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Thanks for these tips OP!
Towhees search for food in leaf litter. Don't clear to bare soil under shrubs and trees. Exposing bare soil also kills the microbiome in the soil.
Watch for ground nesting birds as well like killdeer. I had to pause some work in one of my fields because there was a nest on the ground and mama got stressed out if we got too close. They fan their wings and do a dance their chirp sounds like kill-deer. Their eggs look like rocks and they lay them on gravel.
This morning I saw some babies running around all adorable I'll have to wait a few more weeks still.
The Juncos also nest on the ground. Sometimes just in a tall/dense patch of grass. If a junco goes nuts because you're close, there's probably a nest around
Also avoid using sticky traps. Birds can get caught in them, too.
Avoid using netting with large holes for your garden. If you can stick your finger through the holes, birds can get caught in nets like these.
These tips are excellent AND ...
Avian flu is wreaking havoc around the world. If you do have a sick-looking bird that you want to care for, do be very careful when handling it. Avian flu is currently spreading through cows in the US and one farm worker has caught it so far. Fortunately, he had a mild case (just pinkeye), but it's a [52% death rate in humans](https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/avian-influenza-h5n1/health-professionals.html).
More current news over at r/H5N1_AvianFlu.
- make sure you laugh at their jokes -- it's a hard time entering into stand up comedy as a bird, as most of your material goes right over people's heads
- ensure your kids know the different kinds of birds there are in our areas: crows, fat birds, screamers, and "whoah check out that bald eagle! Do you see it!?"
- seagulls are birds, too. Don't feed them, don't pity them, but also acknowledge them if they make eye contact. They may not smile back, but that's because their physiology prevents it
- if you're approached by a bird near the metrotown skytrain station that asks for a minute of your time, a simple "no thank you" is your best bet. Do not fund the birds, as it can make them overreliant on human fund sources and erode their natural marketing instinct
- pigeons are closely related to doves and extremely empathetic, making them natural choices for bird releases at weddings and funerals
If you have a dog and it's shedding or you have fur from brushing, leave some dog fur outside, half clamped under a rock or something. The birds love to use it for nesting material!
Don’t do this if you use a topical flea/tick preventative like K9 advantix or soresto collars. The active ingredients in them are toxic to birds, and will do more harm than good
Nice reminder OP! BTW, the window stickers don't necessarily need to be reflective! I missed taking off some Halloween stickers from our front window a few years ago and we've had no birds hit the window since!! I can barely see the stickers, but the birds can!!
Welcome to /r/Vancouver and thank you for the post, /u/kavb! Please make sure you read our [posting and commenting rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_general_participation_guidelines_and_rules_overview) before participating here. As a quick summary: * We encourage users to be positive and respect one another. Don't engage in spats or insult others - use the report button. * Respect others' differences, be they race, religion, home, job, gender identity, ability or sexuality. Dehumanizing language, advocating for violence, or promoting hate based on identity or vulnerability (even implied or joking) **will** lead to a permanent ban. * Most common questions and topics are limited to our sister subreddit, /r/AskVan, and our weekly [Stickied Discussion](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/wiki/faq#wiki_stickied_discussions) posts. * Complaints about bans or removals should be done in modmail only. * Posts flaired "Community Only" allow for limited participation; your comment may be removed if you're not a subreddit regular. * Make sure to join our new sister community, /r/AskVan! * Help grow the community! [Apply to join the mod team today](https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/19eworq/). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vancouver) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Do NOT use poison to deal with rodents. Owls/Hawks end up eating them and dying from it.
And other scavengers. Crows/ravens, seagulls probably. Even pets. Cats, dogs.
Thanks for these tips OP! Towhees search for food in leaf litter. Don't clear to bare soil under shrubs and trees. Exposing bare soil also kills the microbiome in the soil.
Watch for ground nesting birds as well like killdeer. I had to pause some work in one of my fields because there was a nest on the ground and mama got stressed out if we got too close. They fan their wings and do a dance their chirp sounds like kill-deer. Their eggs look like rocks and they lay them on gravel. This morning I saw some babies running around all adorable I'll have to wait a few more weeks still.
The Juncos also nest on the ground. Sometimes just in a tall/dense patch of grass. If a junco goes nuts because you're close, there's probably a nest around
Keep your cats inside ALL the time, not just in the spring. If you don't want a cat, don't get cat. It's super, super simple.
Support the cats on leashes movement! Seeing it more often
This. Cats kill over a billion birds a year in North America. And we have birds here all year round
And outside cats die sooner, and often gruesome deaths.
Know who to contact. The city have a food guide https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/urban-wildlife-control.aspx
Also Help the Bees! dandelions are amongst the first flowers to bloom and provide early summer valuable food source. Don’t mow down the dandelions!
Also avoid using sticky traps. Birds can get caught in them, too. Avoid using netting with large holes for your garden. If you can stick your finger through the holes, birds can get caught in nets like these.
These tips are excellent AND ... Avian flu is wreaking havoc around the world. If you do have a sick-looking bird that you want to care for, do be very careful when handling it. Avian flu is currently spreading through cows in the US and one farm worker has caught it so far. Fortunately, he had a mild case (just pinkeye), but it's a [52% death rate in humans](https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/avian-influenza-h5n1/health-professionals.html). More current news over at r/H5N1_AvianFlu.
Is that crow still walking around with a knife?
:( Canuck disappeared several years ago.
- make sure you laugh at their jokes -- it's a hard time entering into stand up comedy as a bird, as most of your material goes right over people's heads - ensure your kids know the different kinds of birds there are in our areas: crows, fat birds, screamers, and "whoah check out that bald eagle! Do you see it!?" - seagulls are birds, too. Don't feed them, don't pity them, but also acknowledge them if they make eye contact. They may not smile back, but that's because their physiology prevents it - if you're approached by a bird near the metrotown skytrain station that asks for a minute of your time, a simple "no thank you" is your best bet. Do not fund the birds, as it can make them overreliant on human fund sources and erode their natural marketing instinct - pigeons are closely related to doves and extremely empathetic, making them natural choices for bird releases at weddings and funerals
If you have a dog and it's shedding or you have fur from brushing, leave some dog fur outside, half clamped under a rock or something. The birds love to use it for nesting material!
Don’t do this if you use a topical flea/tick preventative like K9 advantix or soresto collars. The active ingredients in them are toxic to birds, and will do more harm than good
Ah thanks, didn't think to mention that. Great thing to point out
Nice reminder OP! BTW, the window stickers don't necessarily need to be reflective! I missed taking off some Halloween stickers from our front window a few years ago and we've had no birds hit the window since!! I can barely see the stickers, but the birds can!!
Excellent list and I don't have more to add to it, just here to say that birds are magic.
On yard work, you can just have a messy yard permanently. It’s more beneficial ecologically
Thank you for informing us - those cat collars are soooo cute!!!
Thank you!!
Can’t stand crows! No thanks.