We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
Sudbury Plaza,
513A Boston Post Road, Rte. 20
Sudbury, MA 01776
Phone: (978) 443-1739
Fax: (978) 443-1430
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Sat: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Comments:
Located between Shaw's Supermarket and Starbucks.
What's the best way to attract birds to a new feeder? There isn't a perfect answer for this question, but it's one we get a lot! There are times when you put up a new bird feeder and birds come to it within minutes. And, other times it can take months for the birds to come. You may notice the birds fly by a feeder and stop in mid-air as if to say "whoa, new feeder alert, turn back!"
Give the birds time to find the feeder and get used to its presence in your yard. Make sure the birds can see the feeder, as they find their food by sight. Try putting some seed on the ground or near the feeder. Above all, be patient!
Birds can see two to three times more sharply than humans. Some birds have monocular vision, while others have binocular vision.
American Robins have eyes that are situated on the sides of their heads. As they look at an object, they can only see it with one eye at a time (monocular vision). Some birds have eyes that are located so far back on their heads that they can see behind better than in front. Some birds with monocular vision bob or move their heads back and forth, giving the birds clues about what is going on in their environment. A lot of birds with monocular vision are birds that are prey to other birds and animals.
The American Woodcock’s eyes are positioned in the back of their heads, which may be a protective feature, as the woodcock watches for enemies while it probes for food.
Birds with monocular vision have a wider field of view whereas birds with binocular vision have a narrower field of view. Birds of prey have binocular vision which allows them to see objects with both eyes simultaneously. Raptors and owls have eyes that are set in the front of their skull. Some raptors can see small prey a mile away.
The delight of seeing so many active and energetic birds at your feeders, and knowing that you are having a positive impact on the quality of their lives, makes feeding the birds a real joy during this time of the year.
That joy is available to everyone. By providing just a few simple things, such as nutritious foods, clean water and ample shelter, the birds in your yard will quickly become a valuable asset. Not a cash asset, but an entertainment asset that rewards you with many priceless hours of happiness and fulfillment.
Winter is a great time to watch the different types of birds at your feeders. Woodpeckers are busy eating mouthfuls of suet. Juncos hurriedly scour the ground for millet. Finches squabble at the finch feeder. Jays raucously steal peanuts and nuthatches industriously horde sunflower seeds.
Bird feeding is a fun and educational hobby, and this is the season to share it with everyone.
Stop by the store this month and share a bit of the holidays with us.
We have the best seed, feeders, nature gifts and advice, and we can help you introduce this wonderful hobby to your neighbors, friends and family.
As we celebrate this special season, we invite you to bring nature home for the holidays and thank you for continuing to support our store, nature and wildlife.
We wish you and your family a wonderful and healthy holiday season.
Bird feeding has come a long way since its primitive beginning in the late 1800s.
In those days, bird feeding enthusiasts could only offer some waste grains swept up from a hay-loft, bits of suet or pork fat nailed to a tree or maybe a few table crumbs placed on a tree stump.
Today, thanks to decades of observation and research, the menu available to your backyard birds is the most diverse, highest quality ever offered.
This broad selection of foods has been developed specifically to attract a wider variety of birds to your feeders and provide the most beneficial foods to meet birds' nutritional needs.
Peanuts, being relatively new to the bird feeding menu, are a great example. They are nutritionally high in protein and fat while being very attractive to a broad array of woodland and backyard birds.
Since the 1990s, mealworms have dramatically grown in popularity because of their ability to draw insect-loving birds, such as bluebirds, wrens, catbirds and even certain warblers into the backyard.
Then there's Jim's Birdacious® Bark Butter® — no other single food is known to attract more birds. More than 76 species have been observed feeding on this nutritious, spreadable suet.
So embrace these advances in bird food. They will attract an exciting new variety of birds to your yard, while providing them with much better nourishment than the foods our ancestors scraped together more than 100 years ago.
Birds enjoy different types of seed, so it’s important to get the right blend for the birds you want to attract. With Wild Birds Unlimited’s custom seed blends, you can attract a variety of birds to your backyard feeders without wasting seed.
Watch as the birds pick and choose among the seeds to get just the right one! Chickadees and nuthatches will be particularly picky eaters. Studies have shown that these birds will weigh their seeds to make sure they get the heaviest one!
If you want to attract birds that feed at tube or hopper feeders, get a blend that contains the larger seeds, such as black oil sunflower, striped sunflower, sunflower chips and safflower, which these birds prefer. Our WBU Supreme Blend is perfect for these birds. If you want to attract a larger variety of birds including those that feed on the ground, try the WBU Deluxe Blend which includes white millet.
Our Certified Birdfeeding Specialists can help you choose the blend that’s right for you, and show you the wide range of premium specialty seeds designed to attract specific species.
Making treats for the birds is an activity the whole family can enjoy.
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup WBU Simply Suet® (pure rendered suet)
2 ½ cups coarse yellow cornmeal
WBU Deluxe Blend, raisins and/or peanuts (optional)
Mix peanut butter, suet and cornmeal together. Stir in birdseed, raisins or peanuts if desired.
Pack Suet Stuffing into pine cones. Roll pine cones in WBU Seed Blend. Hang with string or ribbon from tree.
Split bagels in half. Allow to harden overnight. Spread peanut butter on each side and sprinkle with WBU Seed Blend. Tie a string through hole and hang.
Generally, all you need is warm water and some sort of feeder brush that will allow you to scrub the inside. Rinse and dry thoroughly before you refill. If the feeder has any mold in it, or you have noticed sick birds around the feeder, consider cleaning the feeder with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Rinse thoroughly and dry. Check out our line of Wild Birds Unlimited BirdCare brushes.
And remember, never add fresh seed on top of old seed!
When it comes to making a home and yard more appealing to people, homeowners understand the value of landscaping. Making yards more attractive to birds and other wildlife takes a slightly different type of planning that’s called "birdscaping."
People typically make their landscaping choices based on what looks good and is easy to maintain. If you take the next step and consider how those choices affect your feathered friends, you can create a backyard habitat that will support birds.
Birdscaping centers on offering a combination of food, shelter, water and places where birds can safely raise their young.
Attracting a variety of birds takes a variety of foods. The best way to provide that food is through vegetation that produces nuts, berries, fruits, seeds and nectar. You can supplement the plants you have with feeders.
Depending on the species, anything from small shrubs to brush piles to mature trees will provide that shelter, so having several types will serve the needs of many birds. Use plants that are native to our local climate and suitable for your yard’s type of soil.
Having a clean source of water will also attract a wider variety of birds. Birds need water just as much as they need food, because their high metabolic rate and respiratory system drains moisture from their bodies quickly. Birds use water for more than just a thirst quencher; they also use it for bathing and preening their feathers. Clean feathers are important for birds’ health and optimum flying ability.
The final element ensures the viability of your yard as an ongoing habitat. People seek out the perfect neighborhoods in which to raise their children, and birds do the same. As more natural habitat is destroyed, it’s important that we provide usable replacements such as nesting boxes.
As the last pale rays of the winter sun disappear, the activity at our birdfeeders comes to an abrupt halt. Did you ever wonder where these daily visitors go at night to be warm and safe?
Many head for the woodlot and perch in leafy bushes, evergreens or vines for the night. Dense brush piles in your yard can protect birds from night predators such as cats. Birds also need this protection from the wind. Swallows retreat to beams in barns. Starlings and pigeons roost under bridges. Ducks often sleep while floating. Woodpeckers can hook their claws into tree bark or retreat into holes to sleep. Chickadees and titmice also roost in tree holes for safety and warmth.
Warm shelters help, but when the temperature drops below zero, sleeping birds need bellies full of high calorie foods to keep their little bodies warm. So remember on bitter cold days, you should definitely have your feeders full of seed the last few hours of daylight. Also, those little birds wake up hungry! Oil-type sunflower, safflower, suet, and thistle seed are the highest calorie foods you can provide.
Many birds have a special muscle in each leg that can lock the bird's feet to a branch. This keeps the bird from falling off while it sleeps! To unlock this tight grip, the bird needs only to stand up straight.
