An official website of the State of Georgia.
By Terry W. Johnson
Chances are, if you are reading this column, one of your favorite winter pastimes is feeding birds. As such, each year you spend hundreds of dollars on feeders and foods in hopes of attracting birds within easy viewing distance of your home.
So far, much of winter 2015-2016 has been disappointing for those of us who enjoy seeing white-throated sparrows, cardinals, dark-eyed juncos and a host of others dining at our backyard bird cafes.
By Terry W. Johnson
Chances are if you made a health-related New Year's resolution, it probably involved vowing to eat less salt. The harmful effects of a high-salt diet on humans are well documented. But is the same true for the birds that visit our backyard feeders?
By Terry W. Johnson
Along about this time of year I find myself yearning for signs of spring. Not too long ago, while walking about my yard I came across the season's first crocus and daffodils blooming. Seeing these hardy plants in full bloom convinced me that Mother Nature had opened the door to a change in the seasons, just a crack, and spring was looking in.
 
Location: Berry College, Mount Berry
These cameras focus on a bald eagle nest in a tall pine tree near the Cage Center on Berry College's 27,000-acre campus in northwest Georgia. Nesting activity typically occurs from fall through April–May.
During fall in Georgia, the evening sky surrounding stack stone chimneys begins to fill with small swiftly moving birds known as chimney swifts. Also known as flying cigars, for their body shape, they are one of the state’s neotropical migratory bird species. Depending almost totally on man-made structures like fireplace chimneys, airshafts or abandoned buildings, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division (DNR/WRD) encourages homeowners to provide and maintain proper roosting and nesting habitats for these fascinating little birds.
There are many plants that are both pleasing to the eye and provide songbirds with valuable sources of food long after the flowers themselves have withered and died. Below is a partial list of some plants that are easily grown in Georgia gardens.
This hardy plant is related to Georgia's native thistle and normally blooms in midsummer. Like the thistle, goldfinches and one or our states newest residents, the house finch favor bachelor button seeds.
Over 100 bird species in North America will supplement their diets with bird seed, suet, fruit and nectar feeders. While feeding birds, a few steps can be taken to ensure you "do no harm" to the birds.
TALON is a one-of-a kind camp for teens with a strong interest in the outdoors, birding and ecology. Each day the adventure begins as we travel by charter bus from our base camp at Epworth by the Sea on St. Simons Island to other barrier islands, state parks, wildlife management areas and refuges along Georgia’s coast.
DNR’s Youth Birding Competition is a fun, statewide competition held during a nine-day period coinciding with the peak of spring bird migration. Teams of two to five youths each compete by age division to find the most birds. No experience is required. The event is aimed at encouraging an awareness and appreciation of Georgia’s birds and the outdoors.
Georgia is home to 11 hummingbird species during the year: the ruby-throated, black-chinned, rufous, calliope, magnificent, Allen's, Anna's, broad-billed, green violet-ear, green-breasted mango and broad-tailed hummingbird.
The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species of hummingbird known to nest to Georgia. These birds weigh as little as a first-class letter. The female builds the walnut-sized nest without any help from her mate, a process can take up to 12 days. The female then lays two eggs, each about the size of a black-eyed pea.
