Northwest Bird Club Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2018

PURPOSE

To join together people who have a common interest in keeping and breeding

exotic birds in captivity. To educate our members and the general public

about the best care, keeping, maintenance, and breeding of their birds.

To support bird conservation.

Together we can make a difference.

President’s Message

Hello to Everyone! Is anyone sick of the smoke yet? I know I am. I’m hoping that the smoke clears before the bird mart. I was thinking this morning about how smoke might affect our outdoor birds. We all know that smoking is not recommended when we have birds (at least not around the birds). I found an article online about how forest fires/smoke affect birds. Hope you enjoy it.

I’ve been having problems with ants this summer. I HATE ANTS! I’m not sure why, but I hate them I included an article on how get rid of ants. I haven’t tried it, so I don’t know if it works. I can’t believe that our Annual Bird Mart is only a few short weeks away. I love our bird mart! I get to visit with people that I don’t see often. Also, it’s always great to see what others are selling at the bird mart. People do some really creative things! I hope you’ve been out gathering donations. I know Linda Oakes has gathered several nice donations…thank you Linda! I’m sure there are many others too. Once again, I will be selling my bird toys at the mart. I’ve added something else to sell too, hopefully it will! It seems like every other year I do well at the bird mart…so I’m hoping I do well this year. Last year was a bust for me! I barely made enough to cover my booth rent. I hope that all our vendors do well this year. Hopefully, that will bring them back next year.

Treasurer: Sharon Holscher

sharon@northwestbirdclub.org

Secretary: Vickie Jones

President: Sabra Scotton

sabra@northwestbirdclub.org

Vice President: Vicki Lunt

I hope to see you at the Bird Mart either helping out or just supporting the club! Sabra Scotton, President

Birds, wildlife impacted by smoke, but how much isn’t certain from The Spokesmen Review

September 7, 2017

Wild birds may reduce their activity in smoky conditions, but they still must carry on to survive.

WILDLIFE -- Birds and critters can’t heed health agency warnings to take refuge indoors from the pall of wildfire smoke smothering the West.

They’re stuck outside, coping with bad air quality much as they deal with weather extremes throughout the year.

“Wildlife appears to be hunkering down a little more,” said Madonna Luers, Washington Fish and Wildlife Department spokeswoman in Spokane. “Our biologists can’t say for sure whether that’s because of hot weather or a combination of the smoke and heat, but birds have appeared to be less active.”

It’s natural for wildlife in this region to reduce activity in hot weather, she said.

But wildlife still must sustain themselves, even in dangerously smoky conditions.

Just an FYI…. We are still meeting at the same location, but it is now called:

ROGUE VALLEY MEADOWS

Hummingbirds have showed no apparent slowdown this week at his feeders, said Doug Pineo, a Spokane falconer. “Birds are very sensitive to pollutants, but they also have to eat,” he said.

At Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, “We haven't seen anything out of the ordinary here,” said refuge wildlife biologist Mike Rule. “Birds are migrating through in the usual numbers and no unusual behaviors on the part of moose, deer or elk have been observed.”

Becky West at the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise said she hasn’t observed smoke impacting the live hawks, owls and falcons they have on display outside at the facility.

“If we noticed any distress or panting we’d bring them inside,” she said. “Of course, they’re not out there hunting.”

Wildlife generally will do their best to move into better conditions or they will simply reduce movements to minimize exposure, wildlife experts say, noting that fleeing exposes them to other dangers.

Despite the well-established links between air pollution and human health, vegetation and aquatic ecosystems, less attention has been paid to the potential impact of atmospheric gases on birds and wildlife.

However, according to one survey, “Avian responses to air pollution include respiratory distress and illness, increased detoxification effort, elevated stress levels, immunosuppression, behavioral changes, and impaired reproductive success.” The conclusion from a report by two University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers after a review of other studies conducted in the pat 60 years.

“Exposure to air pollution may furthermore reduce population density, species diversity, and species richness in bird communities,” according to study authors Olivia Sanderfood and Tracey Holloway.

But the impacts of smoke on wildlife have not been quantified, experts say.

“Fire was such a prevalent disturbance factor through evolutionary history that I can't believe that smoke would have any long-term deleterious effects,” Rule, the Turnbull biologist. “I could be wrong.”

“I’m more concerned with the immediate loss of bird habitat,” said Pineo, who’s retired from a career with the Washington Department of Ecology.

“This year’s young have been raised and they’re gone from their aeries, but a lot of important habitat for goshawks and other forest birds has been lost this season.”

Classified Ad Pricing

(Your Ad will be in the monthly newsletter and on our club website)

( Line Ads are free for members )

Line Ads for non-members: $5.00 per month ~ $27.00 for 6 months ~ $55.00 for 1 yr

BOX AD - Includes a box outline to make your ad stand out from the rest – $7.00 per month

DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING ADS for newsletter: 16th of each month.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

**TO PLACE AN AD E-MAIL: SABRA: sscotton1954@gmail.com.com

(In subject line put NWBC) or call (541)941-7844 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DISCLAIMER:

The Northwest Bird Club makes no warrantee as to the health, condition, or availability of any

birds advertised in this newsletter or on our website.

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For Sale: All cages are clean and come with perches and feeders. $50.00 on wheels (1 cage)18"

tall 35" wide and 30" deep. $35.00 each white cage (2 cages) 18" tall 35" wide and 30" deep.

$40.00 each from Quality Cage in Portland OR (4 cages). 20" tall 24" wide 13" deep with

built in breeding box. I also have some white stackables with stand on wheels for $75.00

each. 16x16x23 3 cages on each rolling rack. For information please contact: Davila.

djpapst@gmail.com ***

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Oak Grove Aviary and Farm and Farm is downsizing their poultry birds: White male peacocks $50.00 each,

Chickens, Laying hens, Young Pullets, Tiny old English Frizzle Bantams and Polish mix. Hen prices $10,

$12.50, $15, $20.00. Fresh Eggs: $2.50

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Oak Grove Aviary and Farm will be selling Budgies and Cockatiels at our annual Bird Mart. Bird Club members

can look at the Sleek and Sassy catalog for wholesale pricing(small handling fee). Non bird club members

call for pricing. I will be ordering in September before the Bird Mart. Contact: Linda Oakes @ (541)772-2959

Sleek and Sassy (Wildwood Seed) toys, millet, etc. No orange, oils or pesticides

SLEEK AND SASSY Distributors of Wildwood Seed Sleek and Sassy

Premium and Standard Millet, Bird Toys Wholesale pricing for members! (SMALL HANDLING FEE ADDED FOR SHIPPING)

Contact Linda @ (541)772-2959 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SLEEK AND SASSY Sleek and Sassy bird food offered ONLY to NWBC members at wholesale prices.

(NO HANDLING FEE) Contact Elanah @ (541)535-4700

Cranberry Orange and Carrot Birdie Treats

Is an Army of Ants Invading Your Space? From: http://parrotpressnews.blogspot.com/

The ants seem to be moving in early this year at my house. So I thought I would share a few suggestions on ways to help control ants in a natural safe bird-friendly way.

Here are a few ideas on naturally controlling ant invasions and a few stronger suggestions if necessary

Unless you are an ant lover, you probably would prefer to see no ants in your bird room or anywhere else in

your home. In fact, you probably also prefer not to have them hanging around your home on the outside

either.

There are many articles online to help you identify which species of ant you are trying to rid yourself of.

However, I prefer to focus on how to get rid of them. Getting rid of ants naturally is the way to go if you have

birds, other pets, or even small children in the home.

There are commercial ant baits that do work, but I prefer not to use them around my birds, cats, and my little

dog. My birds and cats are very inquisitive creatures that love to check out anything new in the room so safety

is very important to me. Birds are quite capable of cracking open ant baits to see what is inside, and I find my

cats love to bat the ant baits around the room to see how far they will slide.

One easy way to help prevent ants from climbing up your bird's cage is to put all cage legs in a small

container of water. Ants do not like water, they do not swim. However, you will need to check daily to be sure

there is still water in the bowls. Although this helps keep the ants out of the cage, it doesn't get rid of them. It

is, however, a quick fix to keep ants out of your bird's cage.

Idea #1: Mix a soapy water solution in a spray bottle. Doesn't take much liquid soap or dish detergent. Spray

the ants. This will kill them almost instantly. The soapy water mixture also eliminates scent trails of the ants

helping with newcomers. You can also spray this mixture on your bird's cage legs (but not on your bird) and

around baseboards of the room as well. You may need to repeat daily if you have a lot of ants invading

Idea #2: Mix a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water, and with a spray bottle, spray the ants. This will kill them

and vinegar is not harmful to your birds or other animals (of course don't spray it on your bird or other pets).

Doesn't especially smell good, but it does work. Vinegar and water is also a great cleaning and disinfecting

solution for cleaning your bird's cage too. Just rinse after cleaning.

Idea #3: Cucumber peels repeal ants, so you can chop up some big cucumber slices and spread around the

bird cage tray. You will need to do this fresh daily as your bird if able, may decide to taste or enjoy the

cucumbers as well. Cucumbers are fine for your bird and most love the cucumber seeds as well. However,

you don't want your bird eating day old stale cucumbers.

Idea #4: Mix up a solution of water with some lemon juice and spray around the room corners or baseboard.

Ants don't seem to like lemons very much either. Your room will probably also smell lemony good. Clean and

reapply as often as needed.

Idea #5: You can sprinkle cornmeal around the corners and baseboards of the room to keep ants out as well.

Or sprinkle a circle around your bird's cage. Cornmeal is safe for pets and children, but not so attractive

sprinkled all over your floor. Cornmeal seems to work well outside the home, especially poured on top of ant

beds or mounds. If using outside, you will need to repeat after any rain.

Idea #6: I'm sure everyone has seen or heard of the spray bottle of Bird Mite Spray you can buy at many pet

stores.

I personally do not recommend ever spraying your bird with this yucky stuff. If your bird has mites, lice, or

anything else these sprays claim to take care of, your bird needs to go to the avian vet. Your bird does not

need this chemical sprayed on him or her.

So why do I even mention this product then you ask? Because this Bird Mite Spray stuff kills ants. Kills them

quick and is actually safe to spray on your bird's cage, trays, papers, or all around the floor. Just remember to

not spray directly on your bird. It does have to be repeated every day or two to stay active.

I also recommend a product called Control Bug Spray. It is safe to use around your birds and other pets, but

should never be sprayed directly on them, nor should it be sprayed freely in the air if they are in the room. I

recommend you remove the birds, then spray around the floor or baseboard or cabinet area, air out a bit, and

safely return the birds and other pets to the area.

A note about using Diatomaceous Earth as a deterrent…..

Yes, Diatomaceous Earth does kill ants, slugs, roaches, grasshopper, earwigs, and fleas. However, the dust

can be an irritant to birds, children, pets, or anyone with asthma or other breathing issues. I prefer not to use

this inside the home. It can be safely used around the outside of the home with good results.

Hopefully, some of these suggestions will help you with your ant problem this summer.

For more information please check out our Pinterest Board "Bug and Pest Control Naturally.

Disclaimer: The editor of the NWBC newsletter reserves the right to accept or edit any material submitted for

publication, and in the event of error, assumes no responsibility. Opinions and experiences expressed in this

publication are of those individuals who submitted them, and are not necessarily those of the Northwest Bird

Club. Advertisements are accepted in good faith, however the Northwest Bird Club does not necessarily endorse

them, or assume responsibility.

WEBSITE: northwestbirdclub.org