review of your situation. Contact information and more can be found at the following link: https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/file/ma/wld-3.0_handling_tree_squirrel_depredations.pdf 13. Illinois Illinois issues Nuisance Animal Removal Permits  when an animal causes “substantial property damage or serious public health or safety” issues. Non‑domestic protected animals that damage or inhabit private property are defined as nuisance wildlife. They have provided this page for this specific topic: Remove Nuisance Wildlife Once you are on the page listed above, there are two options available for how to deal with nuisance wildlife. You can either hire a NWCO (Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator), or you can request a permit to do it yourself. Links are provided for both as well! 14. Indiana Indiana requires a license or permit for taking nuisance wildlife on non‑owner land. Landowners may trap species like rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, and more—which are causing property damage or threats, there are some specifics based on species but Indiana's Department of Natural Resources made a fantastic website to help guide you through their requirements and whether or not specialized permits are required! Gray Squirrels " Resident landowners and tenants can live-trap a gray squirrel that is causing damage on their own property without a permit from the DNR" Fox Squirrels " Resident landowners and tenants can live-trap a fox squirrel that is causing damage on their own property without a permit from the DNR" Chipmunks " Chipmunks can be captured or killed year-round without a permit or hunting or trapping license from the DNR, and there are no limits to the number that can be taken." Raccoons " Resident landowners and tenants can trap or shoot a raccoon that is causing damage on their own property without a permit from the DNR, but all local ordinances regarding firearm, archery, or air rifle discharge must be followed." A chipmunk emerges from a freshly made hole 15. Iowa Iowa defines nuisance wildlife as any wild animal that “causes damage or poses a threat to public health, safety, or property.”  Licensed operators (NWCOs) remove such wildlife per state regulations and these NWCO's are recommended by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. They have helpful links on their website related to becoming an NWCO or getting in contact with an existing NWCO. 1 6. Kansas Kansas’ Nuisance Wildlife Damage Control  program assists residents in resolving wildlife conflicts. While not giving a single definition, the state provides permits and operator lists to address animals causing damage to structures, crops, or safety concerns. Kansas has ruled Chipmunks as an unprotected species and this means they can be removed through trapping or other methods. In fact the NWCO web page for Kansas specifically calls out the types of traps to use for best results. 17. Kentucky Kentucky allows landowners to use exclusion, repellents, shooting, or trapping to manage nuisance wildlife. Licensed control operators handle more complex situations. Common nuisance species include skunks, squirrels, raccoons, and bats. We wouldn't suggest any homeowners attempt to handle bats or raccoons due to the high risk of rabies with those species. Their website was updated recently and no longer has a page dedicated to nuisance animals and the individual handling of specific species. This makes it seem like they are planning on directing people to local NWCO's as with other states above. They do however have a link for this information so you can find an authorized NWCO easily in your county. 18. Louisiana Louisiana uses licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators tasked with handling most nuisance wildlife—except deer, bears, migratory birds, and alligators. Additionally, any wild birds or mammals “destructive of private property” may be declared a nuisance and removed by authorized persons. However, they also state that an NWCO is not always necessary and they recommend using live traps and relocating the nuisance animal(s) at minimum 5 miles from the location they were captured to prevent their return. You can see more details about this at the following Link . 19. Maine Maine has a well-written document on their website which covers the various species of nuisance animals in pretty good detail. Squirrels, Raccoons, Chipmunks(ground squirrels) and others are mentioned specifically with different rules and other nuances that would be wise to understand before you attempt trapping and relocating them. Take a look on the following PDF 20. Maryland Maryland's Department of Natural Resources website very specifically says this: "Homeowners are strictly prohibited from trapping and shooting wildlife outside regulated seasons, unless the animal has been actively causing property damage or is an obvious threat to public health and safety. If this course of action is taken, homeowners must obtain a free landowner trapping permit ​by calling 1-877-463-6497 from Maryland or 410-349-8055​ from outside of Maryland. Relocation of rabies-vector species (raccoon, skunk, and fox) is prohibited under the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 08.03.15.24 . This restriction is necessary to prevent human-assisted spread of this disease and is an important component of the state’s nuisance wildlife control program" 21. Massachusetts Massachusetts states on their website https://www.mass.gov that it is not legal to rap and relocate ANY animal, including squirrels and chipmunks! They also say on their website that this is not only the law, but it was put in place to protect the wildlife and the people as well. You can read additional information from the city of Salem, Massachusetts on their website, where they specifically mention " Safely Dealing with Wildlife Animals " 22. Michigan Michigan is a state with another well planned, and well executed website helping people become better educated about many types of wildlife. For Pests or nuisance animals such as woodchucks, raccoons, squirrels and more, they have a list of Prevention and control tips which are aimed to guide you (the homeowner) to effectively stop attracting these nuisance animals and keep your home and pets (and bird feeders, if applicable) safe from harm. (Pro-tip, they classify chipmunks as one of the 9 species of squirrels found in the state) Additionally, if you feel like you cannot handle the unwanted visitors yourself, they also provide a helpful list of " Nuisance Animal Control " companies - which was nearly 500 entries long when we checked! 23. Minnesota Some states focus on the word "trapping" as it has been used by hunters for centuries. Other states use the more general term "Taking" - we like this terminology as it applies to trapping in both the humane/live sense, and yet it still also applies if you are using a net to catch fish. Here is their definition: What does "taking" mean? "As defined in Minnesota statute , taking is defined as: "...pursuing, shooting, killing, capturing, trapping, snaring, angling, spearing, or netting wild animals, or placing, setting, drawing, or using a net, trap, or other device to take wild animals. Taking includes attempting to take wild animals, and assisting another person in taking wild animals." You can take an animal using any method except poison, artificial lights, or a motor vehicle. The most common methods for taking an animal are by firearm or bow and arrow. Before you take an animal, make sure you check the local laws. In many urban areas or areas regulated by local ordinance, you may be restricted to live trapping." Taking of squirrels, raccoons, rabbits and more are included on the list. To find out if you are clear to do so, check their website but be sure to check into your city as well, to be sure you aren't breaking any laws. 24. Mississippi We found great information about trapping and relocating nuisance animals on the Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks website related to a number of species, but not squirrels or chipmunks specifically. However, according to NWCO.net (the home of the Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators), you can relocate nuisance wildlife as long as you have the permission of the property owner where you intend to release the animal. Because of the lack of clarity we found we would search by your city, specifically. 25. Missouri The state code for Missouri says that cage style traps can be used during hunting season (as they are classified as a game animal) if you are hunting.  However, it goes on to say that damage-causing squirrels can be trapped out of season without a permit. On the Missouri Department of Conservation website, you can find specifics for many species, including chipmunks, rabbits, squirrels and more. They recommend Cage-style traps for chipmunks and squirrels, and the rabbits too in the right conditions. 26. Montana Montana law classifies a “nuisance” as anything harmful to health or property, injurious to public usage of private or public works, including wildlife causing such interference. The Montana Conservation website has a VERY detailed breakdown of different animals and how to deal with each. This list covers ground squirrels , tree squirrels (including the invasive fox squirrel) raccoons and more! 27. Nebraska Nebraska counties may control “commensal and field rodents, nuisance birds, and other nuisance wildlife” when they cause property damage or pose health threats—however relocation of a pest animal or nuisance animal beyond 100 yards is prohibited  according to Nebraska Wildlife Rehab . 28. Nevada According to the Nevada Extension (the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources), nuisance animals are not permitted to be relocated in Nevada! We found this to be true from other resources as well. Don't do it! 29. New Hampshire New Hampshire's Fish and Game Department has laid out the rules pretty clearly. First they want you to call USDA Wildlife Services at (603) 223-6832 . They will give you direction based on the circumstances. The Fish and Game website also includes a helpful (and thoughtful) guide for using traps like the live animal traps we recommend, safely and as humanely as possible. You can view that link here: Live animal cage traps Now if you are not comfortable trapping and relocating animals, you can contact a licensed WCO by visiting this page . 30. New Jersey New Jersey lists nuisance wildlife (such as squirrels, raccoons, bats, geese, opossums, skunks) as animals that invade homes or property. Local licensing/ordinances govern their removal. Trap-and-relocate is generally discouraged or illegal based on the locale. However, we found that if you just "Google" this question the AI response flat out tells you that it's illegal. This is not the case currently, and the NJ Wildlife Relocation has all of the specifics. It says that relocation is possible if you meet the criteria, but any releasable adults should be placed on private property with the landowners permission, at a minimum of 10 miles from the capture site. 31. New Mexico New Mexico allows the removal of “nuisance animals” (e.g., wildlife occupying homes/property) under state permits. Transporting nuisance animals must also follow the permitting rules. This varies from one city municipality to the next and we strongly recommend checking your specific locale for rules. From our research so far squirrels don't seem to be much of an issue in New Mexico, but Raccoons could be problematic. If that is the case, they first recommend you remove food sources, and then try "hazing" or humanely chasing off the racoons with sound or water from a hose nozzle. If that fails, they then recommend you contact a licensed wildlife removal expert from your area. 32. New York New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation (or DEC), administers a Nuisance Wildlife Control License permitting capture, transport, and release of wildlife deemed nuisance—i.e., those causing property damage or public-safety threats. Common species include raccoons, bats, beaver, deer, skunks, coyotes, Canada geese, and swans. If you are uncomfortable they also provide a list of licensed Wildlife Control Operators (WCO's) in your state! 33. North Carolina North Carolina's Wildlife Resources Commission states that wildlife that is causing damage to your home or property can be removed via permits, with licensed agents providing trapping and control of the nuisance wildlife. Local governments may enforce ordinances for animals that create public nuisances. That said, they list the animals that cannot be relocated on their website and say that squirrels CAN be relocated, to private property with the owners permission and you still need a Depredation permit before doing so. 34. North Dakota North Dakota Game and Fish Department mentions that hunting the following animals year round is acceptable and residents do not need a license to do so. Non-residents simply need a non-game license. ground squirrel prairie dog porcupine rabbit skunk For trapping and relocating tree squirrels in North Dakota, this is legal during the open hunting season from September through February, but we recommend checking their website as this could change year to year as far as start/end dates go. 35. Ohio Ohio has very detailed legislature that seems focused on hiring commercially licensed Wildlife Control Operators, or at minimum getting a permit and removing your own issues but you can only release these on private property with written permission. We'd suggest reading the full list of requirements on the Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules website located here . A young chipmunk perches on a root before making his chirping call 36. Oklahoma The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) was created to manage and maintain Oklahoma's wildlife. A Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator  permit allows capture, euthanasia, or relocation of specified species when causing human conflict, with releases limited to outside city limits and within the same or adjacent county. This is not a requirement for many species, however you may need help in your specific case and if that should occur the NWCO is there for you. If you want to take on the nuisance by yourself, you must first request a Wildlife Depredation permit from the ODWC to deal with the wildlife problems. Then, an ODWC employee will need to come and complete a wildlife damage complaint investigation, before they will issue a depredation permit to you. 37. Oregon Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife’s nuisance-wildlife program outlines trapping, relocating, or destroying wildlife creating conflicts—though rules vary by species and location  eugene-or.gov According to ORS 498.012, people may take wildlife that “is causing damage, is a public nuisance, or poses a public health risk. 38. Pennsylvania On the official website for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , there is a page dedicated to "Nuisance Wildlife". On this page, Live-traps are once again called out for being simple to use, and easy to release any unintended captured species quickly and easily. The even mention that " troublesome rabbits and squirrels can be relocated to another area ." Please keep in mind though, that you may accidentally capture a skunk. 39. Rhode Island According to several sources we found, it is illegal to trap and relocate any wildlife in Rhode Island. Including this link from the Coventry Policy Department They classify squirrels and chipmunks as "protected furbearers" and say the following This means that while you can trap squirrels on your property, you cannot release them in another location . Instead, RIDEM recommends exploring other options like exclusion, modification of your property, or contacting a wildlife control specialist.  40. South Carolina For Gray Squirrels and Fox Squirrels, a license may be required (and only authorized during hunting season). They also mention that it is not recommended to relocate tree squirrels, as it could be stressful on them. They also have specific rules for each species that you might consider to a pest from Raccoons, to woodchucks, but does not have a specific page mention of "Chipmunks, oddly enough. You can view the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources index of nuisance wildlife here. 41. South Dakota South Dakota's Game, Fish & Parks Department shared a PDF of the Hunting and Trapping Handbook 2025 on their site located here . However, we were unable to find strict rules or laws about this specifically. Google's Ai search tool says it is possible to relocate them as long as you have permission from the property owner where you are releasing them. We recommend calling the the South Dakota's Game, Fish & Parks Dept to clarify if you can do this or if it is illegal. (The answer may vary based on your city or town)! 42. Tennessee The Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency has an amazing website with specifics about many different species that covers just about every kind of pest you can think of, from Squirrels to Nutria, wild boar, raccoons and even fox and more! They clearly state on their website the following (and plenty more as well!) TCA 70-4-115 Destruction and disposal of wildlife---Permit---Penalty.      (a)  The owner of lands may destroy any wild animals, wild birds, or wild fowl when such wild animals, wild birds, or wild fowl are destroying property upon such lands.  Any person, before destroying any big game under the conditions provided for in this section, is required to obtain a permit for destroying such big game.  Such permits shall be issued by an officer of the wildlife resources agency. NOTE:  If you are experiencing animal damage caused by a federally protected species, you must obtain a permit from USFWS  https://www.fws.gov/permits/#sthash.nSt3rzh7.dpufhttp://www.fws.gov/permits/  prior to destroying such wildlife. Can I relocate an animal I have trapped? No.  Because of illness and disease, it is illegal to transport any live wildlife (TCA 70-4-401) and release said wildlife (TCA 70-4-412) without a permit . 43. Texas For Texas we had to dig a little to find the accurate information from their state resources, but we found it for you! The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department mentions on their web page the following: Nuisance fur-bearing animals may be captured and relocated if the person has received authorization from the department and the owner of the property where the release will occur. A monthly report is required and must be submitted to the department on number and kind of fur-bearers captured, location of release site, name and address of person authorized to release. 44. Utah For Utah the rules are also quite specific about trapping and relocating nuisance animals, we recommend reading the legal information about trapping animals here: https://adminrules.utah.gov/public/rule/R58-14/Current%20Rules ? 45. Vermont In Vermont it is not legal to trap, transport or relocate wildlife. As with many other states, they require the use of a licensed WCO or NWCO's (Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators) to help you mitigate nuisance/pest animals. Unfortunately, most of these will be euthanized - In cases like these we always figured it would be more humane to trap and release but this is not allowed in many locations now, for fear of spreading disease, causing distress for the animals etc. Vermont's legal information related to trapping can be found here: https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/furbearers-and-trapping/furbearer-hunting-and-trapping/revised-regulated-trapping-rule-overview 46. Virginia In Virginia, it's also illegal to trap and relocate nuisance animals. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has however put together a very detailed website with information about all the alternative steps you can take to prevent the nuisance animals from visiting, or returning to your property to cause additional damage to it. Here is the link for your viewing pleasure! 47. Washington Nuisance wildlife rules allow you to remove wildlife (remove=euthanize in this case) animals which are causing damage to your property. However, it is unlawful to capture a wild animal and relocate it to a different property. Further, as with any animal be it snake, bird, plant etc., you should be aware of exactly what species you are dealing with so that you can understand the correct legal rules related to it. Washington details on tree squirrels, specifically, can be found here. https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/living/species-facts/tree-squirrels#additional-info 48. West Virginia Wildlife causing economic harm, safety threats, odors, waste, or property issues. Management requires a Wildlife Damage Control Agent license; onsite release is mandated unless approved 49. Wisconsin DNR intervenes when an animal or its structure causes damage or nuisance; removal—including trap/kill/relocate—is allowed under permit, often within 48 hours of complaint  youtube.com + 2digitalcommons.usu.edu + 2animallaw.info +2 50. Wyoming Any wildlife posing threats to health, safety, property, or the environment is considered nuisance wildlife—authorizing capture, humane removal/relocation, or enforcement Our Recommended live-animal traps for removing pests or "Nuisance Animals" from your property Very Small Traps for mice, voles or moles Havahart x-small HOMESTEAD no kill mouse trap Small traps for Chipmunks, rats, or flying squirrels (we would not use this size for adult tree squirrels) Havahart Small 1-door Trap 2-pack of Wanqueen Chpipmunk or rat traps Medium Traps for Tree squirrels, Skunks, Rabbits Little Giant Double Door live trap HOMESTEAD Professional Style One-door trap Large Traps for Raccoons, Fox, Opossums, Woodchucks, Bobcats, Beavers or Feral Cats Havahart Large 1-door trap Havahart Large 2-door Trap X-Large Traps for Coyotes VASALAID Live Animal Trap (Dogs, Coyotes, Foxes, Large Raccoons) We also Recommend the following accessories to assist you with your live-animal trapping and relocating (where legal) Trap Covers Trap Covers come in a variety of sizes, they are designed to reduce the stress of the transportation to release sites, and also to prevent the animals from reaching out and clawing, scratching or biting the person handling the animals in the traps. Rubber Mats for Transport Protect your vehicle and prevent the cage from slipping and sliding around during transport to the drop-off location. This also prevents injury and stress in the animal as well. Protective Gloves The last thing you or anyone else needs while handling wild animals, is scratched or punctured skin. Rodents can carry a large number of viruses, fleas, mites, ticks, some have a potential risk of carrying rabies

A quick video showing the capture of a Chipmunk with a reusable, ethical trap. This is ideal for relocating the chipmunks to a nearby park. In a previous blog post we wrote about an effective trap for removing yellow jackets from your property. This time, let's take a look at the best (and the worst) ways to remove Chipmunks from your yard. We'll discuss using poisons, electronic traps, stopping the bird feeding completely, and finally the best way - using bird-safe, humane traps so they can be relocated, safely and unharmed, to a nearby park or vacant property. Why would you want to remove Chipmunks from your yard? They are cute, fairly quiet (until they aren't) and pose no physical threat to us humans. Unless you were to step in a recently burrowed chipmunk hole while mowing the lawn. Or if a chipmunk hole and tunnel were abandoned and it collapsed in the rain and now you have a small sinkhole in the yard you need to fill. Worst of all, an abandoned chipmunk hole is a prime candidate for a queen yellow jacket to move into in the warmer Spring months and start building a new colony of serious hurt. A young chipmunk poses near it's burrow, just after rain stopped falling. Okay, okay, I see why you might want to get rid of the furry critters. But why can't we all just coexist? Chipmunks are a type of small-to-medium sized rodents. Rodents are famously known for their ability to breed and populate very quickly. If you are big into bird feeding like we are, you're likely generating a lot of waste seed from birds (above) in the feeders. This waste seed will eventually attract chipmunks, squirrels and possibly some other rodents including mice or even rats. So to put it simply, you're feeding the chipmunks and they are just going to use that food as fuel to rapidly procreate and then replicate. The holes they create in your yard will quickly attract other pests! It's a vicious cycle, no doubt! A plump chipmunk stuffs his cheeks with seeds before dropping them off in his storage cellar and returning for more shortly after. The first couple of years we saw a few chipmunks around and didn't think much of it. Then suddenly it seemed like they were all over the yard. It has taken some time to get them back to a much smaller number and occasionally we see one again. If you see more than 2-3 at a time you need to be capturing them and relocating them quickly or the population will literally explode! A young adult Chipmunk pauses in the morning light for a photo, before scurrying away My neighbor said I should use poison to take care of the chipmunk problem. What do you think? Poison has been used for hundreds of years to rid the world of rodents. It works, but there are sadly several far-reaching ecological side effects and we strongly recommend against poisons for these reasons. A sick/poisoned chipmunk can then be eaten by a hawk or an owl, a raccoon, possum, or even a house cat or your next door neighbor's dog, if not your own! Additionally, if it's poison pellets it's very likely that birds will find this poison and ingest it as well, which will certainly end up killing them. Some of the many birds that we see eating from the ground include: Carolina Wrens, Winter Wrens, House Wrens Chipping Sparrows, Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows Brown Thrashers Rufous-sided or Eastern Towhees Northern Cardinals Hermit Thrushes, Swainson's Thrush Pine Warblers, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Tennessee Warblers Eastern Wild Turkeys Brown Thrashers are often seen below bird feeders looking for worms and grubs and could mistake a poison pellet for a snack as well. Another reason you would likely want to consider if the reasons above don't deter you, is the location of the dead chipmunks. You can't choose where they will end up when they finally kick the bucket. They could end up in a downspout on your home, under the deck or front porch in an inaccessible spot. Then they will start to rot and stink. Before you know it, you'll have ants crawling all over in addition to the smell. Nobody wants or needs that! This is Owlejandro, our local Barred Owl. He would appreciate it if you wouldn't poison his food sources! Okay I see some folks using electronic rodent traps that kill their targets in an instant. How would these work for Chipmunks? We've seen those around the back of our local grocery store and strip mall as well. These electronic traps are considered fairly humane because they are intended to instantly kill their targets pests, but they are actually designed for other rodents (rats) which would be snooping around in these locations where there may be nesting materials or food nearby. Chipmunks are really after your birdseed and that's about it. Plus, these are quite expensive and require recharging as well. If you have a mouse or rat problem, an electronic trap would be an excellent and humane option for reducing the number of these rodents. But for Chipmunks, we would go another route. A white throated sparrow, which is often seen eating on the ground, is a great reason NOT to use poison pellets for removing rodents from your yard. What trap should I use for catching chipmunks? We have been using a very simple trap, and also a very easy baiting technique I was able to capture nearly all of them and move them to a park just a few miles down the road. I've been using simple 2-door metal traps similar to Havahart branded traps for a few decades now. They are extremely durable, reusable, easy to clean, and simply work time and time again. I have a pair of these traps designed for small-to-medium sized rodents and since we have multiple bird feeders stations, it makes better use of my time capturing and taking them to the park two at a time. A close-up photo of a young, fluffy chipmunk on the cement walkway behind our house What do you use for bait for chipmunks? If you already have chipmunks hanging around under your bird feeders, they are used to the seed that they are finding each day. With one of these metal traps, toss a small bit of that seed straight into the trap and just wait about 20-30 minutes. If you try to make it fancy or add something like peanut butter, you may actually make them a bit suspicious and you will have less success capturing chipmunks. Where is the best place to set the chipmunk trap? I usually place one of these humane traps under each of the bird feeder stations. The reason i like to place the traps below these feeder stations is similar to the reason I choose to stick with the seed that the chipmunks are used to. They are already going to these bird feeder areas to get seed like they would any other day. They then smell a little pile of fresh seeds and head right for it. It's super easy and takes less time out of your day or weekend. How do I transport the trapped chipmunks once they've been captured? Once you've trapped them, you'll want to put on some leather work gloves, and then just carry the trap out to the trunk of your car with the built-in carry handle. I recommend placing some cardboard or a trash bag under the traps though because the chipmunks will be pretty excited about being in your trunk and will definitely eject some seeds from their cheeks. When you get to the park, just carry the trap to some grass or some pinestraw covered area, pop open one of the doors on the trap and wait a few seconds. The little chipmunks will come firing out of the door just like a cannon as soon as they realize they are free again! I've included a product link below 👇 for the specific trap model we've been using now for several years. Rather than poison, or expensive electronic countermeasures, we strongly recommend you try out one of these Havahart style traps instead. Thanks for reading! 🙏 -BoWC (Lisa & Dan)

In this blog, we'll share some hilarious Bird Memes and Bird-related comics that we have found while out scouring the world wide web. Feel free to re-share with your friends (and be sure to give credit to the artists!) We hope you enjoy these as much as we do! Also, be sure to check back periodically as we will be adding more as we find them! This hilarious meme showing stork that just delivered a baby, but also employing the modern-day methodology of snapping a "proof of delivery" photo, likely to send to the new parents. We love this sort of humor, well done Nate Fakes, well done! You can follow him on Instagram here: Nate Fakes Stork delivery a baby meme / cartoon by Nate Fakes Here's an instant classic depicting the timeless competition for birdseed between a bird and a squirrel. But this time, in the "Corporate America" breakroom space. We love this! To see more from this comic, check out Off the Mark (by Mark Parisi). In this comic, a Turkey Entrepreneur has started selling T-shirts that make turkeys look skinny so they will likely not be hunted or eaten on November 28th, America's Thanksgiving Holiday. We're not sure of the artist for this one, but we have seen it on a tshirt from a major retailer and also on Instagram. If you know the artist, please let us know and we'll be sure to edit this post to reference them appropriately! The irony... an innocent hobby just feeding a few backyard birds can go terribly, terribly... RIGHT! Soon you'll have a flock-worth of feeders, bird baths, organized containers full of the various types of bird food and even bird-safe cleaners you didn't know you needed previously. This cartoon (unknown artist) shows just how the birds will take advantage of their new found humans. In this cartoon, some eggs perform an egg-corcism on a very clearly "deviled" egg. That's funny stuff for sure, we hope you enjoy as much as we do! You can check out the other comics by this artist on their Instagram page: Quickies There's one you don't see every day! A couple of Hummingbirds up to no good, passing around a hummingbird feeder shaped bong. Maybe this is what they're up to when we don't see them for months and months at a time? This is a fun comic from artist Will Santino, and you can check him out on his website here In this meme, likely created by the instagram page "@JDM CARS", 3 of the fastest things on earth are depicted. A B-2 Bomber diving from the stratosphere, a Peregrine Falcon (one of our favorite birds) likely diving after prey, and a mechanic's hand shooting down into an engine bay after they drop that bolt that they were either in the process of extracting or reinstalling. If you've ever worked on a vehicle you know how true this is... The comic below includes some (teenage?) squirrels getting a little wild with the tube feeders out in the yard, while the resident human looks on. Good times brought to you by Jim Benton - you can see more of his stuff at the Go Comics page . We also love the hand-shaped Turkey drawing... that one brings back memories for sure! This cartoon brought to you by Rosemary Mosco and her wonderful page located here birdandmoon.com shows the (somewhat frightening) stages of a cardinal molting between seasons. When are you fixing that dripping spigot? Why isn't the grass cut yet? Honey, relax I'm watching the game and I'll get to it later - this meme may strike a nerve, be prepared! Within coffee shops there are all sorts of people, but usually you don't see Herb and Fran out Human Watching. Although, I'm sure it would be a heck of a time! Thanks for creating this one Scott Metzger ! Be sure to check out his page and his other hilarious comics here https://www.metzgercartoons.com/ This meme shows what happens when the mafia is out to get your Rooster... and maybe they are employed by a large-scale fast food chain. What can I say, sometimes you really just need to be creative in order to blend in! While not a bird, per se, this is funny on so many levels knowing that a gray squirrel would probably react this way, before trying to bury this giant nut in your lawn. A gray squirrel captured in a photo hugging what may be the worlds largest acorn We've scouted the web and found even more hilarious Bird-related Memes and comics below! The next to cartoons are related to the action we are all most familiar with, birds target-practicing on our shiny, freshly washed and detailed vehicles. If you've even spent time parked under a tree or power lines, you know why these are spot-on! By artist Dave Coverly (from the comic strip known as " speedbumpcomic ", here's the first one we love! That link was for his Instagram page but here is also a link straight to his website ! This next comic from " BizarroComics.com " and artist Dan Piraro , this is a classic potty-training bird joke that we've seen shared a few times over the years. Well done Dan! Every household has that one person that just has to carry all of the groceries into the house. In this next comic, (also from Dave Coverly and Speed bump comics , this is wonderfully captured from a bird-grocery delivery perspective. That reminds us to ask: Do you want to attract more species to your bird feeders than you've been getting with bird seed alone? Pro Tip: Try using dried mealworms! They provide lots of protein and calcium and this is critical for birds that are active searching for insects and even those migrating or reproducing. We've found that birds love them and we nearly doubled our "life list" after using mealworms! Click this link -> 5lb bag of dried mealworms to order some today and give it a try! Our next hilarious comic from Dave Coverly features the drawings of the Largest Woodpecker in North America - the Pileated Woodpecker! This hilarious comic shows a neighbor or friend coming over to another woodpecker's house and apparently instead of ringing the doorbell, he just pecked right through the front door! Be sure to check out Speedbump.com for more of these well-thought cartoons. Another theme for birds that people often wonder about, would be the subject of nesting and eggs hatching. while incubation can range from species to species, maybe adults just get tired of waiting and want to induce labor?! OK that's pretty funny to think about from a bird-perspective Well done Off the Mark Comics (artist Mark Parisi ) Artist Scott Metzger from ScottMetzgerCartoons (<-Instagram) made a fantastic reference to seagulls fighting over food and the main character snagged a chip - turns out it was a Kale chip which was not something he was interested in! We've all been there, whether it's a kale chip or a jelly bean of the wrong flavor - we can certainly relate! Our next comic has some very well drawn American Goldfinches perched in a nest high in a tree, and one is explaining to the other that they now have some downstairs roommates. Cartoonist Scott Johnston did a great job with this one! Take a look at more of his work here What can we say, Dave Coverly is probably our favorite bird comic (but he doesn't just stop there!). Here's another fun one of a parent bird telling their small child that they are going to have to learn to fly the old-fashioned way, and NOT with the help of a flight simulator on their computer or tablet. Well done, Dave! Once again that link to view more great works by Dave can be found at Speed Bump Comics Could you imagine the classic fairy tale about leaving a trail of breadcrumbs but narrated by birds, hiking through the forest? Yeah, I'm sure that would end well... but it sure makes for a witty cartoon! Thanks for the laughter, Dave Blazek @ LoosePartsComics ! Thanks for stopping in and checking out some of our favorite bird memes, cartoons and comics, and most importantly, artists!

Introducing the American Robin In this blog post we are excited to be Introducing the American Robin to our readers Personally, I feel these birds are extremely undervalued members of the bird community. They have a TON of personality, play games, chase each other often, and their fledglings are absolutely adorable! It is hard to drive down any residential street in the Southeastern United States without seeing at least a few of these bright, beautiful & beneficial birds, hopping around in lawns and gardens, pecking at worms or other snack-worthy insects. An American Robin chases away a European Starling What do American Robins typically eat? We find that American Robins (members of the Thrush Family of birds) generally prefer live insects and worms for much of the year, however, in the Fall and Winter months when insects are not (usually) very active, they will eat the Dried Mealworms we put out for the other songbirds. But when there is a lot of crowding going on, some of the Robins will then begin to eat Suet Cakes or even sometimes grab a few Suet Nuggets. (I'll add links to the end of this blog for those brands that we recommend based on our successful experiences). In addition to the insects and suet, American Robins can also be found eating wild berries including Blackberries, Raspberries, Dogwood Tree berries and more. Here is a short video of a flock of Robins in the woods I captured at nearby Allatoona Creek Park. What do American Robins sound like? In Spring, the rapid, cheery calls of the Robins can be heard from dawn until dusk. You can hear them calling out with loud Cheap Cheap Cheap Cheap sometimes when they are being defensive, or you can hear them sing "Cheerio Cheerio Cheerio Cheerio" which makes us wonder if these are not actually English Robins in disguise? Where do you see American Robins? The American Robins are typically found in large lawns, golf courses, meadows and pastures. We have also spotted them chasing down worms in the rain gutters along the roadways in the South, or along bicycle trails where puddles have formed and there is lots of standing water to drink or bathe in. Normally, you'd seldom find them at the feeders as there are so many insects, spiders and worms around. It seems that anyone with a Sprinkler running in their lawn will also find flocks of American Robins as they will gather to eat any earthworms that come to the surface while the sprinkler runs, and the water penetrates the soil's surface. They will hop along the edges of driveways, curbs and streets and pause, waiting for any motion from the worms before immediately jumping on top of their location and pulling them out of the soil like spaghetti noodles! It's pretty entertaining to watch! An adult male American Robin jump out of the bath to dry off How can you tell the male American Robin and the female American Robin apart? How can you tell a male from a female American Robin? The male bird in most species of birds is going to have brighter colors, or deeper color, or more contrasting colors. Female birds will typically look similar in coloration & pattern however this is not always the case. Robins however, are very similar and it can be tough to tell them apart at times but the male does still have darker feathers. Even the fledglings have more pronounced dark feathers on their heads and more bright, rich orange on their breast and undersides of their shoulders. In the image below, You can see pretty clearly the differences in the male and female American Robin coloration between the males and female. (If you are having trouble still, the female is the one in the Top-Center, and the males are on both sides of her.) A Winter flock of American Robins visit to eat dried mealworms Are American Robins very territorial? Yes, American Robins can be quite territorial when it comes to (certain) other birds, and even other American Robins. In the Winter months they seem to flock together well and for the most part, and play quite nicely. However, in Spring when they are breeding, or if a nest is nearby, a pair of Robins will often chase off any birds that compete for the same food. There are some exceptions of course, as they don't seem to bully any birds that are larger than themselves. We have seen them chase (temporarily) Eastern Bluebirds, Hermit Thrushes, Carolina Wrens and a few species of Warbler (Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Tennessee Warblers). However, Eastern Blue Jays, Brown Thrashers, Common Grackles have no issue standing firm and don't seem to be intimidated much, if at all. An American Robin eats nearby an Eastern Bluebird Do American Robins East Berries? Take a look at the short video below, which shows a flock of Wintering American Robins feasting on berries that are growing in a forested area a Allatoona Creek Park . Where do American Robins typically Nest American Robins most frequently nest in small or mid-size trees, with nests 5 feed above the ground or higher. We've seen them 30 feet or higher as well! Sometimes they will be found in mature Crepe Myrtles or Dogwood Trees which can be found all across the Southeast! What is a Robin's nest made of? The American Robins seem to prefer using Pine Straw for the bulk of their construction materials. There may be a few tiny twigs mixed in for support. When do you typically see the first American Robin Fledglings? We find that American Robins have already built their nests at the end of March or early April, and after another 6-7 weeks the babies are ready to leave the nest and follow the parents around for food and water needs. Just last week we were lucky enough to spot the first fledglings, visiting our water bowls and "shadowing" their parents when digging through our flower beds and lawn. Here is a photo and a video of "little Richard", as we like to call him. A fledgling American Robin visits our feeders for the first time What does a fledgling American Robin look like? With the image above, as well as the short video clip below, you can see a very recently fledged American Robin, visiting a plate of mealworms and then grabbing a sip of water from one of our tiny bird "pools". He's still figuring it out, as he is both cautious and inquisitive! Thanks for reading our Birds of West Cobb blog! We hope you enjoyed this topic an you value these wonderfully beneficial garden guardians as much as we do! Below we have shared a few links to the products mentioned above or pictured in the images that we captured. What are some helpful products that will help me feed American Robins? Dried Mealworms (5lb bag) Suet Nuggets from C&S 10" Terracotta plates for bird feeding or bird baths Suet Cakes for insectivores You can also find us on TikTok , I nstagram , and Youtube ! Thanks for reading and for your support! -Lisa & Dan ( BOWC )

Is Red-Dyed Hummingbird Nectar Safe? You know the stuff… that bottled, cheap red liquid you see at Walmart, your local home improvement store, or even your grocery store. You may even see a neighbor giving it away on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or Nextdoor. But what’s the deal? Is it even usable? Is it safe for hummingbirds? Let’s dive in and find out! Several Ruby-throated Hummingbirds gather at a feeder before migrating south The Best DIY Hummingbird Nectar Recipe Before we break down the safety of red-dyed nectar, let’s talk about the best homemade hummingbird nectar recipe. It’s incredibly simple! A juvenile ruby-throated hummingbird enjoys DIY nectar from a red-glass hummingbird feeder The Best DIY Hummingbird Nectar Recipe How to Make Safe Hummingbird Nectar: Add 4 parts water to a small pot and bring to a boil. Stir in 1 part plain white table sugar until fully dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. (For faster cooling, refrigerate briefly.) Thoroughly clean your hummingbird feeder before refilling with fresh nectar. Hang your feeder back up and enjoy watching the hummingbirds! This method is clean, safe, and quick. You don’t have to take our word for it—check out this resource from the Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute : DIY Hummingbird Nectar Recipe White table sugar mixed with boiling water is a much safer option when it comes to DIY Hummingbird food A female Ruby-Throated Hummingbird perches for a drink Is Store-Bought Red-Dyed Hummingbird Nectar Safe? Examining Popular Brands One of the most common store-bought nectar products is Perky-Pet Concentrated Hummingbird Nectar Sugar , which claims to be 100% sucrose. Since sucrose is metabolized efficiently by hummingbirds, this seems like a great option at first glance. However, there’s a major issue—it’s dyed red. The Smithsonian and other experts recommend avoiding red dye in nectar . So why do companies like Perky-Pet continue using it? It’s likely a marketing tactic— humans are drawn to the red color , even though birds don’t need it in their nectar. A silhouette of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched on a feeder Why Red Dye is Bad for Hummingbirds? Hummingbirds are naturally attracted to red flowers and feeders, but that doesn’t mean they need red-dyed nectar. Many experts, including hummingbird researcher Sheri L. Williamson , have publicly criticized the use of red dye in commercial nectar, noting its potential harm to birds. Despite concerns, some manufacturers continue producing red nectar without sufficient safety studies. What are some safe alternatives to Red-Dyed Hummingbird Nectar Instead of using commercial red-dyed nectar, opt for these safe alternatives: Homemade or DIY nectar  (recipe included above) Clear, dye-free commercial nectar( product link here ) Decorative Hummingbird Feeders with red accents instead of red nectar (We've included the top options below for durability and review rating!) Billion Sky Lantern Style Hummingbird Feeder with Red Glass (product link here ) Red glass lantern-style hummingbird feeder Netvue Birdfy Smart Hummingbird Feeder with Solar Charging (product link here or click the image below) Netvue Birdfy Hummingbird Feeder with Solar Chargin A gorgeous adult male Ruby-throated Hummingbird perched at a feeder. Final Thoughts So, is red-dyed hummingbird nectar safe ? The answer is no.  While some brands claim to be safe, red dye is unnecessary and likely harmful. Instead, opt for a simple homemade nectar recipe  or a clear, dye-free alternative  to keep your backyard hummingbirds healthy and happy. Are you curious to learn more about hummingbird feeders, nectar, or other backyard birding tips? Let us know in the comments! Thanks for visiting and reading! - BOWC (Lisa & Dan)

You asked: What is that black bird on my bird feeder? This page is intended to help our fellow “backyard birders” identify those black birds on, under or nearby their bird feeders. Here in the Southeastern United area, we have a number of birds that appear black at some angles or in certain lighting. It’s pretty interesting that most of them look very different in direct sunlight than they do on a very overcast day. I’ve compiled a list of those that we have seen at our feeders in the past several years. We are hopeful that these images help you identify your mystery bird(s) and help further your knowledge of the birds in your backyard. What is that black bird on my bird feeder? One of the most common black birds you'll find on your feeder is the aptly named "Common Grackle" The Common Grackle is one of the most common black birds to visit bird feeders in the Southeastern United States (as well as the Northeast and Midwest.) It is a species which is native to the United States and parts of Canada. You will typically see Common Grackles more frequently in the Fall and Winter months, often arriving with huge flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, European Starlings and even Brown-headed Cowbirds. A Common Grackle poses for his photo on a makeshift bird feeder. What do Common Grackles prefer to eat? We've attracted Common Grackles (including the one photographed above, which we named "Gru") by offering a mixture of various seeds and protein options. We have provided C&S suet nuggets, but they seem to really enjoy peanuts and black-oil sunflower seeds that are included in the Special Feeder Mix from Cole's wild bird foods. A Common Grackle pauses between bites of his breakfast. The Common Grackle may appear black in certain lighting, but on cloudy days or in early morning light, many more colors will appear and it may surprise you how many shades of purple and blue that will appear. The Common Grackle is relatively the same size as an Eastern Blue Jay. When they are young, they appear brownish-grey and as they mature the contrast gets more intense. The adults not only have very dark feathers but the adults have bright yellow eyes with very contrasting black pupils. Grackles make some interesting sounds too, and we were lucky enough to capture a video of that here (below). Another really common black bird that you might find at your feeders or in your yard is the American Crow The American Crow prefers open-faced plates or platform feeders. We like to put suet nuggets and dried mealworms out for other bird species but luckily we only have a couple of Common Crows, as they are large and scare off a lot of the smaller birds just by being around. They are gentle though and are not aggressive to the smaller birds. Common Crows will however pillage an open nest for eggs or hatchlings in the Spring. Another great thing they will do for the bird feeding folks out there: Common Crows will gang up on birds of prey such as Hawks and Owls and chase them out of the area. They are also very vocal when predators are nearby like feral cats! An American Crow perched on our deck railing for a snack A fledgling American Crow already feeding itself at our dried mealworm plate. Crows can be seen as a nuisance in some circles, but we find them to be very timid, intelligent and playful. Around 4-5 years ago, we started seeing a pair of crows early in the morning and later in the afternoon. They would arrive cautiously, and one would keep watch high up in a nearby tree as the other flew down and quickly gobbled up some C&S Suet Nuggets . After a bit they would swap positions and the other would come down for a bite. Around 2 years ago they had one baby and now the 3 of them come visit us nearly every day. They are actually very quiet unless there is a predator nearby. Crows also make some hilarious sounds and there are countless videos out there on YouTube about Crows and their ability to use tools to access food, remove threats and more! Here is a quick video of an American Crow we captured in our yard, eating dried mealworms: An American Crow fledgling visits Birds of West Cobb for a fresh mealworm snack! Another native species and very common black bird you might find at your bird feeder is the Brown-headed Cowbird (Male pictured on right, female on left) The adult male Brown-headed Cowbirds appear black at a distance, and even up-close they appear largely black except for their namesake brown head! The male is quite a bit darker, the female is more of a brownish color throughout and, to us resembles a large female house finch except the color is smoother and there are much more subtle streaks on the breast. A male and female Brown-headed Cowbird perch together. In our experience the Brown-headed cowbird is a very quiet bird, which often moves in flocks of other mixed species like Common Grackles and European Starlings. The Cowbirds will typically arrive in late Fall or early Winter, and stay until early Spring. Brown-headed Cowbirds are native birds that get a pretty bad bit of publicity because they lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, forcing these unwilling hosts to raise these offspring as their own. These birds are known as Here is a video of a young female Brown-headed cowbird which may aid in your ability to identify this species. Our Least Favorite but most common black birds you might see at your bird feeder is the European Starling European Starlings are very common black birds for us to see in our yard and can often be seen as pests, especially around your bird feeders. They are noisy when arriving in groups, and they will hiss and snap at other birds. Additionally, the European Starling will not only nest in bluebird nest boxes but will seek out any sort of cavity, whether it's in a tree or a vent pipe for a house, or an empty porch column cavity. But, they will also find other birds nesting in these places and drive them out, even evicting them forcibly and destroying eggs or viciously attacking the parents. An adult male European Starling perches momentarily for a photo. Two Juvenile European Starlings wait for food from their parents, as a Grey Catbird looks on from behind them. Starlings have very impressive coloration and patterns on their feathers. People have raised them as pets (which is illegal for native bird species). They can mimic other bird calls and even automotive alarm sounds and more. This is possibly how they have continued to breed at a staggering rate and now exist in much of North America. European Starlings were literally brought over from (you might have guessed it) Europe, back in the 1890’s. It was a science experiment that went a bit sideways. Initially there were only 100 birds and it was expected that these wouldn't probably make it. Before long these birds formed massive flocks and were notorious for eating entire crops of grains. To this day, they are considered pests by many although you have to admit that they have very unique colors in the right lighting, and once you have seen up close it is hard to mistake them for other birds. They are noisy, and sometimes flocks will cover your feeders and often you will find them on the ground beneath your bird feeders in groups, walking erratically and moving a bit like chickens. If you feed Bluebirds and other birds as we do with dishes of dried mealworms, you may need to put these dishes away for a few days to get rid of these birds. Another common black bird species you'll find on your feeders is the Red-Winged Blackbird RWB's or Red-winged Blackbirds are beautiful black birds that can be commonly found on your bird feeders, or in flocks in your yard or on your lawn. The Male of the species is a very crisp, dark black with red, orange, or possibly yellow shoulders. These colors turn to a much more clearly defined red as the birds mature. The juveniles and the females look very different, with no black at all on their feathers in their bodies. See below for some examples! An adult male Red-winged Blackbird perches on a leafy branch. A group of Red-winged Blackbirds gather to eat black-oil sunflower seeds and peanuts in the Winter. Red-winged Blackbirds are considered songbirds and often arrive in flocks from 20 birds to well over 300. They move around in tight formations on the ground and can also cover the tops of multiple trees simultaneously. One chipmunk or Squirrel quickly moving across the yard can startle them and cause an incredible burst of flight (and sound of all the wings beating) as they vacate the area. The female looks very dull in comparison to the male red-winged blackbird. The male is mostly black and when they spread their wings you can see Red, Orange and or orange-yellow on the wings. It is truly a sight to behold when they all take off at the same time (not to mention the sound of it!) A pair of juvenile Red-Winged Blackbirds enjoy some Safflower Seeds in Marietta, Georgia Another black bird species that you'll see regularly at or near your bird feeder is the The Rufous-Sided Towhee, more often referred to as the “Eastern Towhee” The Eastern Towhee is a very common black bird to see on or near your bird feeders. They will occasionally land on a tube feeder or a platform-style feeder, but for the majority of the time they will be seen on the ground at the base of your feeder support pole, or in low-lying brush, shrubbery or even a crepe myrtle or privet grouping. While not totally black, there is a large amount on the head and chest as well as wings and tail to include this beneficial songbird in our list! An adult male Eastern Towhee landed on a plate full of safflower seeds A female Rufus-sided Towhee stands in the sunlight on our deck railing. The Towhees are quite beneficial in gardens. They can be heard whistling what sounds like “Tow–Heee” or as we prefer to call them “Toby”. On or near the ground they will be seen flipping leaves and looking for a variety of insects, grasshoppers, earthworms and more. The male appears black with “rufous” or a rusty orange color beneath the wings, with a white stomach and a bit of white on the tail and wings which can be seen more easily while in flight. The female is More of a muddy-brown color instead of black, but similar in other ways. The adults have Red eyes with black pupils. It’s super cool to see them up close, with those piercing red eyes. They enjoy eating C&S Suet Nuggets , or dried mealworms sprinkled on the ground in Winter, and many live insects found naturally in your yard. We also have another blog post written completely about the Eastern Towhee, you can find it here . The Rose-Breasted Grosbeak is another black colored bird that you can find on your feeders (seasonally) here in the Southeast United States . The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak has a large amount of black feathers, but the standout feature of this bird is the massive beak designed for cracking open large seeds. (Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak pictured on the right with female on the left.) A female (left) and male (right) Rose-breasted Grosbeak share a meal. An adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak shows off his crisp black, red and white colors. An adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak enjoys Suet Nuggets. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a larger songbird with a beak that resembles that of a finch or a cowbird. They are huge fans of safflower seeds or a mixture of safflower and hulled sunflower seeds. The female is the same size of course but looks completely different – she has lots of brown, splashes of white and streaks of brown on the belly in different shades. The juvenile male looks like a combination of the two birds, but clearly has more black and sometimes a touch of the rose-breast feathers can be seen also! Have you checked out the latest Birdfy Smart Bird Feeders? These things are really cool, and take high quality photos that can identify over 6,000 species worldwide and can send you text notifications about the new species that was detected / photographed at your feeders! How cool is this? Birdfy Smart Feeder on Amazon Top Bird Feed mentioned in this post: C&S Suet Nuggets (Peanut Butter Flavored) Dried Mealworms (10lb bag) Safflower Seed (10lb bag) Hulled Sunflower Seed (10lb bag) Cole's Special Feeder Mix (20lb bag) Thanks for reading our blog, we hope you found this information useful and we wish you happy birding! - Birds of West Cobb (Lisa & Dan)

We recently had an exciting snow day at Bird of West Cobb which is located in Marietta, Georgia. It became quite the backyard birding party for our feathered friends! Recently we had a Snow Day at Birds of West Cobb and all of our favorite backyard birds came out to play (and eat!) in the snow! We were well-stocked with Dried Mealworms, a heated bird bath, and suet cakes as well as bird seed mixtures, basically all of the top bird food options for birds in the Southeast United States. An adorable male Pine Warbler clings to a solar light fixture while searching for food in the snow The forecast is always questionable, and many people joke that it must be nice to have a job where you are wrong 90% of the time... like the weather forecasters. However, January is statistically the coldest month of the year for Georgia residents and it's been a few years since we've had snow that stuck around for more than an hour or two. Here in Marietta, it felt like it was time so we stocked up and planned on not leaving the house for a few days with the iced roads and the countless bird visitors coming to the yard for sustenance. A Brown Thrasher (Georgia's State Bird) discovered our dried mealworms in the snow The weather really made for some entertaining bird watching when snow turned to ice and the birds slide to the food instead of gracefully perching We woke up early and by around 7AM EST the yard was already turning white. It kept coming down for a few more hours and we had between 4 and 5 inches of fresh powdery snow, before the temperature rose slightly and it actually rained softly for a bit. This made the top of the snow turn into a slick crusty layer that was difficult for us to walk on, but I have to admit it was slightly fun to watch the birds coming in for a landing and sliding for several inches before stopping fully. Northern Cardinals and House Finches crowd the tube feeders during the snowfall Why is it important to feed wild birds when it snows? Many Wild birds rely on insects or native seeds and berries for either the majority of their diet or their complete diet. In the southern states where snow is pretty rare, many species of birds have already traveled hundreds, or even thousands of miles to get to a warmer place for Winter months, where they can usually find plenty of nourishment. When temperatures plummet and food gets scarce, it's already difficult enough for the birds to find enough food to survive. But when you think of 3-5" of fluffy white frozen powder on top of the insects, leaves, seeds and berries it just becomes that much more difficult. There are parts of Georgia that are pretty barren and full of trees and streams. But much of metro Atlanta has been turned into suburbia and thousands of new subdivisions have been built with few trees. Coupled with manicured lawns and pesticides (or herbicides) being applied regularly, the backyard birding people like you and us DO make a difference. Bella the Eastern Bluebird enjoys fresh dried mealworms during a snowstorm How much does a bird have to eat to survive in colder weather? According to All About Birds , the smaller the bird, the higher the percentage of their body weight they must consume each day just to make it in this type of weather! It is estimated that tiny birds like Carolina Chickadees, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Tufted Titmice, House Finches, Gold Finches and small Sparrows may have to consume as much as 35% of their body weight EACH DAY just to survive! How difficult that must be, when it's covered in snow or frozen in a layer of ice! Medium-sized birds like the American Robin, Eastern Blue Jays or Northern Cardinals may require around 20-25% of their weight in food each day. Cooper's Hawks and Crows are estimated between 12% (small hawks) and as little as 4% for the Crows. A handsome Carolina Wren emerges from a brush pile to snack on some fresh mealworms How much food should you put out for the birds when it's cold? I'm certain that Lisa refilled the feeders 4 times on our snow day, and the next few days as well, because we had so many visitors that rely on insects and flipping leaves over to find their next meal. When snow falls it becomes a lot more difficult to find food, as well as fresh water that isn't frozen solid. We saw everything from House Finches to Brown Thrashers, and even had a couple of pretty rare guests swing by for food or water; the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and the Cedar Waxwing! Not only are they pretty uncommon here, they are beautiful birds with tons of character AND style! A female White-Throated Sparrow forages in the snow and frozen leaves What is the best bird food for wild birds in the Winter? Birds require energy to keep warm, just like you or me. The best foods to provide wild backyard birds with this energy are the ones which are high in fat and protein. Avoid processed foods! Stick with raw seeds or nuts, dried or live mealworms and especially suet! For our top picks, scroll to the end and we'll share our favorite performing picks for Winter Bird Feed! A female American Robin perches in the snow and ruffles her feathers to keep warm, after eating 1/3 of her body weight in dried mealworms! Which birds will visit my birdfeeder when it snows? Over the course of the snow day and the following few days, we had visits from MANY of our favorites! Which is yours? This is the list of all of the wild bird species we spotted in just a few of those cold (and bright, white) snowy days! Of course, your results will vary based on the food you select! Tufted Titmouse Carolina Chickadee House Finch Chipping Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Carolina Wren American Goldfinch Purple Finch Northern Cardinal Eastern Blue Jay Northern Mockingbird Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Eastern Blue Bird Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Cedar Waxwing American Robin European Starling Brown-headed Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Ruby-crowned Kinglet Brown Thrasher Cooper's Hawk Common Crow A Common Crow (Crowzie) new where to visit for snacks in this frigid weather! We may have missed a few but you can certainly see that the list is pretty long! To keep driving this point home, and also because our readers may find this particularly interesting, many of these birds would not have visited us if we only provided bird seed alone, and on the flipside if we had suet or mealworms only, we would have missed many of the seed-eating favorites. If you are new to bird feeding (or bird watching) a great way to diversify, or see more variations of the bird species in your area, is to offer more options to the wild birds when it comes to the food sources. Some species only eat insects/spiders. Some will only eat seeds. Some birds are only predacious and will only choose on rodents or (gasp!), other birds. If we think of any other bird species we missed last week we will update them above! An adult female Northern Cardinal snatches a crisp fresh safflower seed in her beak As always, thanks for reading! -BOWC ( birdsofwestcobb ) Here are the top Winter Bird Feeding Products which you may have spotted in the photos above, (along with the birds of course): TOP WINTER BIRD FEED PICK 1 : C&S Suet Cakes (don't forget the recycled composite feeder!) TOP WINTER BIRD FEED PICK 2 : Crunchy, delicious Dried mealworms . Look, you don't have to take our word for it but you'll likely more than DOUBLE the number of birds visiting your feeders for this delicious birdie snack! TOP WINTER BIRD FEED PICK 3 : Cole's Special Feeder Mix far better than just seeds alone, you'll definitely see an increase in your feathered visitors with this seed and nut blend! TOP WINTER BIRD FEED PICK 4: Safflower Seed - this favorite of ours is great for songbirds, and is NOT a favorite among the neighborhood squirrels. They'll still eat it if food is scarce, but they'd much rather dig up your lawn trying to find that last acorn. TOP WINTER BIRD FEED PICK 5: C&S SUET NUGGETS (Peanut Flavored) TOP WINTER BIRD FEED PICK 6: Hulled Sunflower Seed (also known as the Sunflower "meat" only, or "shelled seed"). A Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker Enjoys C&S Suet Nuggets at Birds of West Cobb TOP HEATER FOR BIRD BATH: We've been using this small bird bath heater for the last 3 years and it works very well! TOP HEATED BIRD BATH: If we decide to get a new upgraded model we'll likely go with this 14" terracotta bird bath with integrated heater element.

In this blog, Introducing the Carolina Wren , we will share photographs and information about one of our favorite backyard birds: the Carolina Wren. These tiny brown birds are entertaining for sure, but sometimes you cannot help but laugh out loud with some of their silly poses and quirky behaviors! An adult Carolina Wren perched in the morning sunlight What makes Carolina Wrens so entertaining to watch? Carolina Wrens are some of our favorite birds here at Birds of West Cobb ! The tiny Carolina Wren seems like a little feathered ball of energy, quietly flitting in to a shrub or other dense foliage. Then, switching to "hop" mode and bouncing all over the place with it's little tail generally pointing upward. What does the Carolina Wren bird call sound like? Carolina Wrens sing a series of fun, cheery songs in the morning during Spring and Summer. All of them are SURPRISINGLY LOUD but we welcome them anyway. Their typical happy song sounds a lot like they are singing "CHEERIO, CHEERIO, CHEERIO, CHEERIO". They will usually be perched in a stationary position like a porch railing or a low-limb in a small tree like a Dogwood or Crepe Myrtle. They find a good spot in the sunshine and let this call out, sometimes for 10-minutes or more! On the flip-side, if you hear the alarm call of the Carolina Wren, it could be because either you are too close to their feeders or their nest, or another predator is nearby. Perhaps a Cooper's Hawk, a domestic cat, or even a snake that you haven't even noticed yet. Birds have fantastic eye sight and listening to them can even inform you about your surroundings! This alarm call sounds more like someone "rolling their R's". This will be a short, shrill call repeating many times until they feel the threat has passed! We like to think of it as natures “backyard warning system”. What do Carolina Wrens eat? Carolina wrens are extremely beneficial in the garden (one more reason to use as little pesticides as possible, if you needed another one) as they consume a TON of small garden-variety insects, spiders, caterpillars, and butterflies & moths, and we've even seen them perch in a location which allowed them to eat small ants on certain occasions. Additionally, they will also eat earthworms or larvae of insects if given the chance, for example if a sprinkler is running and earthworms all come to the surface, you may spot a Carolina Wren flying in for a quick bite to eat. What type of bird food will attract Carolina Wrens to my feeder? Carolina Wrens have a high-protein and high-fat diet, which they rely on to sustain their energy levels and all of their entertaining behaviors. So when they are not eating insects, spiders, caterpillars or worms, they'll be visiting well-stocked bird feeders that have Suet Cakes, Suet Nuggets, or mealworms. We'll add a few links at the bottom of the blog to help you order some of our favorite options for these. An adult Carolina Wren inspects my Nikon Camera while I interrupt his mealworm breakfast. Carolina Wrens built a nest in a glass vase on our porch When we first started feeding the local wildlife at our home, we had a small chair and table set on our covered front porch. On the top of the table, we had a small glass vase with some fake flowers in it. This vase and fake flowers had been here for several years and had never moved, aside from us washing the pollen off each spring. Often, we enter and exit our house through the garage so we didn't even notice when something had changed. So it was likely being ‘updated’ by our new tenant for a couple of days, maybe even a week before we noticed the modifications made by the Carolina Wren couple. An adult Carolina Wren sits on a plate of dried mealworms on a chilly Winter morning Mid-Spring that year we noticed that the glass vase suddenly had some pine straw sticking out of the top. Upon further inspection, we realized that birds had built a nest down inside this vase, between the fake flower stems! We were so lucky to have this table sitting directly in front of one of our windows so we could peer out between the blinds, from our living room and watch Wren E. Wren and Mrs. Wren E. Wren incubate and protect the eggs, and then later fly in and out constantly feeding the children over the next few weeks. One evening while the birds were away briefly, I counted 5 eggs in the nest. They were so small that it was incredible to think they would be bouncy, animated little birds in barely a month. This time they ended up with 3 happy healthy young Wrens. Close-up photo of a Carolina Wren which visits daily for his nutritional requirements (eating dried mealworms). When our Carolina Wrens first left the nest They grow up so fast! I was washing our cars in the driveway a few weeks later and looked around the corner toward the porch and noticed one small juvenile wren was on the deck floor, under the table! I was afraid that something happened to the nest at first and I wanted to help somehow. I heard the parents making their alarm call at this point and realized they were alarmed by me, being so close to their young. I took a step back and the fledgling flapped a few times and was mid-air in the blink of an eye. This little wren flew right past my face and landed on the roof rack on my car. A few minutes later the other two fledglings popped out of the top of the vase and followed suit. A Carolina Wren looks like an Angry Bird character while choosing the best dried mealworm from the plate. Where do Carolina Wrens typically build nests? Some birds are tree or branch nesters, and others are cavity nesters. Some birds even prefer ledges or platforms. However, Carolina Wrens fall into the cavity nesters category. While they will sometimes nest in a birdhouse, they seem to enjoy small spaces and more, let's call it "unique construction". We have seen them nest in a vase, a barbecue, the base of a patio heater, and even an old work boot that was left on our neighbor's porch for too ling. Naturally, they will nest sometimes in low-lying shrubbery, or brush piles. We have enough property that we keep a brush pile out there for them to nest in or forage in, and it has worked well over the years to keep the Carolina Wrens around. Carolina Wrens sound the alarm call In the video clip below, Wrenny Wren starts off with one of those shrill, alarm calls, but then switches to his happy "Cheerio cheerio cheerio call". Enjoy! A Carolina Wren with suet crumbs on top of his beak perches before flying down to the deck to look for bugs. In this video, we found that Wrens absolutely ADORE small terracotta plates for small plants, as long as a little bit of water has been added. Take a look as he takes a very long enjoyable bath, after digging around and flipping leaves all morning! What birds are similar to the Carolina Wren? This photo (below) shows a “Winter Wren”, which is a different species entirely from the Carolina Wren. The Winter Wren often can be seen during migration, or over the Winter-to-Early Spring period where they will generally be found in the Southern states. They are shaped and sized very closely to the Carolina Wren, however they are a different species and almost appear as if they were dirty or have mottled feathers like a fledgling Carolina Wren might have. A Winter Wren sings while perched on a branch How Many Wren Species are their in the North America? There are NINE species of Wren in North America. While they have similarities between them, they are all unique in their size, coloration, calls and esapecially their diet! While 9 species may seem like a lot, there are actually 88 species of Wrens worldwide! ( link to referencing material on wikipedia ). Carolina Wren's can be attracted to your feeder with the following Bird Feed Options C&S Suet Cakes and a Kingsyard Composite (recycled plastic) suet feeder C&S Suet Nuggets : these can be used in a plate or a platform feeder like this one Dried Mealworms : Note: we tested these and they came out way ahead of "black soldier fly larvae" which apparently have a different taste that our local birds do not enjoy. A Carolina Wren finds some dried mealworms we sprinkled in the fresh snowfall in Marietta, GA Jan 2025 Carolina Wren Bird House Here is a great option for a Carolina Wren Bird House Nest Box We selected this model because it has the Audubon stamp of approval and it has adequate ventilation. Many of the birdhouse options out there do not have enough airflow and this is very important for the safety of the parents and the young when they nest! Need more help identifying a Carolina Wren in your yard or at your feeder? These options are sure to help you identify that energetic bouncy brown ball of feathers in your yard (or on your feeder!) Peterson's Field Guide to Birds Smithsonian's Handbook: Birds of North America -- Eastern Region Thanks for reading our blog and watching our videos! -BOWC (Lisa & Dan)