[TN-Bird] seed cracking and not, plus seeking mealworm advice
- From: "Reese, Carol" <jreese5@xxxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:16:43 -0500
I've always found it curious that blue jays hold the sunflower seed with
their feet and peck it open. Seems it would be very difficult, and seems
those big beaks could crack the seed easily. Maybe just not dexterous
with the beaks!. Sometimes they just swallow the sunflower seed shell
and all.
By the way, I saw a blue jay one at the dog food bowls on the porch, so
I poured some of the small dry kibble out on a broad limb that runs
close to the ground - it makes a natural "table" for the birds - and
the blue jays went for it big time! Some they swallowed hole and other
pieces they flew with, to stash, maybe? Later in the day, I saw a brown
thrasher with a piece of the kibble on the ground. He (she?) was holding
the hard nugget with their claws, and pecked at it until it broke into
smaller pieces, which it then swallowed. Repeated this with another
nugget.
I purchased mealworms for the first time in my bird feeding life, and
the birds do not seem to recognize them as food. I bought both the live
and the freeze-dried. I tried feeding them to "my" mockingbirds. They
have been feeding heavily on some frozen apples that I'd stuck onto
sharp limbs, so I sprinkled the freeze dried mealworms onto the apples,
which had been slightly hollowed out by the feeding. Mockingbirds had no
interest. I put some live mealworms out there, but they were frozen in
short order, so I made a makeshift "double boiler" by setting a shallow
bowl atop a deeper bowl filled with hot water, so the mealworms stayed
warm and kept moving for a time. I put this apparatus atop my wooden
gate, near the mockingbird feeding area. Still, no action. I have
sprinkled a few more of the freeze dried in a variety of places in full
view of the birds, and they look untouched. Advice, anyone?
Carol Reese
Ornamental Horticulture Specialist -Western District
University of Tennessee Extension Service
605 Airways Blvd.
Jackson TN 38301
731 425 4767 email jreese5@xxxxxxx <mailto:jreese5@xxxxxxx>
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