I heard them before I saw them. I forget how loud parrots are. 5 packed onto my seed feeder. They move with the storms so I'm not sure I'll have any tomorrow morning but I'm going to fill the feeder after sun down and try to get a photo tomorrow if they are still around. It was a happy morning : )
5 Lovebirds sitting in my tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G
Newbie to this desert stuff...the lovebirds are wild? They follow the storms?
Peach faced lovebirds are well established in the Phoenix metro area. They have moved in on our native birds, competing for nesting holes in the saguaros, and palm trees, eating at feeders and adjusting to eating native plants and seeds. Non-natives have an extreme impact on natives when living in a desert environments.
Susie
I still get them quite regularly at my feeders.
In all these years I've only have one little blue guy. Pretty sure he was an escapee.
That's pretty cool! I don't suppose I can hope to see them out my way? Do they just hang out around large populations?
They're only found in the Phoenix metro area, after a dozen or so were released, either accidentally or on purpose, about 15 years ago.
Only 2 today. I don't have a fancy camera, so pics aren't great.
They're great! And I like how they are framed by the..... Fig? Nice effect!
They are so cute! If that was my house it would be 8 filthy flying rats pooping on everything :(
You can see plenty of dove poop on the fig leaves. I don't have flying rats this year. I am not even slightly interested in where they went.
Out here I was so happy to see mourning doves and Aztec doves at the waterer with the quail. Until I realized they are close cousins of those rats with wings. But I still like the flash of sky blue when they raise their wings.
Yes, but at least they are natives.
Mountaindweller - Aztec Doves? is that the Inca Dove? Is the 'sky blue when they raise their wings' a reference to the Lovebird? Sorry, small confusion, have only had 1 cup coffee.
Thanks
Susie
Blushing... Aztec, Inca, yep that's them! And the sky blue is the amazing contrast between the dull dirt brown of their feathers when they are on the ground as opposed to the flash of blue on the undersides of their wings when they take off in flight.... Or try to harass each other over the seeds.
It's the gilded flicker I enjoy the most. Probably because I don't see him often, and maybe just because of his name!
If you put oranges, cut into halves or sliced into 3rds, in your suet feeders, you will attract alot of woodpeckers. The flickers adore oranges! I have a family of gilded that nested in our saguaro, successfully raised 3 kids. Lots of noise arguing over the oranges and there were 3 feeders holding oranges. You can also cut them in 1/2 and poke them on branches or take a 18" 2x4 board and hammer some long nails through the board. Then you can hang the board in a tree and poke the oranges onto the nails. Once it cools down, you can take a drill and drill holes all around the board and rub peanut butter into the holes. The woodpeckers love the protein in the winter. Of course, you can always just buy and put up suet in your suet feeders. Around here the squirrels (round-tailed, Harris' Antelope, Rock) eat suet like candy, expensive candy. If I don't put the oranges in the suet feeder, they just steal them and I look out the window to see them running across the yard, orange half firmly gripped in their teeth. Little buggers!
Lol! Yep, got a lot of them hanging out too! It amazes me that they can climb all over the cholla without a problem. The pic is of our custom bird waterer, which works pretty well. I can never get a good picture of it covered with critters because as soon as I open the door they all scatter. I will attach the oranges up on the cholla, behind it, I think. And definitely do the peanut butter. I just toss out birdseed and everybody gets it off the ground.
No saguaros out this way, just Joshua's and cat claw acacias. I would love to have a nest of babies nearby. The quail were lots of fun this spring.
Nice lovebirds. Few years ago I used to see them regularly at my workplace in Mesa.
If you put a woodpecker nest box up, on the side of your house (N is preferred) or perhaps put in a pole to mount it (at least 6' up) you could attract them to your house..... I put one up under on of the old horse shade covers and the Gila woodpeckers moved right in.
I am going to put up a barn owl nest box, then release a couple here (I volunteer at Liberty Wildlife), and hope they stay. Should help with the rodent population.
When at Liberty Wildlife in N Scottsdale, I have seen flocks of over 50 lovebirds fly by, talk about noisy!!
What does a woodpecker nest box consist of? If I put one up will they be more likely to pound even more holes in my stucco or less?
You can order a nestbox from one of the Audubon websites
www.audubonworkshop.com check out nest boxes and shelters, they have one for woodpeckers on sale for $27.99 plus shipping.
You can build one yourself, there are plans on the internet- depending on your skills and tools available.
I think- not positive- but if you put a nest box where they are pecking holes, they will use the box to drill, as they like the hollow noise. They will also move in and claim it as their home, hammering to let the neighbors know it is their territory.
I had an old cockatiel nestbox, not the right dimensions, but just sitting there.... when I put it up, they started hammering on it and then moved in.
Susie
I have quite a few that hang out here. I may get a nest box. What materials do they use to line it? Anything in particular that would attract them to the box?
The right size hole is important. They don't use nesting material per se, but do like about 3" of wood shavings or large, chunky sawdust. Facing north is favored, or in a place that the box is somewhat sheltered from the sun.
I have a metal roof and now I understand why they like to tap on it!!
They like to jack hammer the metal part of my chimney at sunrise. I used to yell at my kids for making too much noise until I figured out where it was coming from Lol.
Yea they love jack hammering metal part of chimney, neighbors on either side of my house have chimney. One drilled a golf ball size hole in my stucco wall. Then when the oranges are ripe they drill hole in oranges for fresh OJ.
They are starting to sound as bad as those rats with wings now!
I saw this guy on my walk this morning, and I think he's a red tail hawk. He's been hanging around for a week or so, maybe I won't be seeing too much more of my flicker!
Pic didn't take, trying again
That is one mean looking hawk.
Got a bird house for the Woodpeckers today. Now to get out the ladder and get it hung up high enough. Hopefully I get some bird tenants :)
Awesome! I hope you get a family!
I will be amazed if I get someone to move in. It's about 9 ft up (couldn't reach any farther without falling off the ladder) It faces north/east in a kind of an alcove so it will be protected from direct sun and winds, heck I'd move in :)
They'll be fighting for it 😊
My neighbors across the street run a woodpecker hotel. I run the woodpecker suet buffet. We are both booked all winter long. I think someone checked in to the hotel last week but I haven't opened for the season yet and he has been complaining.
Knocking on metal gutters to get your attention?
No, he screams at me every time I go out in the front yard. He must be a repeat customer. I told him to shut up and eat a bug.
Shut up and eat a bug, I think I've said that before. But not to a bird :)
Double LOL😄 😃
Saw 2 peach faced love birds this morning in my backyard in north phoenix (7th st/thunderbird area).
I wonder if they collect in large flocks like some other birds do for the winter?