It’s an exciting time, and despite the inconsistent weather we have been experiencing here in eastern Ontario, spring migration is underway and is actually slightly ahead of schedule. As we roll through the month of April, it’s a perfect time to set up nesting boxes or to get out and take the necessary steps to […]

Spring is in the air, keep an eye out for these tell-tale signs of courtship in your new avian arrivals. With the somewhat unseasonably warm weather upon us this month, there have already been a handful of reports denoting the return of some of our favourite spring and summer birds. As they return to their […]

The colourful wood duck is a beautiful sight to see, especially considering not too long ago these ducks were on the brink of extinction to due lack of habitat and over-hunting. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act is one of the driving factors behind the resurgence of this species of duck along with the increase of […]

Spring marks many things on the bird watchers calendar; the return of our migrant birds along with the courting, breeding and nesting season. Spring brings on the breeding season for most birds as they come together and fertilize eggs. Birds will initially enter a courtship period before finding their mate(s) and while they body parts […]

Much like anything that brings us a great deal of joy, some of us can easily overdo it when it comes to our backyard birds. From too much seed, to overcrowding bird houses and nesting boxes we all do our very best to give our birds what they need, especially come winter. But how much […]

With the snowflakes beginning to fly (already!), we as birders are beginning to move quickly into cold-weather mode. Despite the fact that year-round residents or short-distance migrant birds are “built” for winter, mortality rates can climb among winter bird species when the temperatures drop considerably. Birders have long kept this thought in mind and over […]

Just as we mentioned in our earlier post on how to properly clean out your bird houses this time of year, it is also an important time to have a good look at the condition of the entrance holes on your backyard bird houses as well. When you first purchased your bird house, you most […]

An important activity, but one that often gets forgotten is the proper maintenance and cleaning of your backyard bird houses. While this activity does not need to be done terribly often, it is highly recommended that we clean out our bird houses at least once a year, sometimes twice. The reasons are obvious, a clean […]