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Bluebird feeding - planting (Part 4)In addition to Messages that have appeared in the Bluebird Mailing Lists on this topic, the following are on the Audubon Society of Omaha website:
From: "The Petermans" kbpjsp"at"eatel.net I was thinking of planting a berry bush that would produce berries much of the year. Which kind would you suggest to attract bluebirds and to give them food during the winter? I live in Louisiana. Thanks, Kim From: "College Town" collegetown"at"I-55.co Hi. I asked the owner of the complex I live in and work at if it would be okay to put up some boxes. She said yes and is even willingly to pay for it. She is a bird lover also. I am going to get a couple of boxes and put them up plus I am going to have some berry bushes planted. I called Lowe's and they said they have Weeping Yapons and Burford (sp) Holly. Which do you recommend? She also said she had some rasberry and blackberry bushes on clearance. Any suggestions you have are welcomed. Thanks, Kim From: Simon Theresa"at"Bowecho.co Kim I think the elderberry is supposed to be the better food source. I read somewhere that the bluebirds don't migrate as much as they used to in cold weather, because of elderberries.. don't know about it, but I planted them, and some bayberries and blueberry bushes too. If they are on clearance, I would buy them.. of course, that's always my motto - "buy plants on clearance... " -theresa (SW Michigan... greenish thumb) From: "Susan C. Hubbard" s.c.hubbard"at"worldnet.att.net I planted two northern bayberry (Myrica pennsylvanica) shrubs a couple of years ago in hope of providing winter food for my bluebirds. One had to be removed when my new air conditioner was installed, so I have one left. It is aproaching 5 feet tall and 3 or 4 feet wide, but hasen't ever produced any berries... (smaller bushes at a local shopping area have berries...) I read once that bayberries require male and female plants to produce berries. However, I only saw that in one place (and I think that was on-line somewhere). I have several gardening books, and none of the books mention that bayberries come in male and female. The tags on the bushes didn't specify male or female. It looked to me like I had both pollen structures and another type (presumably containing the ova) of structure on my bayberry bush this spring. They all dried up and fell off. Last year, both bushes had the same result. Does anybody know: -if bayberries have male and female bushes? Thanks, From: Simon Theresa"at"Bowecho.co Looks like you need a male and a female. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1059.html as for how to tell which is which, I dunno. I have lots of bayberry bushes, but they are little, and no berries yet. If you haven't figured this out in a few years, let me know, and I might know better. ;-\ -theresa-in-michigan From: "Fread J" firefrost2"at"hotmail.co Dear Susan, A true chameleon of the plant world, M. pensylvanica can be both deciduous or evergreen! During severe winters, many of the plants will lose their leaves. With some cultivars, this is a common occurrence each winter. On top of all this confusion in the plant world, Myrica cerifera, commonly known as the "Wax Myrtle" is often substituted for M. pensylvanica! So, don't feel alone in your confusion.....smile! M. pensylvanica is a native of the Northern maritime forests and can be grown successfully down to and including horticulture Zone 6. Further south, M. cerifera should be grown in its place. M. pensylvanica (Northern Bayberry) is not grown for its flower display which is insignificant at best. It is grown for its mostly evergreen beauty and its fine winter interests on fruiting female plants. The berries come in small clusters, grayish-white in color, in mid-summer and often persist well into the winter landscape.The fruits are covered with an aromatic, waxy substance which is used to make bayberry candles, soaps and sealing wax. Fruits are attractive to birds. Properly known as a semi-evergreen shrub, Bayberry typically grows to 5' to 6' in height and can reach a spread of up to 10'. It has an upright, spreading branching habit with an irregular shape. It is a multi-stemmed shrub that is colony-forming. We plant lovers like to say that it "fills in nicely" which interpreted, means that it suckers badly! Its dark green leathery leaves when crushed are very aromatic. Some plants will show some bronzing in the fall, but there is really no fall coloring of the shrub. Male flowers are simply green to yellow-green catkins while the female flowers are borne singly and without sepals or petals. This can be an identifying mark for you to watch for in your single plant to determine its sex. Bayberry has the interesting ability to set nitrogen from the air and thus, can be grown on dry, infertile soils in full sun to partial shade. It does have a distinct preference for acidic soils and will develop chlorosis (leaves turning yellow) if the pH (alkalinity or acidity) of the soil is incorrect. Being native to maritime forests, it is tolerant of salt spray, thus it can be chosen for roadside plantings. I hope that this covers your questions sufficiently. Should you have trouble locating a specialty nursery, please allow me to help you find one. If you have further need of my assistance, do feel free to contact me. Fread J. Loane From: "Fread J" firefrost2"at"hotmail.co Many of us on this list clearly recall a childhood rhyme of "Leaves three, Let it be!" This was a simple yet effective reminder that the plant called "Poison Ivy" can cause much misery. As we continue to monitor our trails and nest boxes, it is prudent to watch out for this member of the Cashew (Anacardiaceae) family. The common name, 'Poison Ivy', is a misnomer for it is neither poison nor an
ivy. Its botanical name of Toxicodendron radicans clearly spells out the With the exception of four states: Hawaii, Nevada, California, and Alaska, Poison Ivy can be found throughout its range in the United States below elevations of 5,000 feet. It seems to follow civilization quickly colonizing disturbed lands, having a distinct preference for old road beds, cut banks, and fence rows. Generally shunning dense forests, it is found along edge habitat such as woodland borders and clearings, areas where we are most likely to place nest boxes for cavity nesting species. Poison ivy is a long-lived, vigorous, ropelike, hairy vine that can grow as a creeper or a medium shrub. The vines can grow 75 feet long and 6 or 7 inches thick. The hairs on the vines are aerial roots that look like reddish brown fuzz on new growth, but darken with age. An old vine can look like a fuzzy rope. These hairs have an adhesive that binds the vine to whatever it climbs on. Unlike many vines, Poison Ivy doesn't spiral but grows straight up, favoring the grooves in rough bark. It has an extensive root system that grows just below ground level. Strictly speaking, the plant is actually not three-leaved. Its leaves are compound, consisting of three leaflets to each leaf. Each leaf is attached to the stem of the plant with a long petiole (leaf stem). The leaves grow up the stems alternately, rather than paired. Whitish flowers appear during May and June. The flowers are on slender stems that grow from the angles between the leaves and woody twigs. These flowers yield tiny, berrylike drupes (stone fruit like cherries or peaches). In the winter the plant becomes leafless and dormant. Found in the tiny subsurface duct glands of Poison Ivy are resinous oils called urushiol. These oils are found in the plant's stems, roots, leaves, flowers, and fruit year round, and can cause a reaction even when the plants are dormant or a long time after the plant is dead. Urushiol is insoluble in water, resists drying, and stores very well. To get a rash (an allergy attack) you must touch the oil, which usually requires bruising the plant. Many humans (75-80%) are potentially allergic to these oils. The only sure remedy is to recognize and avoid the plants. For those who are allergic to the plant, its benefits are often overlooked. Poison ivy is an early colonizer, often taking hold in the scars we leave and beginning the slow process of rebuilding the landscape. The plant requires very little nourishment or moisture (less than 10 inches yearly). It is virtually pest free, the roots provide erosion control, and it attracts and sustains wildlife. In my area of NE Oklahoma, it is one of the very first plants to show fall color, a brilliant scarlet! Though no poison ivy occurs in England, it was imported for its fall color. It was subsequently introduced into Australia and New Zealand where the plants act as a garden backdrop. Perhaps they also help keep the local dermatologist in business. Nature provides a remedy if you can identify Impatiens capensis or "Jewelweed." Fortunately, this plant can often be found in similar habitat of Poison Ivy. I stress the point that it must be used as soon as possible after contacting Poison Ivy! Simply smash the succulent stems into your palm and then wipe the exposed areas with the liquefied poultice. I. capensis is a tall, branching, succulent plant with somewhat translucent stems up to five feet in height. Its leaves are thin, ovate to oval in shape, generally with toothed edges and of a noticeable light green color. The slipper-shaped, yellow flowers, in bloom from July to September, have long recurved orange-yellow tails. The two "lips" at the front of the flower are crowded with dark orange spots, hence its common name of "Spotted-touch-me-not". True to its familie's's unusual characteristics of having exploding seed capsules, I. capensis will violently release its seed with amazing force under the slightest disturbance. Jewelweed seed capsules hold the seeds under tension, and they split and coil when triggered by the wind or by a touch (hence the name 'touch- me-not"), sending the seeds catapulting up to four feet away. From: "Fread J" firefrost2"at"hotmail.co I get in the mood to post something interesting that could be valuable to the list, then after posting, I worry that I should have posted a disclaimer! LOL No two people have the same body chemistry and an adverse reaction is certainly a possibility when applying any medicinal plant to the skin. So do test your susceptibility to a bodily reaction with Impatiens capensis (AKA Jewelweed) before smearing it all over you.....! If this happens, the curative becomes part of the problem, and a mild case of a poison ivy might be accelerated into a full blown “blistering hell” with the application of jewelweed. So test your bodily reaction to jewelweed before applying it to any dermatitis. Plantain (Plantago sap.) is a very common yard weed that is also an effective curative for a poison ivy rash. Its effectiveness is derived from two remarkable abilities. One is that the juice in its leaves and seeds shrink tissue; the other is that it neutralizes poisons. Unlike jewelweed, it is not native to the United States. But, a few different varieties of plantains have naturalized themselves to North America, which has made it more abundant and easier to find than jewelweed. This is another plant you can throw into the salad and eat. One of the best ways to externally apply plantain is to mash the fresh leaves into a small ball and use a wrapping to secure them to an itchy area or any insect bites or sting. You will find that it takes the itch or the string out almost immediately. The longer the plantain compress is left on poison ivy irritation, the better the long-term results. Bug bites and stings are healed more readily. So unless you are allergic to the venom of your insect attacker, the compress can be removed once the pain or itch subsides. It is amazing that such a powerful healing plant is so close to our fingertips. For some people, jewelweed is a more effective curative for poison ivy, and in others, plantain. Most people do not know which plant will do a better job for them. So it’s best to gather both types of plants and combine them together in a crushed up mixture, or preserve them in a tincture. This is accomplished by filling up any size container half way with at least 80% proof white whiskey, and then adding whole jewelweed and plantain plants to fill up the rest of the container. Shake up the mixture every couple of days until it is mixed well. This tincture will last indefinitely. Another way is to crush the plants in a mortar and pestle, add them to at least an equal amount of water,gently bring the mixture to a boil, turn off the heat and steep them for 12 hours, freeze the strained mixture into an ice cube tray, and then you have access to the cubes when needed. I encourage all members to become more aware of the plants around them as
they tend their nest boxes and on their trails. An observant eye and an Fread J. Loane Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2002 10:55:18 -0400 We used to cut down all the poison ivy but read that birds eat the seeds, especially woodpeckers. We have several pileated woodpeckers who seem to eat the berries. Patty in WV "Dottie, Hickory Hollow, Brown County, Indiana" Dottie, Hickory Hollow From: "Fread J" firefrost2"at"hotmail.com I get in the mood to post something interesting that could be valuable to the list, then after posting, I worry that I should have posted a disclaimer! LOL No two people have the same body chemistry and an adverse reaction is certainly a possibility when applying any medicinal plant to the skin. So do test your susceptibility to a bodily reaction with Impatiens capensis (AKA Jewelweed) before smearing it all over you.....! If this happens, the curative becomes part of the problem, and a mild case of a poison ivy might be accelerated into a full blown “blistering hell” with the application of jewelweed. So test your bodily reaction to jewelweed before applying it to any dermatitis. Plantain (Plantago sap.) is a very common yard weed that is also an effective curative for a poison ivy rash. Its effectiveness is derived from two remarkable abilities. One is that the juice in its leaves and seeds shrink tissue; the other is that it neutralizes poisons. Unlike jewelweed, it is not native to the United States. But, a few different varieties of plantains have naturalized themselves to North America, which has made it more abundant and easier to find than jewelweed. This is another plant you can throw into the salad and eat. One of the best ways to externally apply plantain is to mash the fresh leaves into a small ball and use a wrapping to secure them to an itchy area or any insect bites or sting. You will find that it takes the itch or the string out almost immediately. The longer the plantain compress is left on poison ivy irritation, the better the long-term results. Bug bites and stings are healed more readily. So unless you are allergic to the venom of your insect attacker, the compress can be removed once the pain or itch subsides. It is amazing that such a powerful healing plant is so close to our fingertips. For some people, jewelweed is a more effective curative for poison ivy, and in others, plantain. Most people do not know which plant will do a better job for them. So it’s best to gather both types of plants and combine them together in a crushed up mixture, or preserve them in a tincture. This is accomplished by filling up any size container half way with at least 80% proof white whiskey, and then adding whole jewelweed and plantain plants to fill up the rest of the container. Shake up the mixture every couple of days until it is mixed well. This tincture will last indefinitely. Another way is to crush the plants in a mortar and pestle, add them to at least an equal amount of water,gently bring the mixture to a boil, turn off the heat and steep them for 12 hours, freeze the strained mixture into an ice cube tray, and then you have access to the cubes when needed. I encourage all members to become more aware of the plants around them as
they tend their nest boxes and on their trails. An observant eye and an Fread J. Loane From: "Anne-Marie Palermino" ampalermino"at"msn.com I would like to plant a dogwood in my yard. I was told by a nursery that the native dogwood is predisposed to diseases (powdery mildew and cankers). However, the oriental cultivars such as Kousa dogwood are much more resistant. Do you know, if bluebirds like the berries of the Kousa dogwood as well? Thanks Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 19:18:59 -0700 (pdt) From: Susan Hutson shutson"at"iopener.net Subject: 1st year successes Hello, I am new to this group and have been reading so many interesting past posts all afternoon. This year when 5 western bluebirds appeared in our rural Santa Monica Mountain home in Southern California, we put up 3 houses about 100 fet apart, and one pair quickly took over the old, rather beat up one. In past years the house wrens had always taken over all the boxes, even though we provided them with their own. We purchased mealworms, and by the time they had nestlings, Momma Bluebird was eating from my hand, and would sometimes sit for several seconds while trying to position 3 wormies in her beak, and did not mind if I rubbed her tummy. We found a 2nd male dead in the road one afternoon, and a short time later a lone female was examining all the holes in a sycamore tree right outside our door. We moved one of the unused boxes to this tree and she took to it immediately. A few weeks later, we realized she was nesting on her own and were surprised to find 3 eggs. She remained wary of us, but took mealworms from the ground. After her young hatched, she often fought with the mated mom when she was within 100 feet of her nest. The original pair renested almost immediately (in our neighbor's tree, not an empty box) after their 3 young fledged, and when we returned from a 5 day vacation (we left them a few hundred wormies), these 3 young had fledged. Sadly, something happened to their sweet mommy, but daddy is still with all 6 youngsters and yes, we saw the young from the first batch helping to feed the 2nd. We have cut back to only feeding them once each early morning and late afternoon. Is it terrible to have them feed out of my hand? Only 3 of the 8 or 9 that come will do so, and they will not come near strangers on our property. And last weekend when they came to feed, they suddenly flew a little higher and became a little more excited, so I looked around and realized I was standing about 6 feet from a well camaflouged rattlesnake! I carried him VERY far away (I use a pitchfork to scoup them into a trash can with a tight lid) and then gave them extra food for their good work! The titmice, crows and wrens have also alerted me to rattlers in the past, while I have seen a brown towhee feeding obliviously within striking distance. What type of berries can I provide if they stay through the winter? Do they eat pyracantha or suet? Thank you everyone for all your information and hard work! Susan Hutson in Agoura Ca From: "BowEchoDogs" Simon"at"BowEcho.com I have a row of bushes in my pasture that I would like to identify. They have berries, so I think they might be BlueBird food. The plants are now about 6' tall.. they seem to have come up in the spring. They started out with flat green leaves on reddish stalks, so I thought they were rhubarb. Now they have bunches of small, dark purple berries in bunches that look like grape bunches. Do you know what these are? Thanks, Theresa"at"BowEcho.com From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.co Sort of sounds like Poke Weed. (Poke Salet) From: "BowEchoDogs" Simon"at"BowEcho.co Evelyn Theresa"at"BowEcho.com Date: Fri, 27 Sep 2002 19:22:37 -0400 Sounds like pokeweed (sometimes known as inkberry). They are a favorite food among bluebirds this time of year. I cut sections of it in fields and take it home (be careful, the berries stain!) and hang in a shepherd's crook for the blues. Love to watch them hover and get as many berries at once as possible. Pam in Harford County, MD From: "BowEchoDogs" Simon"at"BowEcho.com ok.. Thanks, Theresa"at"BowEcho.com From: "Bill Darnell" bdarnel3"at"bellsouth.net Poke weed, and Poke Berries. Just about any bird eats them. Bill TN Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 09:27:04 -0400 And finally, pokeweed roots are an amazing antibiotic but need to be tinctured and used in VERY small quantities (as in a few drops at a time). But most important, those roots are huge, so it might be too late to chop it back and kill it without digging up the roots. I am finally getting a few pokeweeds to grow in my yard - from seed dispersal - and am thrilled. They are one of my all time favorite plants. I love the idea of cutting the plants back from the wild and bringing them to
my yard - that was a great idea - thanks! :-) H From: "Jacque Turner" turner"at"texasisp.com From: "Bill Darnell" bdarnel3"at"bellsouth.net From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com ... From: "carol fitzpatrick" gdfitzmich"at"msn.com From: "BowEchoDogs" Simon"at"BowEcho.com Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 13:16:15 -0700 (PDT) Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 17:58:37 -0400 Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2002 18:08:56 -0400 From: "Keith & Sandy Kridler" kridler"at"1starnet.com Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant, Texas Bluebirds are in these trees eating berries/drupes nearly everytime I drive by. Hordes of Starlings are beginning to strip them. Robins, Mockingbirds, downy and red bellied woodpeckers, bluebirds and starlings were there when I came by just now....There was not one bird in any of the other trees or fruiting bushes on the other four blocks. There are 20 large Bradford pear trees on my street alone....I have heard that the fruits from these tallow trees are "worthless" but never have I seen an actual analysis done on them....There has GOT to be something being converted RIGHT NOW in the fruits of this tree or all of these birds would be across the street eating other berries. Yesterday I watched a mockingbird eat 14 berries in 4 minutes from an Ilex Deciduii (deciduous holly) this puffed out the birds crop very visibly. I have two of these large shrubs in the back yard with about 1,000 berries left. It would be interesting to see how many fruits or wild berries are still left in your area. Remember to watch for flocks of feeding starlings as they tend to feed on exactly the same fruits and berries that bluebirds and these other mentioned birds need. Different trees and bushes of the same species ripen their fruits at different times so a bush or tree might be left alone while the one next to it is stripped....KK From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.com One of our members, Dr. Jay Huner, works near the Atchafalaya Basin in South Louisiana. He tells me that the Tallow Trees there is the favorite among so many birds and the Bluebirds feast on it. It is a pretty invasive tree. The fact that thousands of birds, (Bluebirds too) over-winter in the Basin, at least the Tallow Tree serves its purpose there. I think the Bluebirds here are spoiled to the raisins. There are Holly berries only a few ft. from the feeder, but they always come looking for the raisins. I know Pauline is still shaking over her incident with catching the Bluebird in the Sparrow trap, but since it all turned out o.k., I could not help but smile that this Lady from Texas has tried SO long to get Bluebirds and she actually got one in her hand! Evelyn Cooper From: "PTom" ptom"at"austin.rr.com Evidence is overwhelming that tallow are destroying wildlife habitat at a dramatic rate and it is being spread by our beloved birds. We live in a world that's bigger than our corner. What we do has an impact on others. It bothers me that some are allowing the spread of Chinese Tallow (and not joining in the fight against the spread) because bluebirds & other fruit-eaters eat the fruit. Conservationists in areas where the tree is spreading are giving blood, sweat, tears, weekends and money to remove the tree. It seems we have tunnel-vision. Yes, in the fall, tallow fruits get fleshy, tasty, and useful to many birds, The caloric value (Kcal/g) of tallow fruit (waxy coating) is 2-4X greater than southern native fruits, including wax myrtle." But the food value is "nil" in spring/summer when the fruit is more unusual but "rock hard". According to Dr. Wylie Barrow, an expert on birds and the spread of tallow Chinese Tallow, the list of birds known to consume tallow fruits is now at 38 species (his list). To his knowledge, the only other species that comes close to attracting as many dispersers is Hackberry and based on exhaustive literature review and field work Hackberry stands at 27 known avian consumers. Tallow may attract more bird species than any tree in [North America]? It is this dispersal syndrome that is responsible, in large part, for its invasiveness. The problem? Tallow leaves do not attract the insect fauna used by our insectivorous birds, especially spring migrants on the coast - for instance, those warblers that summer to our north. The migrant birds have just flown across the Gulf of Mexico and stop on the coast to replenishing fat reserves for several days before continuing their northward migration. These birds cannot survive without the availability of insects. (Even bluebirds are primarily insect eaters most of the year.) Lepidopteran larvae (caterpillars of moths and butterflies) are not found in Chinese Tallow - it's an insect resistant tree. The caterpillars are one of the most important food items for migrants during spring migration. (Bluebirds eat them, too.) The tallow is EXTREMELY invasive. It was brought to Texas through Tea's nursery in Houston (as part of a government project to find a relacement for whale oil) and quickly spread. Since 1970 tallow woodland has increased from 50 to 30,000 acres in Galveston County alone. A similar trend exists for all counties and parishes within the Chenier Plain. Because the non-native tallow grows taller and faster than natives and dispersed so quickly over such large areas by birds, it smothers out native flora and fauna. Native wildlife (not just birds) do not have their food sources. There's a balance in nature. Chinese Tallow trees throw the balance out of kilter. We would be up in arms if a squirrel group promoted a similar alien tree that produced nuts that the squirells ate while smothering trees with fruits and insects. As focused as we are on bluebirds, there's value in participating in conservation issues beyond bluebirds ... and particularly in not playing a part in the decline of other species. If we'll pull together and pull tallow seedlings (with all root stock), we'll participate in a safe way to control tallow. It's impossible to yank up sapling-sized tallows or anything larger. Pauline Tom From: "emcooper" emcooper"at"bayou.c Dr. Jay Huner and Dr. Wylie Barrow will be the first to tell you that many folks in La. do not like the Tallow Tree!!! It would be nice if it could be contained just in the Basin for the birds, but I am afraid it is not that way. My husband calls it a plague. :)) Evelyn From: "Gary Springer" springer"at"alltel.net Gary Springer Carnesville, GA If there is a shortage of insects for insect eating birds, look for the reason in the billions of pounds of insecticides being sprayed to protect crops, shrubs, lawns, gulf courses, trees, orchards, oh yes, and for killing mosquitoes and growing bird seed to be fed during the summer when they don't need them in the least. We are being set up for believing that the birds, butterflies and other species are disappearing because of exotic plants when it is pesticides and pollution that will be the culprit if we let things keep going the way they are. We are even adding to the problem at our back yard bird feeders because the birding industry, far more concerned about profits than anything else, is advocating feeding bird seed to birds all summer long, thus increasing the amount of insects on your neighbors plants, the amount of insecticide he needs, and, increasing by tons the amount of insecticides sprayed on sunflower crops. But, I for one do not believe there is a shortage of insects for birds, especially bluebirds, unless the weather is too cold. And, it is exactly because the weather is too cold for insects to be active that causes so many birds to rely upon berries during the winter months. When the temperatures increase there will be plenty of insects and consumption of berries drops. Paulownia was accused of being insect tolerant by a biologist a couple weeks ago when in fact its leaves are typically full of holes from being eaten by insects. The same biologist wrote that insects eating the leaves controlled the expansion of indigenous plants. Any one looking closely at indigenous plants knows that rarely is a plant contained by a trimming of its leaves by insects. So, am I now to believe that this Chinese Tallow tree is insect free? Does it have blossoms? Do the blossoms have nectar? Do insects consume the nectar? If not, how does it produce berries without pollination? Even if this tree is somehow insect free, the birds will soon know there are no insects in these trees and hunt for insects in other tree species. Now, tell me there are stretches of these trees for dozens of miles where no other plants exist. I remind you that migrating birds can cover ten miles in what? 4 minutes? I've finally found common grounds with conservatives. There is a lot of bunk coming out of universities. Gary Springer From: "Gary Springer" springer"at"alltel.net Gary Springer Carnesville, Georgia A little more on this topic; First, I'm still waiting for this list of "fruit eating birds" and "insect eating birds" More importantly, because the so called "fruit eating birds" are just as likely to eat insects as the so called "insect eating birds", when "fruit eating birds" eat the fruit of the Chinese Tallow trees, that reduces the competition for insects so there will be more insects for the "insect eating birds". Gary Springer PS I will add no more to this thread regardless of who defends the sale of bird seed for summer bird feeding. Fewer seeds are eaten by birds at feeders during the summer but if there were no seeds in feeders during the summer, the birds would eat even more insects. So, not only would there be less insects on your neighbors shrubs, trees, and in his lawn, but also, bird seed producers could curtail the number of tons of insecticides they are throwing into the environment to produce seed so we can watch the pretty birds up close. The fact that you enjoy the birds coming to feeders in summer is not relevant in the discussion of whether or not summer feeding of bird seed is beneficial to the ecology.. It's a bad excuse that it is ok to do something not good for the environment because it increases peoples awareness of it. At what point will we begin to advocate contributing to protection of habitat from saws, bulldozers, and pavers instead of spending money on summer bird seed feeding for short term enjoyment with negative ecological consequences? Most of us are spending hundreds of dollars for bird seed, bird houses and bird feeders that are here today and gone tomorrow. Yes, some of our investment on these things for short term enjoyment helps. But, I'd like to see at least half of our budget for helping birds go to conservation organizations like the Sierra Club and others who are doing something to protect land indefinitely and which will help many more birds long after we're gone. Or, even better, get a survey done of part of your property that has a few trees and good bird habitat and create a conservation easement on it so long after you're gone the birds will continue to use the small wildlife preserve you created. If you do this, you may even put money in your pocket by getting a tax deduction on Schedule A of your 1040. If any of you would like to know more about this, write me off list. Gary Springer From: "PTom" ptom"at"austin.rr.com Gary, FROM JEFF MUNDY, AUDUBON HOUSTON Tallow cutting in High Island (Galveston, where migrants arrive) reveals that tallows are growing 1" in girth per year, thereby achieving a 18" in girth in less than 20 years. They then shade out the other competing plants. Worse yet, tallows are members of the milkweed family of plants which produce significant toxins known as alkyloids which are toxic to other plants and to most insects. Thus, tallows rarely host significant insect populations which provide an important food source for birds including bluebirds. Tallows are claiming coastal prairies about as fast as manmade habitat destruction, including habitat which would otherwise be suitable for bluebirds. If tallows are left unchecked in an area on the coast, they will become a virtual monoculture within a few decades. The tallow forests I have checked are nearly devoid of birdlife (or anything else for that matter). The problem is very similar to the problems faced in the South with kudzu vine which are destroying habitat at a tremendous clip. END QUOTE PTom From: "Gary Springer" springer"at"alltel.net Gary Springer Carnesville, Georgia Hi Pauline, Thanks for sharing with us the reports of the Chinese Tallow Tree.. Note that I am from Georgia where Kudzu does exceedingly well. Kudzu is one of the most invasive of exotic plants. And, many horror stories, similar to those you've shared with us about Chinese Tallow, have been written about the huge threat Kudzu poses.. Kudzu will climb over top of and choke out oak trees that are hundreds of years old. I have heard reports it can grow two feet per day and people here joke that windows should be closed at night to keep it out of the house. I've seen expanses of land of many acres where there is nothing but a blanket of Kudzu over now dead trees and even buildings. It is estimated that kudzu covers seven million acres of land in the Southeast and it didn't get its start in America until after the Chinese Tallow tree had been intentionally propagated on a grand scale in the US for 100 years... But the impact of Kudzu in the scheme of things is nil. Its effect on the environment is nothing compared to the impact of man. Most of the land mass in Georgia has not a sprig of Kudzu on it. It is mostly confined to waste areas along highways and industrial sites.. I have never seen Chinese Tallow and I have no idea whether or not Galveston County has any natural undisturbed habitat which can be threatened.. But, I see that this tree was not introduced in 1970 but in the late 1700's as per the following: "History of Introduction: Chinese tallow tree was introduced in the late 1700s for vegetable tallow production from the waxy seed coating, possibly as an alternative to expensive whale blubber for lighting fuel and candle tallow. In the early 1900s extensive plantations were established along the Gulf Coastal Plain in support of a soap making industry based on the vegetable tallow. The kernels also produce a drying oil, Stillingia oil, which can be used in machine oils, lighting fuels, and varnishes and paints. The species later became popular for its brilliant fall foliage and quick shade, and was planted extensively across the Gulf coastal plain in suburban housing developments. Chinese tallow tree continues to be sold in the commercial nursery trade and is recommended for its fast growth and fall color." It is interesting or puzzling that despite its 200 year history in Galveston County that it covered only 50 acres in 1970 and that in the last 30 years its area of coverage had grown to 30,000 acres. What happened? Is this plant like so many other invasive species that are most successful after man has disturbed the natural habitat?. I wish I knew more about this plant but, although I live in Georgia which is certainly in the Southeastern US where this plant is supposed to be everywhere, I have never even seen it. It is possible it has a negative impact on native habitats in some areas, especially coastal regions, but because it has been widely spread for more than two hundred years and because so often today the impact of exotic species is blown out of proportion such as kudzu and house sparrows, I am skeptical that it is as bad as the reports you shared make it sound. If it were that bad, I'd call in the national guard before it takes over the rest of Galveston County. :) Gary Springer From: "Dick Stauffer" sapl1"at"telusplanet.net Hi y'all Note: Friend has heated birdbath and saw male bluebird in bath on one of the cold days. Normally female bluebird arrive here in the middle of April. Thanking you all in advance Dick Stauffer From: hubertrap"at"webtv.net (Joe Huber) Hi Dick and all, Yes bluebirds eat rose hips during winter. In Ohio after i learned this i cut stems of multiflora rose hips to feed them. when you found the seeds in a nest box it could be because they roosted overnight in the box this winter. Yes i know you think its to cold up where you are for bluebirds to overwinter but i've heard evidence of them being in almost all their summer locations during winter time. check out my web page below on roosting bluebirds. They spent every winter in central ohio fro 1969 up to 1994 when i left there, and i assume they still are. Best wishes, joe huber, venice, FL. Charter member NABS, Charter member OBS, Life member OBS Joe Huber... From: Bet Zimmerman, ezdz"at"charter.net I was reading through the Best of Bluebird_L Classifieds on plantings, and decided to put up a webpage with a comprehensive listing of plants that produce berries that bluebirds will eat. I went through the postings and my books (including my Bluebird Bible - The Monitors Guide) and pulled a list together. See http://www.sialis.org/plants.htm However, I'm skeptical about some of the listings I saw in books, and wondered if they might be myths that just get perpetuated over and over. I'm looking for confirmation that people have actually SEEN bluebirds eating these berries. The ones that seem confirmed from postings and the Monitor's Guide are flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, american holly, foster holly small wild grapes, chinaberry, sumac (just staghorn? Or also smooth and dwarf too?), pokeweed and mistletoe. The others are up in the air...Sure would appreciate people with experience letting me know if they've actually seen the other plants listed being eaten. Bet from CT PS I didn't want to start another hullaballou (sp?) on invasives, but I noticed 7 invasive plants listed in books/the web: Autumn Olive, Chinese Tallow, Common Privet, English Ivy, Japanese Honeysuckle, Multiflora Rose, Porcelain Berry, Russian Olive, and Oriental/Asiatic Bittersweet. (I have a horticulture background and will fight to the death on this topic, so don't get me started :-) From: Pamela Ford, jpford"at"comcast.net I've actually witnessed bluebirds eating wild dogwood berries and pokeweed berries. In fact, pokeweed berries seem to be a significant part of the fall diet in this area. The resulting purple droppings sure do "paint" the house siding! :) The dogwood berries don't seem to last as long or be as abundant. Pam in Harford County, Maryland From: Evelyn Cooper, emcooper"at"bayou.com I know for sure Bluebirds eat Tallow Seeds in the Atchafalaya Basin. They are the fourth most consuming of birds studied. However, I hope the Tallow trees stay in the Basin. Evelyn Cooper Delhi, LA ... From: Susan C. Hubbard, s.c.hubbard"at"worldnet.att.net I have American Bittersweet in my yard, and there is about an inch of, um, "processed" bittersweet berries in my bluebirds' favorite box (along with one blue feather). I haven't actually seen them at the bush (it's hidden behind some trees) but I have seen the whole flock (6) take off for that part of the yard together. Also, chalk up another vote for pokeweed. They stripped the bush before Thanksgiving this year. Sue Hubbard Williamson, NY From: Dottie, Hickory Hollow, Brown County, Indiana, yumyumkatts"at"voyager.net I planted holly bushes for the bluebirds and have actually seen a flock of bluebirds demolish all the berries on two bushes in February a couple of years ago. My hollies are missing their berries now so I suspect they have eaten them again. I also planted three choke berry bushes this year for the bluebirds but haven't had time lately to see if they are missing their berries now. I know they love raisins as a flock of BB's have come to my feeder tray to get them. I didn't cut them up either. Dottie, Hickory Hollow Brown County, Indiana ... From: Evelyn Cooper, emcooper"at"bayou.com I can vouch that they love the raisins. I have some Holly bushes loaded with berries about 20 feet from the feeder, and they have not eaten them yet. They always come to get the raisins. Dottie, I spoil my Bluebirds, I stew the raisins and chop them in the winter. (maybe that is why they are ignoring the berries!!) In spring, I put them right out of the box on the feeder. The poke berries are a winner here too! Evelyn Cooper Delhi, LA Louisiana Bayou Bluebird Society www.labayoubluebirdsociety.org Member NABS From: Dottie, Hickory Hollow, Brown County, Indiana I planted holly bushes for the bluebirds and have actually seen a flock of bluebirds demolish all the berries on two bushes in February a couple of years ago. My hollies are missing their berries now so I suspect they have eaten them again. I also planted three choke berry bushes this year for the bluebirds but haven't had time lately to see if they are missing their berries now. I know they love raisins as a flock of BB's have come to my feeder tray to get them. I didn't cut them up either. Dottie, Hickory Hollow Brown County, Indiana ... From: Linda Violett , lviolett"at"earthlink.net Linda Violett - Yorba Linda, Calif. Bet, you are putting together some wonderful resources pages. For those of us in hot dry western climates, the list of berry-producing plants are considerably different. I've witnessed Western Bluebirds eating berries from Fan Palms and WEBL adults feeding nestlings liquid-filled berries from the Lemonadeberry (Rhus Integrifolia) bush. Although I haven't actually seen Bluebirds eating purple Lantana berries, nestboxes near Lantanas will eventually be splattered on the inside with purple feces. Other native berry producing plants for hot western scrub sage areas: Mahonia Nevinii (no common name) similar to holly but with yellow berries and drought-tolerant; reported to be a favorite of WEBL Toyon (Heteromeles Arbutifolia) "Christmas Berry" Coffeeberry (Rhamnus Californica) Hollyleaf Cherry (Prunus Ilicifolia) Mexican Elderberry Baja Bird Bush (Ornithostaphylos Oppositifolia) Laurel Sumac (Rhus Laurina) Bet, all these have recently been planted in my new home and I'll let you know if/when Western Bluebirds are seen eating the fruit. From: Anne-Marie Palermino, ampalermino"at"msn.com EABLs survive in winter in my part of Rhode Island thanks to Asian bittersweet (closely related to the American bittersweet). If the bird lives red droppings, it is likely to have consumed bittersweet. Incidentally, it is poisonous berry to humans and mammals, but not to birds. Starlings also love bittersweet. I would not recommend planting the Asian bittersweet because it is so invasive but the American bittersweet will do the trick. I am sure that if you live in new England you have seen Asian bittersweet, it is a predominant vine that grows over trees and has scattered red berries in winter. It destroys forests in some areas. I have planted in my backyard mountain ash, American bittersweet, American holy, dogwood but the trees are too young to have berries yet. Regards Anne-Marie Lincoln, RI From: Gary Springer, springer"at"alltel.net Other berries bluebirds eat Poison ivy, poison oak, American beauty, sawbriar, black cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, honeysuckle, mulberry. Persimmons while not a berry are a favored fruit in early winter as a few remain on the tree. Since humans are not indigenous to North America, for the serious preserver of wild habitat, I don't suppose it should matter that many humans don't care to have some of these indigenous food sources in their yards. From: Gary Springer, springer"at"alltel.net About sawbriar: This is one native plant every wild habitat restorer should be planting to ensure its survival through periods of extensive destruction of habitat. The preferred habitat of the sawbriar is recovering forest so it will do well in most yards as it vines over trellises, trees and fences. It can therefore be planted to hide existing views that are not desired It has beautiful brilliant red leaves in autumn which often persist all winter in the southern states and the berries are not only a favorite of bluebirds but also of pileated woodpeckers and many other wild bird species. This plant is also very easily transplanted. Simply cut the vine off at about two feet above the ground then, dig up the large hard tuber from which it grows then put it in the ground where you want to establish the plant and water well. Once established, like poison ivy, it will provide many meals for bluebirds for years to come because most people avoid it and it grows prolifically, recovering to prosper again even if you run over it with a lawn mower. Gary Springer From: Bet Zimmerman, ezdz"at"charter.net Thanks Gary: a few questions: on mulberry, have you seen them eating red or white or both? When you say American Beauty, are you referring to Beauty Berry (Callicarpa sp.)? Have you seen them eating staghorn, red or dwarf sumac (Rhus sp.)? The sumac family is confusing--apparently "poison oak" used to be genus Rhus, but was reclassified to Toxicodendron. From what I'm reading, people don't get contact dermatitis from the staghorn/red/dwarf sumacs??? eastern poison-oak Toxicodendron pubescens poison-ivy Toxicodendron radicans poison-sumac Toxicodendron vernix Smooth sumac- Rhus glabra Staghorn sumac - Rhus typhina Dwarf sumac - Rhus copallina Bet From: Keith & Sandy Kridler, txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net Keith Kridler Mt. Pleasant Texas Coldest day of the year so far, we are at 18*F this morning and not a breath of air moving. Our 1,500 square foot green house hit 108*F yesterday and the day before with only sun for heat and without gas heat this morning it is at 23*F right now. This shows that a building or a nestbox without a heat source is going to be COLD in the mornings when it is COLD outside no matter how much mass it has or how hot it was at 3 PM. There are a LOT of hungry birds all across the US right now. I can confirm nearly all of the additions that have been added to this bluebird food plant list and all of the plants added by Gary and other southerners..One I see omitted is the all time bluebird favorite, the much hated, horribly invasive Multi-flora rose! The common root stock of many commercial garden roses. Don't forget to add the vine Virginia Creeper, the trees, Southern Magnolia or Hackberry, ALL of the sumacs, All berry producing Hollies, especially good are the Foster, Yaupon, deciduous hollies. Even pyracantha or fire thorn is a desperation food but Elder berry and Bradford pears are favorites when ripe. Once the skin is broken bluebirds will peck at and eat apples, pears, figs, bing, sweet and sour cherries all types of grapes. Don't forget Mark Twain's huckle berries. Once you get bluebirds coming to your feeder they will eat mashed potato's with butter mixed in them. They love grated cheese. They eat any type of cooked meat (without too many spices) run it through a blender especially the hardened fat. They eat scrambled eggs. They like crumbled up cornbread.....sweet kernel corn and hominy.. Edith Gingles in Mt. Pleasant fed all of the above "people foods" to her bluebirds and they even like cauliflower. Each winter she baked a pan of cornbread for them every morning and they preferred lots of grape jelly and real butter covering their serving of cornbread. They also liked dried dog and cat food after it was well crushed. Imported Privet is a lifesaver right now as it covers more acres of the south than Kudzu, privet is still holding it's leaves and is covered in berries and feeds dozens if not hundreds of species of birds. What you are going to find is that ANY plant that produces fruits or berries or nuts that become available to the birds & animals will be eaten whether the plant was imported or not to your area or this country. We don't grow crab apples but they are a favorite of bluebirds in Northeast Ohio, again when they ripen. Bluebirds and wrens follow behind cardinals and titmice and pick-up bits of sunflower meats. Birds follow peanut farmers in the fields and eat the peanuts when they are left exposed in the fields and bluebirds eat peanut hearts and bits in feeders if available and they love peanut butter and cornmeal or any other type of grain/peanut butter mixes. Bluebirds feed on all species of hickory, walnuts, chestnuts, pecans, butternuts, pig nuts and other nuts when other birds, animals or cars crush the shells so that they can get to the meat. I often see bluebirds in oak forests where the ground is littered with pieces of broken open acorns but have not actually seen them eating the meat from acorns. Today the US will probably set another ALL TIME record for total energy consumption since this is a nation wide cold wave (we historically do this EVERY Januarary and EVERY July and or August). Since 1970 the US human population grew by another 100 million people and per capita in 2002 for EVERY human in the USA we produced 5 and one half tons of carbon just from fossil fuels just for energy production. Trees, if and when planted, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store the carbon in the form of wood in limbs, trunk and hardened roots. The average fruit, nut or berry producing tree grows less than eighteen inches a year under ideal conditions and each of these trees lock up just a few pounds of carbon a year once they are four or five years old. Each of us (people in the USA) need to plant five and a half tons of tree seedlings EACH year to help suck up "green house" carbon dioxide JUST to break even! So we might as well go ahead and only plant trees, vines and shrubs that help feed people, birds and wildlife! It is VERY easy to blame government leaders for "failing" to "help the environment" on our behalf! Just try to go out and find people willing to let you plant 5 and a half tons of tree seedlings a year and get them to take care of them for the next 10 years! Well I am off to go see if there is 16 and one half tons of plants to buy for my family's share of carbon credits to slow global warming:-))) Keith Kridler From: Gary Springer, springer"at"alltel.net I'm real pressed for time tonight so I've inserted my responses into your post and have used upper case letters to make them stand out. a few questions: on mulberry, have you seen them eating red or white or both? THEY ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY EAT BOTH. SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO GROW THE WHITE VARIETY BECAUSE THEY MAKE LESS STAIN, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BIRDS EAT THEM!!!! BUT, I PREFER TO EAT THE PURPLE ONES. THEY ARE SIMPLY AWESOME TASTING. JACK FINCH HAS AVAILABLE THE CUTTINGS OF THE WHITE VARIETY. When you say American Beauty, are you referring to Beauty Berry (Callicarpa sp.)? SOMEONE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT AMERICAN BEAUTY BUSH IS THE FULL NAME. THEY HAVE CLUSTERS OF BRIGHT PURPLE TO PINK COLORED BERRIES THAT ARE OFTEN PICKED FOR VASE ARRANGEMENTS BECAUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF THE CLUSTERS OF BERRIES ALONG THE STEM.. THEY GROW WILD IN MANY PLACES OF THE SOUTHEAST. IF YOU HAVE A MARKET FOR THESE WONDERFUL BUSHES THAT NOT ONLY ADD COLOR IN LATE SUMMER AND FALL BUT ALSO ADD NATURAL FOOD FOR BIRDS, LET ME KNOW BECAUSE THEY GROW WILD ON MY PROPERTY. Have you seen them eating staghorn, red or dwarf sumac (Rhus sp.)? The sumac family is confusing--apparently "poison oak" used to be genus Rhus, but was reclassified to Toxicodendron. From what I'm reading, people don't get contact dermatitis from the staghorn/red/dwarf sumacs??? IN MY OPINION, THE STAGHORN IS THE SMALL TREE WITH A FUZZY BARK ON YOUNG STEMS, COMPOUND LEAVES AND THE STRANGE LOOKING SPIKE LIKE HEAD THAT IS GREEN IN LATE SUMMER AND THEN TURNS TO A SPONGY DEEP RED SEED HEAD IN WINTER. THAT IS THE ONLY SUMAC I'VE SEEN BLUEBIRDS EAT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS PLANT TO CAUSE CONTACT DERMATITIS. I'VE PRACTICALLY LIVED IN THE WOODS MY WHOLE LIFE AND KNEW WHAT POISON IVY WAS BY THE TIME I WAS THREE YEARS OLD BECAUSE I HAD IT SEVERAL TIMES BY THAT AGE. AND BY THE TIME I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD I KNEW WHAT NETTLES WAS, NOT BECASUE SOMEONE SHOWED ME A PICTURE OF IT IN A BOOK BUT BECAUSE I HAD SUFFERED EXCRUCIATION PAIN AFTER GETTING LOST IN A HUGE PATCH THAT WAS AS TALL AS I WAS AT THE TIME, ABOUT THREE FEET TALL. SINCE I STILL HAVEN'T HAD A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH A PLANT THAT LOOKS ANYTHING LIKE STAGHORN SUMAC, I MUST CONCLUDE THAT EITHER I AM IMMUNE TO THE AGENT OF THIS PLANT, OR, THAT THERE ARE NO PLANTS THAT LOOK LIKE STAGHORN SUMAC WHICH ARE POISONOUS. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POISON IVY AND POISON OAK CHANGES WITH THE AUTHOR SO MUCH I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PLANTS. BUT, THE BERRIES OF ALL POISONOUS IVY WITH THREE SHINING LEAVES LOOK ABOUT THE SAME TO ME AND BIRDS EAT ALL OF THEM. COME TO THINK OF IT, THERE MAY EVEN BE 5 LEAVES ON SOME OF THESE OTHERWISE SIMILAR LOOKING PLANTS THAT CAUSE CONTACT DERMATITIS. i'M NOT SURE.. ONCE YOU'VE SEEN IT TEN THOUSAND TIMES AND SUFFERED SUFFERED ITS EFFECT A HUNDRED TIMES YOU DON'T HAVE TO COUNT THE LEAVES TO RECOGNIZE IT.. ONE BELIEF IS THAT POISON IVY AND POISON OAK ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME SPECIES. IT IS CALLED POISON IVY WHEN IT IS COVERING THE FOREST FLOOR AND WHEN IT CLIMBS UP TREES BUT THE SAME PLANT IS CALLED POISON OAK WHEN IT BECOMES TREE LIKE AS AN ADULT WHEN THERE IS NO TREE ON WHICH TO CLIMB. I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE IF THIS IS TRUE. THEY MAY BE CLOSELY RELATED SPECIES WITH DIFFERENT SUPPORT SYSTEMS.. ONE LAST TIP ON POISON IVY. IF YOU ARE GARDENING OR CLEARING BRUSH OR JUST ROMPING IN THE WOODS AND YOU SEE A STRANGE BLACK STAIN FORM ON YOUR HANDS OR CLOTHING, WASH WITH THE STRONGEST SOAP YOU CAN FIND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND KEEP WASHING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BECASUE YOU ARE ABOUT TO GET THE WORST CASE OF POISON IVY YOU CAN IMAGINE. THE SAP IS CLEAR BUT WHEN IT IS EXPOSED TO AIR, IT TURNS BLACK. ... on mulberry, have you seen them eating red or white or both? THEY ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY EAT BOTH. SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO GROW THE WHITE VARIETY BECAUSE THEY MAKE LESS STAIN, BEFORE AND AFTER THE BIRDS EAT THEM!!!! . THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POISON IVY AND POISON OAK CHANGES WITH THE AUTHOR SO MUCH I'M NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT THESE ARE TWO DIFFERENT PLANTS. ..... From: Gary
Springer Other berries bluebirds eat Poison ivy, poison oak, American beauty, sawbriar, black cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, honeysuckle, mulberry. Persimmons while not a berry are a favored fruit in early winter as a few remain on the tree. Since humans are not indigenous to North America, for the serious preserver of wild habitat, I don't suppose it should matter that many humans don't care to have some of these indigenous food sources in their yards. From: Bet Zimmerman, ezdz"at"charter.net Thanks SO MUCH for the input! This is one of the most common questions I hear and I sure would like to be able to provide a RELIABLE and accurate list. What I'm trying to do is note which plants bluebirds PREFER and which ones they DEFINITELY eat to help people make choices when planting if their goal is to attract blues. (And again, I'm also worried that some plants got on the list even though nobody ever saw bluebirds eating them.). I've updated the list online at www.sialis.org/plants.htm based on your feedback. I still have questions.... - There are apparently several kinds of huckleberry--do blues eat red? Evergreen? Both? (scientific name?) - Same with "winterberry" - is it the smooth (laevigata?) or verticillata or both that they will eat? - What kind of honeysuckle? - What is the scientific name of the mistletoe they eat? - What about cat claw, and what is the scientific name? - Do they eat smooth AND dwarf sumac in addition to Staghorn? The ones that I have as confirmed now are: Beautyberry/American Beauty Bush (Callicarpa americana?), American Bittersweet, Raspberry (I have tons, never saw ANY birds eating them though...just Japanese Beetles, sigh), Bradford Pear, Black Cherry, Pin/Wild Red Cherry, Chinaberry, Chokeberry, ChokeCherry, Crabapple, Dogwoods - Alternate leaf/Pagoda, Flowering, gray, kousa and red osier, Eastern Red Cedar, American Elderberry (preferred),Greenbriar/Sawbriar (same thing?), Common Hackberry, Highbush Blueberry, Holly - American, Foster, Yaupon, Honeysuckle (kind?), Huckleberry (Red? Evergreen??), Southern Magnolia, Mistletoe (kind?), American Mountain Ash, Red and White Mulberry, Nannyberry, Persimmon, Pokeweed, Pyracantha (last resort), Sazzzfras, Serviceberry/Shadbush, Staghorn sumac, Wild grapes (small), and Virginia Creeper. For favorites, I have Flowering Dogwood, Eastern Red Cedar, American Elderberry, and Pokeweed. The ones I got off other lists but do NOT have confirmation for are: American Highbush Cranberry, Bayberry (pennsylvanica and carolinensis), Blackhaw, Black Currant, Black Tupelo/Sour Gum, Buckthorn - Carolina and Cascara, Cat Claw (scientific name??), Pacific Dogwood, Silky Dogwood, Washington Hawthorne, Inkberry (Ilex glabra), Junipers-California, Common, One-Seed, rocky Mountain and Western, Madrone, Moonseed, EUROPEAN Mountain Ash, Possum Haw (Ilex decidua), Snowberry, Sugarberry/Hackberry, DWARF sumac, SMOOTH sumac, Swamp Rose, Wax Leaf Ligustrum/Japanese Privet, Wax Myrtle, Winterberry (Ilex laevigata?? Verticillata?), and Arrowood Virburnum. If you know that blues will eat these, please let me know. Linda provided some plants that Western blues may eat, I've added them to the webpage also. I did have multiflora rose listed as an invasive. They are a terrible problem here in CT--have completely overtaken a lot of open space that used to be farmland, choking out everything else. As noted in another thread on the Bluebird_L, they are also a preferred hideout for HOSP (and other birds.) Like Chinese Tallow and Barberry, their fruit is not considered nutritious by wildlife biologists. Other invasives that bluebirds eat (and thus help spread) are common privet, autumn olive, chinese tallow, some cotoneasters, dwarf mistletoe, english ivy, japanese honeysuckle, porcelain berry, russian olive and oriental/asiatic bittersweet. Looking for a photo I can use of a bluebird eating fruit from a bush... Thanks again! You folks are awesome. Bet from CT From: MJShearer, eshearer"at"comcast.net Hi all, A word of caution about mulberry. Birds love it, but it's fast growing, and if you get one, you'll have them coming up everywhere! At least that's the case in my yard since a mulberry appeared in my neighbor's yard. Also, saw briar (smilax) -- birds love it, but I wouldn't advise planting it in your yard. Very invasive, spreads underground, and cutting it back just produces more healthy new growth -- which, BTW, is edible. (Haven't tried it.) And the briars are vicious, so keep it in a naturalized (wild) area where you won't get tangled up in it. Re: poison ivy and poison oak. Same genus, different species. In fact, there are several species of poison ivy and poison oak. I believe the lobes of the poison oak leaf are more rounded than are the lobes of poison ivy, and poison oak is more shrub-like. One of the best sources for plant identification is http://plants.usda.gov You'll find plant distribution maps, photographs, and plant classifications ... From: Bet Zimmerman, ezdz"at"charter.net Thanks, actually I just added WHITE mulberry to my list of invasives--NOT the red which is native and actually rare in some areas. Cats claw is apparently invasive in some areas also. Smilax bona-nox (saw greenbriar) is a native plant, but I will add the notes. I added the USDA link to the webpage, the database has a wealth of info. Bet From: MJShearer, eshearer"at"comcast.net You're correct, Bet. It's white mulberry I'm having problems keeping under control. We had two huge red mulberry trees when I was a child, and I don't remember their ever being a problem. In fact, my father had one mulberry near the garden to give the birds an alternative to his tomatoes! Worked some of the time..... Also, I seem to remember a little worm (larva?) in mulberries. Wonder if that's what made them so attractive to the birds -- in addition to the sweet berries? I know smilax is a native plant, but some natives don't make good garden pets! ;-) MJ From: Sheryl Bassi, sbassie"at"bellsouth.net Down here in MS it's known as a "wild" Mulberry. I had both in my back yard. The White or "wild" sent up shoots EVERYWHERE! The red never did. My beloved bulldog, "Sweetheart", (deceased for sometime now) loved to eat the ripe berries when they fell. "Sweetheart" was black with a white muzzle, and when she feasted on the mulberries, she came in looking like she had lipstick on! SCB From: Keith & Sandy Kridler, txbluebirder"at"sbcglobal.net When talking about planting trees and shrubs for the birds we should note when, what season, a plant actually provides the food. Pokeweed and mulberries and blackberries ETC are not going to benefit your birds this week! It is fun to see them feeding off and on all summer in our yards but many do not have room for mass plantings of a hundred different species of berry producing plants or trees! Berries from sumac last all winter but have you actually picked some of these seeds at this time of year? There is hardly any meat covering the BB sized seed. For bluebirds you need to plant something that will produce massive quantities of fruit that only ripens and is edible clear into the nesting season. OK in the May 1993 issue of FLICKER FLASHES published by the Birmingham Audubon Society the late John Findlay lll wrote a good article about "The snow storm of the Century in Alabama." On the night of March 12 Birmingham received 12>17" of snow. March 13 the nighttime temperatures dropped to 9*F . March 14 the temperatures dropped to 2*F with wind chills both nights well below 0. After the storm John found 53 dead bluebirds in 20 different nestboxes. Some of the dead birds were ones he had banded so he felt they were "local" bluebirds and not migrants. (How many other bluebirds died in natural cavities from Mississippi to the Carolina's or dropped dead in woods and were eaten by predators?) John was THE "Bluebird Man of Alabama" and he placed a "Bluebird Alert" in the Birmingham newspapers asking people to go check their nestboxes and report if they found dead bluebirds. Many calls were received reporting dozens of dead bluebirds in such places as Harpersville, Chelsea, Westover and other communities east and west of Birmingham. On 3/28 the Knoxville News Sentinel reported many more bluebirds found dead in that area's boxes as the historic storm traveled north-eastward. OK this was before feeding bluebirds became popular, but how do you feed all the bluebirds if you have a distant or large trail? Are those feeding bluebirds seeing more than one or two closely related family groups sharing a feeder? John stated that by March nearly all of the fruits and berries were gone from plants in his area. In the May-June 1993 issue of Nursery Notes published by the North Carolina Assoc. of Nurserymen the full color front cover shot is of a Foster Holly (Ilex Fosterii sp?) with a male bluebird eating the berries on March 14, 1993. Inside they have a GREAT article by THE Bluebird Man Jack Finch. Part of the article follows. "The plants providing late food (he calls these disaster foods) in central and eastern North Carolina are the native red cedar, ilex opaca holly, sumac and Virginia creeper, mistletoe and possibly a few ornamentals. In many areas such plants are few in number or they do not produce a large volume of berries that will feed birds for several days during a late storm such as: March 13>15, 1993 (Jack was two days behind the Alabama storm) the blizzard of March 1&2, 1927 (Jack was older than John) or the coastal storm of early March 1980 that extended from New Jersey to North Florida." Jack spent two days in a blind on March 14 and 15, 1993 with two cameras on two tripods with two remotes braving temperatures to 10*F to get this single picture. There were four pairs of bluebirds constantly fighting over this single tree while others birds were also fighting for these berries. But this 80 year old dynamo never got the shot of a pair of bluebirds in the same frame. Anyway the whole article is geared to the nursery business and promoting the Foster Holly as probably the single best landscape plant that the widest number of species of birds will eat that produces berries consistently year after year, is very long lived, is very attractive and holds many of it's berries all winter and late in spring. Since bluebirds set up a territory in late winter and will not leave this for very long even when starving Jack recommends that EVERY yard have at least one of these holly trees. (They grow great in North East Texas.) Jack Finch has built around 200,000 nestboxes and at one time was regularly checking more than 1,200 nestboxes from Florida to Virginia while selling nursery plants on a regular route. I still have the original nestboxes I bought from him and his wife Ruby when Sandy and I went to our first NABS meeting in Jackson Mississippi. Cavity nesters are still using it every year! We fell in love with him and Ruby and his good friend Gerald Hartley on that trip! You can now buy nestboxes from Jack made from Paulownia wood from trees he planted in the early 1990's and cut on the portable sawmill he bought in his late 80's! He has his own sustainable timberland. At 90 years old he still devotes most of his waking hours to his wife Ruby, his family and his bluebirds. Don't miss this chance to own one of his nestboxes or one of his mulberry or dogwood trees or buy some of his mealworms. I expect that Jack has been out in his shop for about an hour or more getting nestbox parts cut out for the women who nail together these parts when they come in. Jack likes to get up early and work about an hour on nestboxes and then take a coffee break and listen for the bluebirds. He says at 45 minutes before sunrise is the best time to catch the "Song of Hope" sung by the male and nothing beats seeing the "Bluebird of Happiness" sliding across the sky on the first ray of sunlight. KK From: Gary Springer, springer"at"alltel.net Every plant is invasive when growing within the habitat it does well. No one would argue that Oak trees are invasive. But look at the forest. There are millions of acres of wild habitat covered by forest that is predominantly Oak. There are pure stands of white, red and other species of Oak. No one would argue that Virginia Pine is an invasive species, but in many quickly covers the landscape and there are millions of acres of almost pure stands of this pine tree as well as white pine, Frazier firs and others. No one would argue that service berry shrubs are invasive yet there are acres and acres of these small trees which pioneer in some newly cleared areas. Is there any plant any more invasive than the native aspen trees? I have long complained that biologists use the word invasive to describe every plant that is not indigenous to North America. Now I see some native species can be invasive too because they aren't as well liked as other species or they are more difficult to control. But, controlling species is to keep them tame. I thought we were talking about creating WILD habitat. Sawbriar and other indigenous plants that do well in their habitat were here before man occupied this continent. Which species is doing the invading, sawbriar or homosapiens which came later? I thought the idea of maintaining and restoring wild habitat is so that it has the characteristics of WILD habitat. Do we have to control even wild habitat???????? Show me a truly wild habitat and within a short distance I will show you a large area that is truly invaded by one or two native species. Most wild habitat is not a nicely planted area where we have one plant of each species nicely separated without competition. Almost all wild habitat consists of patches, some very large and some small, that are thickly covered by many plants of a single species or by one or two species that have crowded out others. All plants are invasive in their niche. Gary Springer From: Bet Zimmerman, ezdz"at"charter.net Oh well, I didn't intend to restart this debate, but would like to add a few comments. Invasive plants share five key traits: * Abundant fruit and seeds.
E.g., A single purple loosestrife plant can produce as many as 2.5 million
seeds a year. It is true that biologists do not consider native plants (in their native habitat) to be invasive, even though they may out compete other plants or create problems. Not all exotics are considered invasives. An "invasive species" is defined as a species that is 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration AND 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (Executive Order 13112). Human actions are the primary means of invasive species introductions. However, once they are in place, other mechanisms (such as avian dispersal) kick in. Disturbed habitat (like clearcutting practiced in colonial times) changes the natural balance, and succession kicks in. (It also creates opportunities for invasives to take off.) Over time the system often reaches a more natural balance if we let it. I think the main point is that people who are concerned about ecological balance should consider landscaping with native plants where possible and practical, and not intentionally make the situation with exotic invasives worse by helping them proliferate. Native plants are the ones most likely to survive and thrive anyway. And personally, I take responsibility on my own property for attempting to undo some choices made in the past (like the introduction oriental bittersweet) that can create problems beyond my boundaries. Bet From: Gary Springer, springer"at"alltel.net In the upland plant world this nice system of balance does not exist. In the upland plant world there is a system of flux wherein one plant invades another for a short time only to be replaced by another as the niche changes. The grassy habitat formed after the ground is cleared by a major natural event such as fire, tornado or landslide is not a system of balance. The grass invades the bare ground because that is its niche. But, then the briars invade and wipe out the once invasive grasses, only to be replaced by the invading sweetgum and other "pioneering" trees. And these pioneering trees are soon wiped out by more permanent trees such as oak, and hickory. And these large permanent trees will persist until wiped out by tornado, fire or other natural event, either in mass or one here and one there.. Within even the most undisturbed forests there are small disturbances that create new environments which are quickly exploited by the species which niche that area of change favors. That is why there will be areas covered by one species or another, not a nicely uniform mixture of diversified plants. No, there is not a system of balance in the upland plant world. It is a system of competition wherein one plant invades a niche only to be invaded by another plant and another when the light, soil, or other conditions make it more favorable for the next. Gary Springer From: Anne-Marie Palermino, ampalermino"at"msn.com From: Bet Zimmerman, ezdz"at"charter.net (PS I did get a great photo from Leslie McCulloch of a Western Blue eating Tonyon berries.) |
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