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IN THIS ISSUE:
New At The Nest
We have recently added many new items in an effort to offer you the best backyard wildlife and garden decor products. Here are just a few of the many exciting products found in our Just Added category
Current Clearance Items
Here are a few items recently added to our Clearance section. Stock may be limited, so hurry before they are no longer available!
A common sight in most backyards, chickadees are small, dark-capped and black-bibbed birds related to the titmouse family. They are known for their acrobatic feeding abilities and the sound of their distinctive call from which they get their name: chickadee-dee-dee-dee. What makes chickadees so special? Let's take a look:
Bird Profile: Chickadees
Each month in 2004, BestNest will be featuring a species profile for the birds about which we receive the most comments and questions. We hope these profiles are both educational and entertaining, so please let us know if there is anything we can do to improve them. Enjoy!
July 2004: Chickadees
There are seven different types of chickadees found in North America: Black-capped, Carolina, Mountain, Mexican, Boreal, Chestnut-backed, and Gray-headed. The most prevalent chickadees are the Black-capped and the Carolina, while the others are more confined to specific regions. All chickadees have dark caps and black bibs with only slight variations in color, with exception to the Boreal Chickadee, which has a brown cap, back, and sides. In all types, both the males and females look alike. Though often found in pairs, it is not unusual to see chickadees in flocks of eight or more birds, especially during the winter months. These flocks will guard a territory of up to 20 acres, dive-bombing predators that come to close to the nesting areas. Chickadees are non-migratory birds, so it is not unusual to see them in your backyard throughout the year. Chickadees have a varied diet that consists of insects, seed, suet, berries, spiders and their eggs. They are also one of the easiest birds to attract to a backyard feeder. They are particularly fond of black oil sunflower seed and peanuts, so any type of sunflower/mixed seed feeder or peanut tube feeder can be used to feed chickadees. Because of their acrobatic feeding abilities, you can also use a variety of different feeders that will exclude larger birds, such as upside-down suet feeders and mesh tube peanut feeders. Chickadees are very energetic and fun to watch, so don't be afraid to experiment with different types of feeders and food. Many people have success with seed mixes, different types of suet (such as suet with fruit or insects, seed cakes, and bells. Chickadees are also quite tame, and many people have success with hand feeding the birds using seed or nut pieces. Chickadees prefer to build their nests in soft, sometimes rotting wood. Chickadee nests are made from soft fibers, such as wool, fur, and feathers. They are known to use abandoned woodpecker holes or other natural openings; however, they will use man-made nest boxes. There are a variety of different chickadee specific houses available, ranging from basic nest boxes to decorative houses. If you are interested in purchasing a chickadee house, pay special attention on the dimensions of the house. A chickadee house needs to be at least 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep. The height should be a minimum of 8 inches, and the entrance hold should be 1 1/8" in diameter. Chickadee houses can be mounted in a variety of different methods, and the mounting height above ground should be between 4 and 15 feet. If you are in need of a new feeder or house, there are many feeders and houses suitable for chickadees available at www.bestnest.com. We offer seed, suet, and several informative books, such as the Stokes' Guide to Bird Behavior Volume 1. If you would like more personal assistance, please email us at [email protected] or call 877-369-5446.
The BestNest.com Giveaway Winner is Phil Irons!
CONGRATULATIONS to Phil Irons who just won a new Heartwood New Chick Chickadee House, Smoke Grey!
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