IT’S BUSY SEASON AT THE FEEDERS,but to see most of these similarly-named birds you’ll have to go beyond the backyard. Each species is from a different family, so they have a wide range of habitats that match their specialized needs—from farm fields and grasslands to ocean beaches.
Like human snowbirds, most of them move south for a winter stay in a warmer place. South can mean almost anywhere in the Lower 48, especially for the Arctic birds, so keep your eyes open for these snowy winter friends.
SNOWY OWL
Lemmings have been the butt of jokes since the myth of them committing mass suicide went mainstream, thanks to faked scenes in a 1958 Disney movie. But lemmings are no laughing matter to the big white owl of the Arctic—the mouse-sized rodents are the snowy owl’s main menu item. In winter, some snowies move south erratically, and individuals may show up as far south as Texas and Florida. They prefer grasslands but are also seen perched high on roofs or at landfills, where they keep a lookout for rats—or to them, supersize lemmings!
SNOW GOOSE
Denne historien er fra December 2019/January 2020-utgaven av Birds & Blooms.
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Denne historien er fra December 2019/January 2020-utgaven av Birds & Blooms.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Basics of Hydroponics
Use these top tips and plant picks to have a successful soil-free garden
Rooted in Resilience
These hardy perennials will thrive in most zones
Social and Supportive
Brown-headed nuthatches take a helpful approach to raising their young
All About Owl Pellets
And why you should give a hoot about them
Ask the Experts
Advice from our pros about houseplants, bird feeding and more
BRING THE OUTDOORS IN
Making a terrarium is about as close as you can get to a Zen DIY project. Once you have gathered the proper materials and squared away your plant selections, it's as simple as layering it all together and watching your mini ecosystem thrive. Here, I'll walk you through my foolproof process and cover all the required elements for good filtration, healthy soil, strong root growth and resistance against fungus and disease.
GROW THIS. NOT THAT
Six easy-to-grow houseplants—and six that may not be the right choice for you
Winter MAGIC
Forecasts may be frigid, but grab your binoculars because birding opportunities are still incredible
Sense or Nonsense? - Why some birds can taste and smell - but others can't
Does a porcelain berry taste like a blueberry to a gray catbird? Does a block of lard smell like frying bacon to a northern flicker? The short answer is no. While some avian species do have a well-adapted sense of taste or smell, they can't distinguish between flavors and odors the way humans can. They're not picking up every ingredient in the suet you put out, says José Ramírez-Garofalo, an ornithology researcher at Rutgers University in New Jersey and the director of Freshkills Biological Station in Staten Island, New York.
Maple Mania - Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
Amazing facts about this fall foliage mainstay
