Wild Birds Unlimited

As nature enthusiasts, we know how to admire and appreciate beauty when we see it. So you must believe us when we say there is nothing more beautiful than our customers as you share your backyard joy and experiences with us every day. Just wanted to let you know how grateful we are for YOU!

Featured Birds: House Finches & American Goldfinches
WBU Food: No-Mess Blend
Feeder: EcoTough® Classic Feeder

Trick or Tweet, it's Halloween! 🎃 Before passing out candy today, don't forget to fill your feeders as a little treat to your backyard birds!

Featured Bird: Short-eared Owl

Congratulations to Darren and Denise Ullmann as they will be opening a new Wild Birds Unlimited store in Vancouver, WA! Darren and Denise are ready to embrace a new chapter with a business rooted in joy and connection to nature. We are so happy to have you both join our Flock!

🏆Congratulations to Thomas from Decatur, GA for winning the 2024 Ultimate Fall Birdwatching Bundle! Enjoy those warblers this fall!🌟

Congratulations to Thomas Moore, winner of the 2024 Ultimate Fall Birdwatching Bundle from Bird Cams! We'll be shipping him a bundle of "birdy" prizes from ZEISS Birding, Wild Birds Unlimited, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

What's our grand-prize winner excited for this fall? Thomas shared that he's ready to watch for fall warblers as they pass through his hometown of Decatur, Georgia. Happy birding, Thomas!

Photo provided by Thomas Moore.

Project FeederWatch starts in ONE WEEK! Looking to participate? Sign up here: https://feederwatch.org/join-or-renew/

Get ready to put up your feeders! Project FeederWatch season begins in just 1 week! Starting November 1, you can turn your love of birds into Citizen Science!

You don't even need a feeder to participate - just a favourite spot to watch birds! Count on your own schedule, whether that's every week or just once all winter. By signing up for Project FeederWatch, you'll be helping track winter bird abundance and distribution.

A big thank you to our friends at Wild Birds Unlimited and Armstrong Bird Food, who make it all possible!

Learn more and sign up today: https://lnkd.in/eyBS_rQZ

🎉 Project FeederWatch is Almost Here! 🐦
https://www.birdingwire.com/releases/86e5e9bc-2712-4b31-b4db-51665cea9ee4

Starting November 1st, bird enthusiasts of all levels can participate in this fun and meaningful citizen science project! 🕵️‍♀️🔍 Whether you're new to birding or a seasoned pro, every bird counts! 🐤🦉

By joining, you'll:
🌲 Support vital bird research
📊 Help scientists monitor bird populations

You don’t need to be an expert—just enthusiastic! Let us know in the comments if you'll be participating this year!

Project FeederWatch Begins November 1st | Birding Wire Join the action as birders begin the 38th season of Project FeederWatch! It’s easy and it’s important, just identify and count the birds that visit your feeding station, or any other location you describe, beginning Friday November 1st. Many people across the United States and Canada have alread...

Like this post 👍 if you have a window feeder set up! Window feeders help to prevent window strikes by increasing the birds’ awareness of the window and provides you close up views of them feeding. It's a win-win solution! Click here to learn more about how to prevent window strikes: https://www.wbu.com/window-strikes/

Featured Bird: White-breasted Nuthatch
Feeder and WBU Food: TreeScape Window Feeder with Mealworms

🎉 It’s Birdability Week! 🐦✨ Join us in celebrating birding for everyone, all week long!

🌎 Discover how you can help make birding more accessible to people of all abilities. 👫💙

📅 Don’t miss Your Way Weekend – October 25-27! Whether you're exploring your backyard, a local park, or your favorite birding spot, we encourage you to bird in ways that are meaningful and accessible to YOU! 🌳🏡

🙌 Share your birding adventures with us in the comments—let’s celebrate the joy of birding together! 💬📸

🎓 Throughout the week, join workshops, panels, and special events as Birdability highlights the diverse and inclusive birding community.

👉 Learn more and get involved: https://www.birdability.org/birdability-week-2024

Let’s make birding welcoming for everyone! ❤️

It’s the FIRST DAY of !

Ready to make birding accessible for all? Here are 4 ways you can get involved:

1️⃣ Advocate for Accessible Trails: Reach out to local parks and nature reserves to ensure they have accessible trails and facilities for all birders. Find out what to look for in our 'Access Considerations' document on our website and share the knowledge!

2️⃣ Create a Welcoming Birding Environment: Host bird outings that are inclusive of different mobility needs, sensory sensitivities, and communication preferences. We have a tool to help you get started called 'Steps to Implement Accessible and Inclusive Birding' on our website.

3️⃣ Submit a Site Review to the Birdability Map: Share your experiences at birding locations to help others find accessible spots and encourage improvements.

4️⃣ Support and Volunteer: Get involved with organizations working to make the outdoors inclusive of ALL people, like Birdability, Field Inclusive, CorpsTHAT, Black AF in STEM, and more!

Together we go further!

Find out more about local accessible outings and events on our website. Let’s make birding joyful and accessible for all!



Image description: The top section features the text: "CHRISTOPHER & DANA REEVE FOUNDATION AND BIRDABILITY PRESENT Birdability Week 2024 October 21–27". This text is set on a blue background with white bird silhouettes flying around.
Below that, there is an illustration of two women birding together. One is a Black woman using a power wheelchair and wearing matching blue earrings and hoodie along with sneakers and pants, with binoculars around her neck at the ready. There is a bird perched on her power wheelchair arm. The other woman is white with pale purple hair, wearing a green outfit and a pink bandana, and stands next to the woman using a wheelchair, holding binoculars. Both women are smiling, and they appear to be enjoying the birding experience. On the right side of the image, there is the message:
"Happy Birdability Week! Together we go further."

🏆 Enter here for your chance to win: https://hubs.la/Q02RLB-z0!

Enter To Win The Ultimate Fall Birdwatching Bundle From Bird Cams! Win a grand prize giveaway (valued at more than $500) that includes everything you'll need to have a fall season that's literally for the birds!

Spicy foods aren't for everyone, including the critters that seem to empty your bird feeders. In fact, people, rodents and other mammals feel the burn when eating peppers. Birds do not.

That's a great tidbit of information to know when creating foods that can satisfy birds but deter animals, such as squirrels and raccoons.

We are proud to offer the widest variety of hot pepper bird foods on the market. Shop now and see how our hot pepper foods can help you regain control of your backyard.

Featured Bird: Downy Woodpecker
WBU Food: Hot Pepper SuperSuet® No-Melt Cylinder
Feeder: Suet Cylinder Feeder

Curious about what’s next for Wild Birds Unlimited?✨ Dive into this insightful article from the Indianapolis Business Journal to learn how we’re evolving as a company as Jim Carpenter looks ahead to retirement. Discover what the future holds as we embrace this exciting new chapter!

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada! Wishing a day filled with joy for you, your family and your birds!

Featured Bird: Downy Woodpecker
Feeder and WBU Food: Acorn Feeder with Peanuts, Out of the Shell

Calling all citizen scientists - yes, that means YOU! Today is Global Big Day! 🌎 Help us to collect data about migratory birds by reporting on the birds that you see today. This crucial information will be used to help the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society learn about bird populations and migration! Learn how to participate here: https://ebird.org/news/global-big-day-2024

Today is World Mental Health Day! Did you know that nature and birds have a positive effect on your mental and physical wellbeing? Feeding the birds in your yard may help to:

1️⃣ Lower blood pressure
2️⃣ Reduce anxiety
3️⃣ Relieve stress
4️⃣ Boost the immune system
5️⃣ Strengthen the vascular system
6️⃣ Boost mood

Featured Bird: White-breasted Nuthatch
Feeder and WBU Food: Modern Rustic Classic Too Feeder with Fiery Feast

🍂 Get your yard ready for fall bird feeding with tips from
Kurtis Huston, owner of the Wild Birds Unlimited in Kamloops, BC! Clean feeders, fresh bird food, and water sources are key to helping your backyard birds thrive this season. Read this article to learn more!

CFJC Midday – How best to prepare your yard for fall bird feeding; Wild Birds Unlimited has you covered Kurtis Huston, Owner of Wild Birds Unlimited Kamloops, discusses the change in season and how to keep birds th...

🍂 Across much of North America, it's a fall tradition: raking and bagging leaves. But there's a new way of thinking when it comes to this fall activity — don't do it! 🛑 It's good for the birds and other wildlife (not to mention your back 😉).

We're proud to support the National Wildlife Federation® for Leave the Leaves Month 🍁 to raise awareness about the benefits of letting the leaves lie.

To kick things off, the NWF has shared a document with tips on How to Leave the Leaves. 🎉 https://www.wbu.com/leave-the-leaves/

🎙️ Don't forget to tune into the latest Nature Centered podcast episode, "Hot Pepper. A Hot Topic." 🌶️ John and Brian discuss hot pepper foods, the science and biology behind why it works for birds and keeps the critters at bay. Plus, a special announcement 📢 at the end you don’t want to miss! Listen Now: wbu.com/podcast 🎧

Featured Bird: Golden-crowned Kinglet

Congratulations to Donald and Kara on the purchase of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Lexington, SC! Donald and Kara said, “We are excited to begin this journey with WBU. The organization, the people, focus, energy, and passion have us ready to run a 4 minute mile!” We are so happy to have you part of the WBU family!

WBU is bringing the joy of birdwatching to the classroom! The Wild Birds Unlimited store in McAllen, TX recently donated bird feeders to Dr. Pablo Perez Elementary to spark a love in students for birds and nature. Here’s to inspiring the next generation of birders!

Congratulations to Michele and Tim on the purchase of the Wild Birds Unlimited store in Woodstock, GA! Michele and Tim said, “We are so excited to be joining WBU as franchise owners. We are eager to bring others the same amount of happiness we have received over the years from shopping at the very same WBU store we now own.” Welcome to the flock, Michele and Tim!

John and Brian discuss 🌶️ hot pepper foods, the science and the biology behind why it works for the birds 🐦 and keeps the critters at bay 🐿️. Plus, a special announcement at the end that you don’t want to miss! 🎧 Listen here: https://www.wbu.com/podcast/episode-90-hot-pepper-a-hot-topic/

Sometimes they're fun to watch, and sometimes they're infuriating. For good or bad, squirrels and other critters are a part of backyard bird feeding. If you're looking for a way to deter the critters, try one of our many hot pepper bird foods. Birds love 'em, critters don't! We offer the widest variety and most effective hot pepper bird foods on the market. Shop now and save on hot pepper foods to help you regain control of your backyard.

Featured Birds: Pine Siskin & American Goldfinches
WBU Food: Hot Pepper No-Melt SuperSuet® Cakes & Fiery Feast®
Feeder: FeatherWeight Seed and Suet Feeder

You won't want to miss out on the Ultimate Fall Birdwatching Bundle! Enter via the link below for your chance to win! 🏆

Enter To Win The Ultimate Fall Birdwatching Bundle From Bird Cams! Win a grand prize giveaway (valued at more than $500) that includes everything you'll need to have a fall season that's literally for the birds!

🛍️ Shop during our Daily Savings Club®️ Double Points Event and double-up! 🎉 Instead of earning a $10 Bird Buck with every $200 in purchases, DSC members will receive a $10 Bird Buck for every $100 you spend, good on a future purchase. 💸🐦 Shop Now at mywbu.com/medford

Hurry in for double the points, double the fun! ⏳✨



Featured Birds: American Goldfinches
Feeder: Seed Cylinder Feeder (Green)

Golden eagles go to 'flight school' to master soaring skills Golden eagles must learn flying skills to use uplifts for energy-efficient travel. Juvenile eagles' exploration grows over time.

Are you signed up for Project FeederWatch? It is a fun citizen science program that not only helps you keep track of what birds you have in your yard, but also help scientists track bird populations. This winter will be my 12th year of recording and it is fascinating to see what changes have happened over the years as well as what stays fairly static.

FeederWatch is beginning again soon! Project FeederWatch is a participant-supported, November-April survey of birds in the U.S. and Canada that helps everyone learn more about winter bird populations. If you sign up for FeederWatch this September, you can opt to receive a copy of our new poster, featuring common backyard feeders and the birds that use them. This offer ends September 30th, so don't wait! Check out Project FeederWatch and learn more: https://feederwatch.org/about/project-overview/

[Image description: A bright red bird with a thick, triangular bill, black mask, and pointed crest perches on a berry-laden twig. Text: Free Poster when you sign up for Project FeederWatch. Northern Cardinal by Bob Dunlap / Cornell Lab of Ornithology]

...and in the Rogue Valley, we have Anna's Hummingbirds all winter long. It's important to keep your feeders clean, nectar fresh (change it frequently even if they haven't drunk all of it), and make sure the nectar is unfrozen for them during freezing weather at first morning light. We carry heaters for our feeders that work great to keep the nectar unfrozen so you don't have to worry about it.

Hummingbirds don't migrate in flocks, but individually. And sometimes they migrate pretty late. Leaving your hummingbird feeders up & filled with FRESH nectar will NOT delay migration, but could actually help save late migrating birds. Although some of these stragglers do succumb, in general these little guys are pretty hardy & can survive cold temps at nite as long as they have plenty of calories during the day. Since feeders may be few & far between in the Fall & flower nectar is no longer available, late migrators may hang around remaining feeders for days building up their fat supply before pushing on. One hummingbird camped out in northern Minnesota in mid-November for nearly 2 weeks during its migration. The usual summer hummingbird nectar recipe is 1 cup of sugar + 4 cups of water, but in cold weather it's a good idea to increase this to 1 cup of sugar + 3 cups of water so the little birds are getting more calories since they're expending more in the cold. I leave my glass feeders up generally thru October filled never more than halfway & so far have never had one crack even if it froze solid overnight. Or you can always bring your feeder(s) inside overnight. You can also find feeder warmers or make your own.

Image credit: don-tbugme.blogspot.com

FYI...always call a wildlife rehabber first!

I had no idea!

Do you have any free time? Want to volunteer? RVAS is always looking for more folks who love birds and want to get involved!

Volunteer Coordinator needed for Ashland Christmas Bird Count!

The weather is cooling off, which can only mean one thing, the Christmas Bird Count is coming! The Rogue Valley Audubon reports two CBCs, one for Medford and one for Ashland. This year, the Ashland count needs a coordinator! Tasks include:

· Organizing team leaders for 10 count areas,

· establishing the date of the count,

· setting a post-count meeting for people to report their numbers,

· and sharing the data with the national Christmas Bird Count.

There are a lot of resources available from our local chapter and the national count, and many of the Ashland Christmas Bird Count volunteers are frequent flyers of the program. Please help keep this wonderful community science event running! Contact Rebekah ([email protected]) for more information or to throw your binoculars in the ring! Photo by Frank Lospalluto.

Fall is the perfect time to plant native shrubs in our valley. Our winter rains help them get settled into their new home ready to grow and bloom when warmer weather comes around again.

Many plants produce fruits and seeds that birds use for food, but did you know that ✨native plants✨ also attract and feed lots of native insects?

Fewer native plants means fewer insects, which truly means fewer birds. So perhaps consider planting some natives in your yard to help grow our bird populations and .

Featured Plants: Cardinal Flowers

Juncos and other sparrows will be back in the valley soon! Keep and eye out for them!

Happy First Day of Autumn! 🍂 It's the perfect time to prepare our yards for migrating birds. During this time, consider offering foods that are high in fats and proteins, and create leaf piles that provide additional food and shelter.

Featured Bird: Blue Jay
WBU Food: Peanut, in the Shell

🍂 Fall migration is underway and billions of birds are migrating through North America, mostly under the cover of darkness. 🌙✨ Unfortunately, they face an increasing threat: unnatural, man-made light that attracts, disorients, and makes birds vulnerable to collisions with buildings. 🏙️💡

The solution is as simple as flipping the switch. 🔄 Turning off lights dramatically reduces hazards and allows birds to safely proceed with their migratory journeys. For more tips, visit: https://www.wbu.com/lights-out/

✔️ Do your part to help

🐦+ 🌳=❤️ The birds and the trees...it's a perfect match! Trees are vital to birds and are an important part of a healthy eco-system. They provide shelter and a place for birds to raise families, as well as multiple food sources like nuts, seeds and fruit. Trees also play host to a number of native insects, especially caterpillars, that many birds feed to their nestlings or use for fuel during migration.

As part of our initiative to https://www.wbu.com/save-the-song-birds, we have partnered with Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees across North America. Join us in our mission; plant a native tree in your yard. After all, more trees mean more birds!

🌳 Click here to shop for a variety of bird-friendly trees. https://shop.arborday.org/wbu

Another episode of the Podcast dropped yesterday! Check out episode #89: "Why We Love Insects" today: medford.wbu.com/nature-centered-onewbu

Featured Bird: Black-capped Chickadee
WBU Food: Jim's Birdacious® Bark Butter®

Happy Friday! How many prey-go-neesh (California condors) can you see in this roost tree? Hint: There are two other bird species above the condors. UPDATE: A big thank you to everyone who offered an estimate. There are five condors, two ravens and two turkey vultures in the roost tree.

It is amazing to think there are now 14 free flying condors in this region, when there were none for a century. The Northern California Condor Restoration Program, a partnership between the Yurok Tribe and Redwood National and State Parks (NPS), is releasing more birds every year in the center of the critically imperiled species' former range.

To learn more about the Yurok Tribe's condor restoration work - https://www.yuroktribe.org/yurok-condor-restoration-program

It's back! Winter SuperBlend is now in stock!

We are happy to announce the return of an old favorite and best seller, Winter SuperBlend. It is called “Winter” because it is a high calorie blend that really helps the birds get that extra bit of energy to get through the cold winter nights. Yet even though it isn’t winter, the nights continue to grow longer, the birds time for eating grows shorter, so providing the higher calorie food even before the cold weather sets in is a real benefit to the birds. Stop on by and grab some today, it is sold as a 7 pound bag of loose seed and in both small and large seed cylinders.

Often seen perched from a good vantage point over dry country, the Loggerhead Shrike is a songbird and a hunter. It uses its hooked bill to capture insects, but can predate animals as large as rodents and even other birds! If it catches a bit more than it can eat, it impales what’s left of its dinner on thorns or barbed wire, storing it for later—food usually tastes better the next day anyway.
Read more via the Audubon bird guide: bit.ly/4ebgFdj

A Surprisingly Simple Solution to Protect Birds From Wind Turbines Gets its Biggest Test Yet Painting one turbine blade black has shown promise for preventing collisions. Now researchers are seeing if it can work in Wyoming.