Menu
American Goldfinch by @megan.s.bonham
The last few years have been an emotional roller coaster for me from a climate perspective and I’m sure the wild animals of the PNW feel the same. We have had fires, heat domes and ice storms. While I sat inside drinking Manhattans and shopping for doomsday kits, I also wondered what else I could be doing to help them survive our depressing impact on this earth. During the heat dome, I left out ice water for the panting (!!!) birds. I decided a good place to start is my backyard birds.
Audubon estimates that almost 2/3 of North American birds are at risk due to climate change. After the ice storm, I worried about the return of the hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are unable to generate heat and are dependent on the sun to warm their bodies. Some hummingbirds migrate to warmer climates, especially if it is a better food source. For those sticking around in the PNW, I’ll provide these cozy little nests.
Recently I was on Etsy looking for all the things that could make my yard more hospitable to birds, and I discovered these hanging hummingbird beds which are so goddamn cute. Hummingbirds only sleep in short intervals, never deep sleep. The process is called Torpor. While in torpor their metabolism and body temperature are reduced allowing the hummingbirds to conserve energy. It also allows hummingbirds to survive the night without having to eat which is also helpful during periods of food scarcity. So having a safe place to get away is critical.
Hummingbirds don’t eat seed like other birds. They eat nectar from flowers and insects, so they appreciate having hummingbird feeders filled when flowers are dormant. As with all bird feeders, keep them clean so they don’t grow mold.
Making Hummingbird food is easy. Mix one part sugar with four parts water until sugar dissolves. That’s it.
Here are some clever Humming bird feeders and a swing because it is very cute.
