Eagles More than Just Bald

We have all seen the picture of the majestic bald eagle snapping a fish right out of the water.  Most people also think of the Bald Eagle as a top predator, but have you ever taken the time to look at the eagles family.

The Bald Eagles are one of 59 types of eagles found throughout the world and one of four types of eagles found in North America, they a members of the raptor family.  Being a raptor means that you have 399 cousins ranging in size from small Bornean Falconet: one ounce and less than six inches long, to the enormous Andean Condor: almost 30 pounds with a wingspan of more than 10 feet. In fact, Bald eagles are not even the largest eagles in their own family.  According to scientist, of the four general types of eagle, Harpy Eagles, Serpent or snake eagles , fish and sea Eagles, and booted eagles.

Harpy Eagles of the South American rainforest are known as the large members of the family with a Body Length of 35-40 inches a weight of 14 to 20 pounds and a wingspan of up to 7-feet.  Harpy’s are also known to eat larger prey such as deer and monkeys.

Another famed sibling of the Bald Eagle is the booted eagle.  The golden Eagle is also a member of this group.  This eagle is best known for having feathers that cover their legs and feet.  In Greece, golden eagles even eat turtles, soaring high than crashing them onto the ground to crack open their shells.

Eagles are Majestic and beautiful animals from a  large family whose name is Latin for plunderer or one who takes by force. In North America it is important to recognize that while beautiful and powerful, both the bald eagle and the golden eagle are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

Fallen Feathers greatest joy is sharing information about birds. We provide educational programs for schools, church groups, boy/girl scout troops, retirement homes, varied clubs, and organizations.

We look forward to providing further education and information about Fallen Feathers and birds. Please contact us for more information about our public presentations and to schedule an educational demonstration today.

Migratory Birds

            As fall approaches we are winding down baby bird season and excited for fall migratory birds.  We live in a good area to watch the birds as they make their way further south (some do stay here through the winter). Below is a listing of birds that you can see in Arizona during migration

Common Loon                                                    Cattle Egret Heron

Snow Goose                                                         White-fronted Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose                           Tundra Swan

Greater Scaup                                                      Lesser Scaup

Common Goldeneye                                           Bufflehead

Red-breasted Merganse                                     Osprey

Sharp-shinned Hawk                                          Zone-tailed Hawk

Sandhill Crane                                                     Black-bellied Plover

Mountain Plover                                                 Greater Yellowlegs Sandpipers

Lesser Yellowlegs Sandpipers                          Solitary Sandpiper

Red-necked Phalarope                                       Long-billed Dowitcher

Dunlin                                                                    Pectoral Sandpiper

Baird’s Sandpiper                                                Least Sandpiper

Western Sandpiper                                             Semipalmated Sandpiper

Sanderling                                                            Marbled Godwit

Bonaparte’s Gull                                                  Common Tern

Anna’s Hummingbird                                        White-eared Hummingbird

Cinnamon Hummingbird                                  Berylline Hummingbird

Violet-crowned Hummingbird                         Blue-throated Hummingbird

Magnificent Hummingbird                               Plain-capped Starthroat

Lucifer Hummingbird                                        Black-chinned Hummingbird

Broad-tailed Hummingbird                              Allen’s Hummingbird

Costa’s Hummingbird                                        Calliope Hummingbird

Bumblebee Hummingbird                                Rufous Hummingbird

Black-billed Magpie                                            Townsend’s Warbler

Black-and-white Warbler                                  American Redstart

Wilson’s Warbler                                                 Painted Redstart

Yellow-breasted Chat                                          Pyrrhuloxia

Indigo Bunting                                                     Fox Sparrow

Lincoln’s Sparrow                                                Golden-crowned Sparrow

Rusty Blackbird                                                    Pine Grosbeak

Arizona has the largest population of Hummingbird migration in North America.  Hummingbirds have been migrating since the Ice Age. They began migrating when the ice sheets began melting during the end of the ice age for food. They begin to migrate as the flowers die and insects stop flying. They are not equipped to handle cold temperatures and make their solo flights late August or early September. Each species of hummingbird has its own migration strategy and they do not migrate in flocks.

Fall is a time in Arizona to bird watch. A local location is Aqua Fria Wildlife Preserve above Lake Pleasant and extends down Black Canyon City.  Please watch local weather and flooding reports because this area is known for periodic flooding. Great locations in this are for bird watching are: river bottom, Cottonwood/Willow and Galleries. Here you can see warblers, orioles, yellow-billed cuckoo herons, egrets, raptors, swifts, and swallows. For a complete species listing please see the following web site. A recommended bird watching book is National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America.

When bird watching in the Aqua Fria Wildlife Preserve please keep the following in mind:

• No roads
• Trails
• Primitive Camping (great for early morning bird watching)
• All wheeled vehicles are banned
• Great hiking
• Keep in Mind that you are a visitor to the birds habitat

Take time to get to know the many birds in our location and enjoy the outdoors. Please take the time to Tweet us or message us on Facebook about your bird watching adventure. For more information, please contact us.

 

Parrots As Pets

Parrots make wonderful companions! They are intelligent, active, and social animals. They love and need to be part of the family. Parrots are full of personality and will amaze you on a daily basis, but there is a life-long responsibility that goes along with owning one of these beautiful birds.
Birds live a long time. Large birds such as macaws and cockatoos can live to be 100 years old. Even a smaller bird like a cockatiel can live to be over 20 if properly cared for. Will you be able to provide a loving, stable home for such a highly intelligent animal for the next several decades.
Parrots can be very sensitive to change. A stressed parrot may pull its feathers out, become aggressive, or develop an excessive screaming problem. Owning a parrot is like having a 2-year-old child for the rest of your life. They will destroy your furniture, scream, fling food all over your house, poop everywhere, and even the nicest parrots can have their bad days and bite. These are all natural behaviors that you cannot train a parrot out of.  Even a captive bred bird is still a wild animal at heart.

Parrots can also be very expensive to maintain. They require large cages, lots of new toys to keep them mentally stimulated, fresh food, different perches, and veterinary care. You will need a qualified avian vet, for quality pet care. Avian medicine is more challenging, you can expect a doctor’s exam to be 2 – 3 times what you would pay for the exam of a dog or cat. Birds do not generally show physical signs of illness; it would also be wise to run annual blood work, fecal exams, and cultures.
Please do as much research as possible on the particular species you plan to bring home.  Talk to rescues, bird clubs, go to your local library, and ask people experienced with parrots because they are not trying to sell you a bird. Consider volunteering with us to get some first hand experience with many different types of parrots.

Fallen Feathers strongly encourage you to adopt instead of buying from a breeder or pet store. There are so many wonderful birds that need loving homes in rescues across the country. There are many benefits to adopting an older bird as well. Older birds are what you see. Just as with people, the sweet hand-fed babies grow up to be moody teenagers who might decide they’re not so fond of you after all. For more information, please contact us.

Baby Bird Season

Baby birds are born in Phoenix from March until October. For Fallen Feathers this is a busy time of the year. We receive hundreds of baby birds that require constant care and attention. Our many volunteers work tireless to see to the needs of the  baby birds.

Baby birds are most successful with their parents. When finding a bird or nest that has fallen from the tree the best advice is to place them back. The statement if you touch a baby bird the mother will no longer take care of them is a myth. The parents will continue taking care of their young if you return them. The nest needs to be placed as close to the original location. A box can be used to place the nest in if the nest is in poor condition.

When replacing the nest or bird(s) back is not an option the care is best handled by rehabilitation organizations. You will need to take the bird to the location, so find an organization near your location. Preparing the bird for transportation requires the following instructions:

• Keep the bird warm: A bird must be warmed before feeding. Place the bird in a container with torn rags or paper in the bottom.
• Place the container on top of a heating pad set to low. Do not place inside the container. If you do not have a heating pad find the warmest location possible and place container in that area or use hot water bottles.
• Never put water in a bird’s mouth. A bird’s airway is located on the bottom of their mouths behind their tongue.
• Do not feed the bird if: it is lethargic, cold, a hummingbird, or raptor.
• Feeding baby birds any dry cat or dog food when the bird is warmed. Place the food in lukewarm water and wait for it to soften. Squeeze the excess water out and take small pieces and place in the back center of the bird’s mouth. Baby birds need to eat every 10-20 min.

These organizations have the skill and training to care for the various needs. Many times these organizations can use volunteers, donations of cash or items to care for the many birds. The baby birds require round the clock feedings, cleanings, and medical care. Please feel free to contact us 623-533-2348 or your local Audubon Society for a rehabilitation organization near you.

A Home

A Home

A place of dreams and a place of hope

Of new beginnings and lots of soap

This place means a lot to people like me

A place where birds are surprisingly the key

The outside looks like any other place

But when you walk inside that isn’t the case

There are birds up, down, left and right

In cages so big, that is locked up tight

Jody Kieran is the most amazing person around

Were all still surprised that she hasn’t hit the ground

She needs your time, talent and money to take care of all the birds

Including all the people that come in and out like herds

This place is like a zoo, from hawks, doves and cockatoos

Were constantly growing, and learning all the don’ts and do’s.

The place is never truly good enough to call it “clean”

But to us, its one of the best places we’ve ever seen

People and birds alike call this place home

With the animals and people and the forever ringing phone

It’s full of surprises at 9532 W. Cielo Grande

So come over, jump in and join the adventure

You’re sure to never be the same.

Please Contact us at Fallen Feathers

 Lauren, A Volunteer

 

*Authors Note* J P……. To me this isn’t some bird sanctuary or a place where people that got into trouble come to do community service. This is home where everyone is welcome and everyone is accepted. In my life, I have two moms instead of one, two dads instead of one, three brothers instead of two, five dogs instead of three, a cat, a fish, and approximately one hundred birds. Jody and her family took me in and added me to their family. Coming here was definitely one of the best things that have ever happened to me. I love it here and I know everyone else does too~  just look at the dog

Humming Birds

Contact:  Jody Kieran Owner

Organization: Fallen Feathers

Phone Number: 623-533-2348

Email: mailto:jody@fallenfeathers.org

Web Site: http://www.fallenfeathers.org/

Humming Birds

 

 

Hummingbirds are found in tropical climates. There are 328 species in the world, most of which are found in South America, but there are no hummingbirds in Europe. There are 24 species in North America and 18 species in Arizona:

Black Chinned                                                 Lucifer

Berylin                                                             Broad-Tailed

Blue-Throated                                                 Broad-Billed

Violet-Crowned                                               White-Eared

Plain-Capped Starthroat                                  Ruby Throated

Calliope                                                           Magnificent

Bumblebee                                                      Anna’s
Great Locations to See Hummingbirds in Arizona:

Hummingbird Aviary Sonora Desert Museum

Ramsey Canyon Preserve    

 

Fun Facts:

Smallest ~ Bee Hummingbird from Cuba, this bird is 2 ¼ inches long and weighs only 2 grams.

Largest ~ Patagonia Giga from South America in the Andes Mountains, This bird is 8 ½ inches ling and weighs 30 grams.

Longest Migration ~ Rufous, this bird travels 3,000 miles between Alaska and Mexico twice a year.

Longest Flight ~ Ruby-Throated Humming bird travels 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico without stopping.

Lifespan ~ Up to 12 years, with the average being 3 – 5 years.

Speed ~ Hummingbirds can fly as fast as 45 miles per hour. They normally flap their wings 78 times per second. This allows them to fly forward, backward, upside down (briefly by doing a summersault), and hover. Males will flap their wings up to 200 times per second during mating season to attract the females.

Heart Rate ~ Hummingbird’s heart is 2.4% of the birds body weight and beats 1,260 times per minute.

Humming Birds General Information

 

• Hummingbird feeders come in many shapes and sizes. Brightly colored and red feeders work best for attracting hummingbirds.

• Hummingbirds are very competitive and territorial, put up enough feeders to accommodate your hummingbird population and cut down competition.

• Arizona is lucky to have hummingbirds all year-round, so keep the feeders up even in summer.

• Discourage other birds from using your hummingbird feeders by removing nearby perches, as hummingbirds do not need to perch while feeding.

• Plant vegetation that attracts hummingbirds – red tubular flowers is a favorite. These plants also provide insects and other nutrients that hummingbirds need. Contact your local gardener, library or information booklets available from Arizona Game & Fishfor more ideas.

• Homemade hummingbird mix is less expensive than store brands and does not contain red dye. Red is a good color only if it occurs naturally (like on a flower). The red dye in commercially available hummingbird food has not yet been tested for safety and has no nutritional value for hummingbirds. Use only pure beet or cane sugar for hummingbird food. Honey can produce a fungus that affects the birds’ tongues and artificial sweeteners have no nutritional value.

• Clean feeders thoroughly each time you change the feeding solution. The best way is to use hot water and a brush that reaches into the container. When using soap be sure to rinse the container thoroughly and get all the soap out.
• Hummingbirds cannot survive long without heat and frequent feedings (every 10 minutes). They need immediate care. If you find and orphaned, injured or displaced hummingbird contact us.

 

Summer Time Feeder Care:

Feeders should be cleaned and filled with fresh solution DAILY. The Arizona sun and heat cause molds and fuzz to develop very quickly and can be deadly to hummingbirds.

 

Winter Time Feeder Care:

Feeders should be checked daily, and cleaned and filled at least every 3 to 5 days. Any sign of color change in the solution requires immediate cleaning and fresh solution.

 

OUTDOOR HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER RECIPE

1	CUP	Pure beet or cane sugar
4	CUPS	Water
1. Boil mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved
2. Allow mixture to cool
3. Fill feeders
* Extra mixture can be stored in the refrigerator (discard any mixture that shows signs of discoloration) DO NOT use HONEY or ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

For further information please go to Hummingbirds.net.

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