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December News from the Wild Bird Habitat Stores
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American Crow
Unless one has a passion for a specific bird species, many of us have numerous favorites. Another one of mine is the American Crow. It happens to be a much maligned bird by some. The greatest problem concerning the Crow is its abundance. Without any natural predators to maintain their population, they just keep increasing in numbers. Large flocks seem to be a bane in both large and small communities throughout the East to the Great Plains. Often the efforts to discourage their nightly roosts just transfer them to another location. They have been shot at, poisoned, and bombed. But they are so resilient, it tends to have little effect.
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| THE MESSENGER will be returning to Lincoln in the spring of 2016 |
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Learn more about the American Crow, a fascinating bird.
Although cultures around the world may regard the crow as a scavenger, bad omen, or simply a nuisance, this bad reputation might overshadow what could be regarded as the crow's most striking characteristic - its intelligence. New research indicates that crows are among the brightest animals in the world. NATURE's
A Murder of Crows
brings you these so-called feathered apes, as you have never seen them before.
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Free shipping on Internet orders over $100.00
(products only - free shipping not valid with wild bird feeds)
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A Natural Christmas Tree
by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat Stores
The Christmas tree is a product of Nature herself. Just an infant in time when compared to the diminishing old growth forests. But these trees have served their mother well. Although carefully cultivated by the hand of man, cut fresh in their youth, then brought indoors for our Holiday enjoyment, these miniature giants carry a history of their own. These special trees we place in a stand, carefully watered, and then decorate with bright lights and shiny ornaments, may at one time have hidden a frightened bird dodging a sharp-eyed predator. They may have provided shelter for a group of birds from the blustery north winds of winter. The sturdy boughs of these young trees could have gently clutched the woven twigs and grasses of a bird's delicate nest which brought forth new life. Or they may have provided the final perch of an old and weathered avian friend. The trees of Christmas present, which once helped to hold the landscape in place contributing to the natural world, now provide for us as a center piece during this most beautiful of festive seasons. When adorned they stir the dreams of young children while conjuring up past memories for those whose belief of a jolly fat man dressed in red, sliding down a soot filled chimney, have long since faded.
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Internet customers save an extra 5% using code
wildbird
through December 11, 2015
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Dave's December Bird Chatter
December is the month for the annual Christmas Bird Count. Now in its 116th year, it is fun and adventurous. There are always a number of rare or unusual birds that are sighted. If you can participate in the field, it can be rewarding. If not, perhaps you will watch your feeders on count day and report the birds you see. Often times, counting birds at backyard bird feeders is the difference between a successful count and an average count since it allows many more individuals and families to participate. Become a citizen scientist and provide valuable data so biologists can determine the state of our birds. In February Wild Bird Habitat will be promoting another bird count where biologists rely on citizens across North America to observe and provide information on birds. The 15th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count will be February 12 to 15, 2015.
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Can anything beat the sight of a bright red Cardinal against a backdrop of white snow? As a resident of the Eastern Great Plains, the Northern Cardinal is a faithful visitor to feeders and can be one of the easier species to attract. It is such a popular and widespread species throughout the east, that it is the state bird for seven states and the mascot for professional baseball and football teams.
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Gifts of Nature for the Holidays
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Environmentally Friendly Bird Feeders
Although the durability and natural look of cedar bird feeders continue to be preferred, the new line of feeders made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic is gaining in popularity. Many of these bird feeders have a lifetime warranty against fading, pealing, cracking, and chipping. They clean up like brand new, even after years of use. And speak of easy cleaning, many of the cedar and recycled plastic feeders we stock have removable perforated steel bottoms. This also allows moisture to pass through and the seed to remain dry.
Made in the USA
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Don't just give a bird feeder for Christmas.
Give a Brome Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder
Brome Bird Care line of squirrel proof bird feeders are the only truly guaranteed squirrel proof wild bird feeders! At the Wild Bird Habitat Stores you will find a complete line of Brome squirrel proof bird feeders.
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Winter is approaching and, as temperatures plunge below freezing, birds will have difficulty locating a source of open water. Providing a source of fresh water for backyard birds during the winter months can be a very beneficial addition to your winter bird feeding program, often attracting more birds than the seed in your feeders.
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116th Annual Christmas Bird Count
FREE Family Christmas Bird Count Event
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2015 Christmas Bird Count - Lincoln, NE
For all levels of birding experience
Count the birds visiting your feeders or go out in the field to count birds!
Audubon's 116th Annual Christmas Bird Count in Lincoln is on Saturday,
December 19 and everyone is urged to participate. There are two ways to take part: you can count birds out in the field (alone or in a group) or you can count birds at your feeders from the comfort of your own home. There are counts being planned all across the state. To find a count in your area visit the
Christmas Bird Count web site. To register to count birds in the Lincoln area at home or in the field contact Wachiska Audubon at (402) 486-4846. There is no cost to participate. To find a location near you in Nebraska visit
NOU Christmas Bird Count. To count in the field or at home you must register with your area count coordinator.
Free Family Christmas Bird Count Event
On December 19th, 7:00 am to 2:00 pm Nebraska Game and Parks will host a family Christmas Bird Count at the Nebraska Game & Parks Outdoor Education Center, 4703
Superior Street, (44th & Superior in Lincoln). Hikes will be lead by experienced birders or you can choose to sit in a blind to count birds. There will be refreshments and plenty of family birding activities to enjoy. For more information contact the education center at (402) 471-6141 or register at
Christmas Bird Count
Participating in a Christmas Bird Count is a great way to help the birds, hone your birding skills, enjoy the outdoors and spend a day with your family or bird-watching friends. There is no charge to take part in a count.
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Coming in the spring of 2016
at the Mary Riepma Ross Theater in Lincoln, NE
Presented by
The Wild Bird Habitat Stores
Watch for details
Songbirds take flight and fight to survive in our changing world. Moving from the northern reaches of the Boreal Forest to the base of Mount Ararat to the urban streets of New York, THE MESSENGER brings us face-to-face with a remarkable variety of human-made perils that have devastated Thrushes, Warblers, Orioles, Tanagers, Grosbeaks and many other songbirds. Threats include hunting, light pollution, high-rise collisions, pipelines, pesticides and loss of migratory habitats
.THE MESSENGER is the artful story about the mass depletion of songbirds on multiple continents, and about those who are working to turn the tide. According to international expert Dr. Bridget Stutchbury, who is featured in the documentary, we may have lost almost half the songbirds that filled the skies fifty years ago.
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Nutra Safflower for Goldfinch
Nyjer thistle seed has traditionally been the preferred seed of the American Goldfinch. The cost of Nyjer seed can vary greatly as it is a product imported to North America from India and Ethiopia and they set the price, and the price is rising once again. Nyjer is an oil seed which is why it is enjoyed so much by finches. In countries where it is grown this seed is crushed and used for cooking oil, much as in North America we crush black oil sunflower and safflower seed for cooking oil.
At Wild Bird Habitat Store we have received many reports and have had personal experience that Goldfinch readily feed on Nutra Safflower seed. In fact they may prefer it over Nyjer thistle seed. This could be a great alternative to supplementing Nyjer thistle seed for attracting Goldfinch. One benefit of Nutra Safflower is that this is a product grown by American farmers.
Nutra Safflower is available in 20 and 50 pound bags at the Wild Bird Habitat Store locations or by bulk quantity.
Internet customers can order Nutra Safflower seed on line. Although Wild Bird Habitat Stores Internet store offers free shipping on orders over $100, there is
no free shipping on wild bird feeds. That allows us to keep our Internet wild bird feed prices low.
Order Nutra Safflower on line.
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Peanut Feeders - A picture is worth a thousand words
photos by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat
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Caged Peanut Feeders -
Feed woodpeckers not squirrels & starlings
photos by Dave of Wild Bird Habitat
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Best Woodpecker Suet Plugs
Attractor High Energy Suet Plugs available at
the Wild Bird Habitat Stores
- Roasted Peanut Attractor Plugs
- Sunflower Attractor Plugs
- No-Melt Peanut Butter Attractor Plugs
By the pack or by the case, woodpeckers love 'em
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Nebraska Birding Trails Website
Has a New Look
The Nebraska Birding Trails was developed in 2003 listing more than 400 birding sites across Nebraska. Chaired by Dave Titterington of Nebraska's Wild Bird Habitat Stores with members of the Nebraska Bird Partnership's Birding Trails Work-group which was comprised of members from government agencies, the University of Nebraska, Nebraska Travel and Tourism, Nebraska Ornithologists Union, and conservation groups and individual birders, it was an immediate success. Recently the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission with the help of Nebraska Educational Television revised the Nebraska Birding Trails website to give it a new look and make navigation locating birding sites easier. We hope you check it out at:
NEBRASKA BIRDING TRAILS
Two other websites developed by the Educational Work-group of the Nebraska Bird Partnership have also been revised.
PROJECT BEAK -
Project BEAK is an interactive, web-based curriculum that contains scientifically accurate information about avian conservation, avian form, function and other adaptations that help birds survive, Nebraska's unique avian biodiversity, Nebraska's threatened and endangered birds, plus video clips, interactive games, quizzes and diagrams, additional resources and links, and classroom lesson plans.
This website is devoted to helping Nebraskans and visitors identify and learn about the over 400 species of birds which can be found in our state. Are you trying to identify a bird you saw? Use "search by characteristics", where you can search by size, color, range, and habitat. Or, you can search or browse the full Nebraska bird list by common name, scientific name, or bird group.
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Bird Identification Made Easy
Cornell Bird Lab offers two apps that includes a wizard to help you identify birds. Best of all there is no charge for these apps. Check them out and start identifying the birds you see today.
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At the Bird Expo in Mexico, MO the Wild Bird Habitat Stores
received the Best Birding Retailer of 2015 Award
Over the 23 years Lincoln's Wild Bird Habitat Stores have been in business they have received numerous awards. These awards included The Lincoln Journal Star, Howard Wiegers "Conservationist of the Year Award", the Edna Shields "Sharing Nature with Children Award", the "Earthkeeper Award" and "Lyman's Award" from Wachiska Audubon, and the Better Business Bureau's "Integrity Award". On September 30th, 2015, the Wild Bird Habitat Stores were recognized by leaders in the birding industry as the 2015 Best Birding Retailer of the Year by leaders in the biding industry. On October 27th, 2015 at the Nebraska Wildlife Federation's Wildlife Awards Banquet the Wild Bird Habitat Stores were honored
to receive the "2015 Wildlife Communicator Award".
The successes Wild Bird Habitat has been recognized for is only because of the friends and customers our business has generated, our dedicated staff, and all those who continue to support bird conservation, environmental education, and outdoor birding recreation that Wild Bird Habitat has been honored and privileged to partner with over the past 23 years. We thank everyone for their support.
Dave, Linda, & Katie Titterington
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South Lincoln, NE location
5601 South 56th Street
In the Alamo Plaza
North Lincoln, NE location
4840 Orchard Street
in the little white house
Toll Free Phone: (800) 606-2553
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