Breeding Season Slowdown

Photo courtesy of Jane Walker

There are two times each year when I can guarantee you will see fewer birds at your feeders. One of those times is in the fall when natural foods are plentiful. The other time starts now, at the start of the breeding season. I call this phenomenon the "breeding season slowdown". You will probably notice over the next few weeks that there are fewer feeder visits from birds like chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and others that are normally frequent diners. I'm not suggesting that the birds would rather breed than eat. Well, maybe the males. But there is actually a practical reason for this change.

Normally there will be many individuals of each species visiting your feeders. But as the breeding season cranks up, pairs will form and claim a territory around their chosen nesting location. Much like us, they need the three basics to raise their young - food, shelter and water. The birds will choose a breeding territory that can provide these basics. If your bird feeders are in this territory, the pair will try to keep competing birds away from your feeders (now their feeders), which they plan to use to feed their hungry chicks. Expect to see a lot of chasing and fussing soon.

While there will be fewer of your regular birds at the feeders during the breeding season slowdown, don’t panic - there will still be birds feeding. Birds are quick and many will sneak in for a fast bite. One thing that will help ease the pain of bird withdrawal is the rush of American Goldfinches moving through this area on their way north. The goldfinches breed much later in the year, so they can just relax and hang at the feeders!