Is it just my yard, or have you noticed that there does not seem to be as many songbirds as you use to have?

Question

Must be new housing developments. So much building up around here. Yes that must be it.

Hot weather probably does not help either

But I haven't seen any cats, but maybe. Oh poor birdies. I love cats and birds!

Answer 1

Not just you, Daisy, it was due to the extreme hot spell. I think they went away for awhile. It rained here last week and finally, I heard the cardinals and wrens again.

I still have a few hummingbirds left. I had to refill the feeders again. It is September and they haven't left for the winter home yet.

I hope you birds return soon. I was so nice to hear them this morning. The mockingbirds and the cardinals.

Answer 2

I think it has more to do with West Nile disease than developments.

I live in an area that has a bushy ravine behind my property. (A huge park system actually.) And even here, the ideal environment for birds, there is SO MUCH LESS of them that the difference is truly noticeable.

Yesterday, I had to go to a mall a few kilometers from home to pick up some things I have been needing for awhile. On the walk home I passed FOUR bodies of birds lying just off the sidewalk. One was a young seagull (still with it's speckles) the rest were smaller songbirds. If these had been animal kills the bodies would not have been left behind.

I miss my robins--you only see the occasional one now. I have not seen a single blue jay this year at all, when they are usually well represented in the neighbourhood. And I haven't even seen the cardinal couples since early spring when they were obviously nesting. It seems that the only bird that is still around in any numbers are crows. Ugly birds. I saw a flock of about 10 of them tearing a chipmunk to pieces and fighting over the smallest morsel of it just days ago.

Answer 3

The yard at the house I care for had a variety of birds this season & now there is only ONE left! It seems that they were indeed eaten by the wild cats of the neighborhood. We seem to have an abundance of FERAL CATS this year & even if they have a daily food source, it seems that they enjoy tearing the birds up. I find the feathers & body parts in the yard next to the dry cat food. It seems that some birds enjoy eating cat food & this is a territorial thing with both sides of the animal kingdom!

Answer 4

No I used to have Zillions of Magpie's, every morning and night, they would fly around and chatter and fight with each other. Have you ever heard a Magpie, boy are they noisy.
They are a rather large bird and would chase all of the other birds away for their territory. You could not leave your windows open, for the noise. They are almost as bad as Crows. They would be in the trees chattering for hours at everybody and everything. Then we had a problem with the mosquito's and West Nile Virus, to the point of them having to spray the areas to get rid of the mosquito's, well I think the spray must of got to them. As I have not seen A ONE since then. They are kind of pretty Black and White with a yellow beak, now I kind of miss them. But the small Wrens and Bluebirds seem to be fewer also, I don't know whats going on. Even the Crows seem reduced in size. If someone knows what I sure would be interested to know what happened to them all, also. For now my only explanation is the West Nile Spray got to them.

Answer 5

Two factors here. First, this time of year calls for most birds to make an exit for the southern hemisphere. Warmth and food supply are the driving force behind that.
Secondly, if you are not providing food and water for the birds year round, they have no reason to stay. See factor one.
I stop feeding the birds just before it is time for fall. In fact, I already stopped. That way it forces the birds to leave.
Oh, Oh STOP. You might have a third factor. You might have cats hanging around. Soooo, you want to get rid of the cats? wink, wink LOL

Answer 6

I just checked my car. Yep. The birds are still here.

Seriously, we don't have much in the way of songbirds, but then we never did. We have robins, crows, jays, mockingbirds, doves, woodpeckers, hummingbirds and our state bird, cardinals.

Also squirrels, chipmunks, moles, opossums, mice and rabbits scurrying here and there, vying with the birds for berries and seeds.

Puckheaded: That has been proved to be a myth about the cats.

Answer 7

Truthfully, Daisymae, this is my story....
I bought a big bag of sunflower seeds, mixed with other wonderful seeds, bought a really nice bird feeder and put it right outside the kitchen window and I delighted in watching the cardinals, finches, and jays come around. They started to disappear however, and I found out why, see I have a cat named Taz and another one called Oliver, they thought I was feeding the birds so that they could have a treat! I had started the food chain thing......

I really felt badly about the whole thing too so I had to stop feeding the birds. The cats however are very adept at bringing me palmetto bugs because I HATE THEM. see. I have an exterminator and they have no "toys" to play with, so their idea of fun is to bring me presents so I can jump up on top of furniture and scream. Who said cats don't have a sense of humor?!.

Answer 8

Do you have an abundance of house cats around? They are the number one killer of song birds in the world. Most birds only live 30% of their natural lives. Also new housing developments or clear cutting can cause this.

Send me a link about the myth.

Answer 9

I have noticed over the last few years. But they mow down every tree and scrape off every blade of grass to put in new housing developements only to stick in some pathetic ugly shrubs. Where I am you could hear the frogs at night until they scraped them off the face of the earth to put in a highrise. No wonder there is so much road kill. The poor animals have nowhere to go. And to all the people who ***** about black bears coming into their yards. Well Duh, your house was built in their territory. Then when they come around the idiots shoot them dead. What a world.

Answer 10

I am not sure where you live but, you can have plenty of mine! I cannot believe someone actually asked this question when I have been wanting to strangle our State Bird....the Mockingbird! This bird will not shut up day or night! I am not kidding. When I have wanted solitude...nope, he would come along and start his medley of mockeries! GRrrrrr!

Now, I used to love song birds! Truly, I did as I enjoyed listening and watching them! After this Mockingbird....I am having second thoughts! LOL Actually, we have doves who coo and they are nesting in one of the trees! I love them but, they know when to shut up too!

I am happy to report that I did not break the law and shoot that bird dead square in the...head! Ohhhhh, I thought about it! Now, someone has done this for me or, he decided he had better move on. Either way, I do not miss him and I hope, for my sanity, he stays gone!