In this episode of the Michigan DNR's Wildtalk Podcast, you’ll find out what work is happening for wildlife in Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula, talk about birds with MiBirds coordinator, Erin Rowan, and hear listener questions answered during the mailbag segment. The episode wraps up with a discussion about avoiding conflicts with migratory birds.
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD). You can also email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov, and even send your question as a sound file that you record on your phone to be played on the air!
Episode Hosts: Hannah Schauer and Rachel Leightner
Producer: Eric Hilliard
Around the State Guest: Rex Ainslie
Main Interview Guest(s): Erin Rowan
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.
In this episode of the Michigan DNR's Wildtalk Podcast, you’ll find out what work is happening for wildlife in Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula, talk about birds with MiBirds coordinator, Erin Rowan, and hear listener questions answered during the mailbag segment. The episode wraps up with a discussion about avoiding conflicts with migratory birds.
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD). You can also email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov, and even send your question as a sound file that you record on your phone to be played on the air!
Episode Hosts: Hannah Schauer and Rachel Leightner
Producer: Eric Hilliard
Around the State Guest: Rex Ainslie
Main Interview Guest(s): Erin Rowan
Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.
Announcer:
You know what that sound means, it's time for the Michigan DNR's Wildtalk Podcast. Welcome to the Wildtalk Podcast, for representatives from the DNR's wildlife division, chew the fat and shoot the scat about all things habitat, feathers, and fur. With insights interviews and your questions answered on the air. You'll get a better picture of what's happening in the world of wildlife here in the great State of Michigan.
Hannah:
Welcome back to Wildtalk, I'm your host Hannah Schauer and joining me today as always is the lovely Rachel Leightner. What do we have on the docket for this month's episode, Rachel?
Rachel:
Today, to help us start thinking about spring we'll be joined by Erin Rowan, the MI Birds coordinator for the DNR, and Audubon Great Lakes to talk about what's going on with birds right now. And then later in the show, we'll answer some of your questions from the mailbag. And sometime during the episode, we will also be revealing the winners of our Wildtalk Podcast camp mugs. And you find out how you can win one too. We should have a great show today.
Hannah:
We've also got Rex Ainslie back on the show to talk about what's going on in the Northern Lower region, but first, we're going to shine our wildlife spotlight on the turkey vulture.
Rachel:
Let's talk about the interesting bird, the turkey vulture. Have you seen any turkey vultures yet, Hannah?
Hannah:
Yes. I actually have had a couple sightings of turkey vultures around here in Southern Michigan. So they are starting to make their way back. A sure sign of spring, very excited.
Rachel:
Me too. We've got a handful of them flying around our region as well, which is always exciting. So the turkey vultures will be making their way back north from overwintering a little bit further south, and they are an extremely interesting and quirky bird.
Hannah:
Yes, they're one of my favorite birds for that very reason.
Rachel:
So these birds they're... If you haven't seen them, they are overall dark in color, except for their bald red head, which is a good indicator of you're looking at a turkey vulture. So it's very distinct coloration. They also have broad long wings and if you see them soaring overhead, their V-shaped wings and wobbly flight patterns can help set them apart from other large birds that might be soaring overhead like hawks or eagles.
Hannah:
Yes. A good thing to look for is that teetering, wobbly flight. Now, those bald featherless heads come in handy when you are rummaging around in a road-killed deer carcass and would prefer not to get your fancy feathers ruffled and messy. You can think of the turkey vulture as nature's cleanup crew, as they are scavengers and feed on carcasses of dead mammals. But they might also feed on dead amphibians, reptiles, birds, and so on. They do prefer their food to be as freshly dead as possible.
Rachel:
Well, of course.
Hannah:
Of course, why would you want it any other way?
Rachel:
So they can find their dead delicious meals to feast on using their excellent sense of smell, and unlike many other species of birds that don't have a well-developed sense of smell. So this makes them very unique. Now, given their food preferences, don't be surprised to see them hanging around roadways or in close proximity to people.
Hannah:
We get plenty of roadkill near my house and it doesn't take the vultures long to find it. A couple summers ago, there was a raccoon the vultures were cleaning up, close enough that I could watch them out the window. And it was really interesting because they took turns eating. So there was a group of them that would hang out in the tree nearby watching the one that was picking at the carcass. And then occasionally, one would swoop down and try and get a bite, but would get shooed away by the other bird because it wasn't their turn yet. So they do take turns when feeding if there's a group of them around, which I think is fascinating.
Rachel:
It is fascinating. My first assumption would be that they all just kind of pile on to whatever dead thing they found, it's interesting they take turns. Now, turkey vultures nest in places away from human disturbances, so in places like hollow log, thickets, rock crevices, abandoned nests of other species, and so on. And they don't do much nest construction of their own. They will have between one and three eggs in a clutch, and only one brood per year.
Hannah:
Now, another quirk to the turkey vultures which I think we may have talked about on this show before, at least as a quiz question, perhaps, is their defense mechanism. So if they are scared or feel threatened, they vomit, and given their dietary preferences, I think that would be quite unpleasant.
Rachel:
That is such a gnarly wildlife adaptation. Well, as we get into the spring season, you'll want to keep your eyes open for these utterly fascinating birds, these turkey vultures near roadways, or perched in tall trees or soaring overhead. Hopefully, you'll be able to see them flying around this spring.
Hannah:
All right, folks, don't soar away. Next, we'll find out what's going on for wildlife in the Northern Lower region.
Rachel:
Now is your opportunity to win a Wildtalk Podcast mug, as a thank you to our listeners we'll be giving away a mug or two every episode.
Hannah:
Yay, so exciting. Now, our March mug winners are James Powell and Eric Frith, check your email as we'll be getting in touch with you soon. They answered the question, what is the area inside a bear's nose called that allows them to smell 100 times better than humans can? Now, the answer is nasal mucosa, but we also accepted olfactory bulb. Congratulations, James and Eric.
Rachel:
To be entered into the drawing this month, test your wildlife knowledge and answer our wildlife quiz question. What kind of bird can be found here in Michigan that has a brain that is upside down?
Hannah:
So if you think you know the answer, email your name and answer to us at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov to be entered for a chance to win a mug. Be sure to include the subject line as mug me and submit your answer by April 15th. We'll announce winners and the answer on next month's episode. So be sure to listen in, to see if you've won and for our next quiz question.
Rachel:
Good luck. And now back to the show.
Announcer:
Pure Michigan Hunt applications are on sale now. If you want your shot of what is considered Michigan's ultimate hunt, pick up a $5 application or two, there's no limit to the number you can buy. If you're one of the three lucky winners, you'll get a hunting prize package worth thousands, as well as licenses for elk, bears, spring and fall turkey, antlerless deer, and first pick in a managed waterfowl area for a reserved hunt. Purchase anywhere hunting licenses are sold, or online at Michigan.gov/PMH.
Rachel:
Welcome back to Wildtalk, Rex Ainslie, the Northern Lower regional manager is back on the show with us today to talk about the happenings in his region. Thanks for joining us today, Rex. So we are in the spring season, what would you say is the biggest accomplishment that the Northern Lower region has tackled this quarter?
Rex:
Back in January, we conducted the elk survey which... There's three years separating, so the previous one was 2019. And that's a really big project for us to conduct, there's 90 plots that we fly and each plot is two miles wide by six miles long. So they're flown by the small Cessna airplanes. So there's a total of about 4,300 linear miles that we cover in about eight days, and that takes a tremendous amount of effort to coordinate.
Rex:
One of the things we can't coordinate is the snowfall. And so we kept putting this thing off for weeks because we weren't getting enough snow in the northern tip of the map, which was unusual for January, right? So we were able to get that accomplished. The results of that is we saw 793 animals and 92 groups throughout that population survey, which was a decrease from 2019. But using the models that the biologists use the estimate came out to around 1200 to 1300 animals, which was more than the previous survey. So we're seeing population growth still, and it helps us with information on regulations and setting the number of licenses that we issue for that special hunt.
Hannah:
Guys have wrapped up the elk survey and looming on the horizon, what would you say is the biggest project coming up for your folks in the Northern Lower region?
Rex:
As you know, a few years ago, when the dams on the Tittabawassee River blew, the Sanford Dam and Edenville Dam, that elevated dam safety to another level, and that has contributed to some of our projects. And we are expecting to remove two dams in Roscommon County this spring that are considered significant hazard dams. So if they were to blow out, for instance, there is a risk to property damage, and potentially some human safety issues with those dams. And one of the dams is right next to M-18 south of Roscommon, if we had some catastrophic incident there, we could really damage the road, which would be a huge issue.
Rex:
The other dam is upstream from a small lake that feeds into Houghton Lake. There are residents on that lake that could become flooded if we had an accidental release of water. And we realized that over time when these dams were installed by the DNR back in the '40s and '50s when beaver populations were almost gone. So we replaced these beaver dams with manmade structures, but now beaver are back, and they're plugging up these dams and causing maintenance issues. And now they're at the end of their design life, and it's time to restore the natural waterway and let beaver do what beaver do. Those are big projects.
Rachel:
You've got an incredible staff in the Northern Lower. So let's chat about some of them. Have you had any impressive contributions that have come across this last quarter, any staff you'd like to highlight?
Rex:
Now, let's not say that everyone isn't special, but there's one special employee, Shelby Adams.
Rachel:
Yeah. Shelby is an impressive person. So what is she involved in? What kind of work had she been doing the last couple of months, because it was really cool stuff.
Rex:
So it's interesting because previous month she took over the biologist job at Pigeon River Country, which is really cool place, and she was at Atlanta for many years. And because we haven't backfilled her old position, so she's kind of doing two things and learning a new job. So we have the south survey that covered basically the Pigeon River Country, that whole area, and peripheral to that too. She's working on all this Bovine TB thing that we... We're in really deep with trying to control Bovine TB and deer habit in that area.
Rex:
So she's still working on those kinds of things and learning her new job at Pigeon River, which is exciting for her too, just to have that. And we haven't had a person in that job full-time as a biologist for over a decade. So there's a lot of learning for her to handle. For the last few months, it's been kind of a whirlwind for Shelby to take on those new roles, continue with her old role, and she's a trooper. And she's also represents the division on Ask the DNR on Central Michigan public television. She's quick with the answers and she knows them and she does a great job.
Hannah:
Thanks so much, Rex. We appreciate you taking the time to share the work that's happening for wildlife in the Northern Lower. For our listeners, stick around next up, we'll be talking birds with Erin Rowan.
Announcer:
Did you know that you can take your hunting and fishing regulations with you wherever you go? Have access to the information you need when you need it, right on your smartphone. Just visit Michigan.gov/DNRDigest to download the applicable hunting digest before you head out to the woods, or the Michigan fishing guide before you hit the water. Download the most up-to-date regulations available today at Michigan.gov/DNRDigest.
Hannah:
Welcome back to Wildtalk. Joining Rachel and I today to talk all about birds is Erin Rowan, MI Birds coordinator for the DNR, and Audubon Great Lakes. Welcome back to the show, Erin.
Erin:
Thanks so much for having me, Hannah and Rachel.
Hannah:
We're excited to have you here because earlier in the show, we were talking about turkey vultures returning, which we've had a couple of sightings in the Southern parts of the state so far. I've also heard some red-winged blackbird singing. So I'm curious to know what species of birds are usually the first to make their way back to Michigan in the spring.
Erin:
Yeah. In addition to the turkey vultures and the red-winged blackbirds, which really are true harbingers of spring here in Michigan. Right now is a great time to see Sandhill cranes, which are another species similar to the American robin that doesn't always migrate south each winter. A lot of these birds can stay in Southern Michigan year-round, but right now is the time that their migration peaks for the rest of the state. So you can actually hear them calling during the day if you manage to have your windows open, as they migrate in really large flocks overhead. If you want to go find them, you can do so in wet meadows and marshes. And their calls is one of my favorites, they sound like dinosaurs. So if you haven't heard it, I hope you are able to go find some this spring. Killdeer are another early spring arrival and you can usually hear their high-pitched call, which sounds like their name killdeer, in wide-open landscapes, including our suburban lawns, fields, and even parking lots.
Erin:
Even though these birds are technically shorebirds, they're largely terrestrial and can sometimes be found in areas that aren't even near water. So they're another one to keep your eyes peeled for. We're also home to a lot of sparrows here or little brown jobs as I like to call them, as many birdwatchers also call them. And the song sparrow is one that is an early spring arrival as well across the state. And they have a really beautiful and cheerful song. They also can be found in marsh or field edges, and they have a streaked breast with a signature black spot in the middle. So keep your eyes peeled for that definitive feature to help differentiate them from other little brown jobs.
Erin:
And finally, the American woodcock or timberdoodle, which is my favorite nickname for this species, is another early migratory bird arrival back to Michigan at this time of year. The males have a really unmistakable buzzy courtship call, and they do an amazing aerial display for the females, usually, as early as April. So again, now is a great time to try to go out and find these birds. And if you've never seen one before or seen their courtship display, you can visit your local nature centers or Audubon Chapters as many host guided woodcock walks at this time of year.
Hannah:
Well, every once a while, I think I hear them peenting out in the woods, but I've not actually laid eyes on one here around my area, but pretty sure they're around. So I've been listening to hear if they've returned yet.
Rachel:
Yeah, that courtship rituals are spectacular and it's so unusual and it's not what you would really expect to see. So I highly suggest you find a Woodcock Walk near you to go check them out. Well, thanks, Erin, it sounds like we've got a lot of really interesting birds to see and listen to, coming to Michigan this spring. Now, when we're listening to them, are they usually singing because it's their breeding season.
Erin:
Yeah. So the time of the year, because breeding is starting up again is definitely one reason birds sing. And males tend to be the one singing to establish their territory for the breeding season, to defend their territory, and to attract a potential mate. But folks might actually be surprised to learn that contrary to popular belief, a lot of female birds sing too. A recent study in 2016 actually found that nearly 150 North American bird species have females that sing. When females sing, it's a little bit different in some capacities, they also sing to defend their territories, or they can sing in a duet with a male as part of their courtship, like northern cardinal. And they slowly start to match their songs and start singing more similarly to one another, and even some female warblers sing.
Erin:
So some of ours that will be returning later in May, like Wilson's warbler, yellow warbler they also have females that sing. So if you're out birding and hear some of these songs, you might want to double-check to see if it's a singing female.
Hannah:
Oh, how cool. I did not know that.
Rachel:
No, it sounds straight out of a fairy tale. That's some Snow White plot, these birds singing in duet together.
Erin:
Definitely. It's fun to watch with some of the rose-breasted grosbeaks I have encountered in Michigan singing back and forth to each other.
Hannah:
So if folks are hoping to maybe attract some of these singing birds, are there different things people can do to make their area, I guess more attractive to the birds?
Erin:
Spring migration is a really amazing spectacle, but it's also a really stressful and dangerous time for birds that are traveling great distances. So if you're looking to attract birds to your space or support them during this stressful time in their lives, you can make a little safe haven for them by taking a few simple steps. One is providing water for birds, either in the form of a birdbath or something called a bird waterer. It's essentially a bird feeder that's full of water. So if you have limited space, you can still hook one of those outside your window or on a patio.
Erin:
And then you can also provide shelter for birds in the form of a small brush pile if you have the space, making sure there's enough room between those branches that birds can fly in between and get cover. Can also install a birdhouse or roosting house or plant some native shrubs and trees that can help provide cover as well.
Erin:
And then the last thing that you can provide birds is some food. And this can be either in the form of bird feeders or native plants. If you live in an area where there are a lot of deer or bears, bird feeders can be an attractant. So native plants are really great alternative to bird feeders if you're hoping to keep other wildlife at bay. And native plants have been shown to provide so much more nutritious value for birds than our typical maybe... Well, perhaps more typical suburban non-native ornamentals that we often use in our landscaping. And they support a lot more native insects, which is actually the most important food source for baby birds that are going to start arriving soon.
Erin:
And then other important food groups for birds to be thinking about while you're planting native plants are fruits and berries, nectar, and seeds and nuts. And even if you don't have a backyard, creating a native plant container garden on a doorstep or balcony can really help support your local native birds and pollinators. And to look for native plants that are best for your area, you can visit Audubon's Plants for Birds database online at audubon.org/plantsforbirds. And you can enter your zip code and it gives you a whole list of plants that are perfect for your area. So it's an amazing resource.
Rachel:
It is an amazing resource. We're planning what we're going to plant here in a couple of weeks. And we went to the website to figure out what species, one helped birds, but two looked cool, it's the perfect things you want to put in your yard. So, that is a great resource.
Rachel:
Thanks for sharing those tips. It is the perfect time, I mean, as we're cleaning up our yards to get them ready for summer, while you've got brush and limbs and things that probably fell over the wintertime. It almost might be easier to pull them into a brush pile than to have to chop them up or take care of them or dispose them some way. So there's a lot of little things we can do around our yards to help birds this migration. So thanks for sharing those, Erin.
Rachel:
Are there any spring bird events that folks can check out to learn more about Michigan's birds or bird watching or community science projects that folks can get involved with this spring and summer?
Erin:
Yeah, definitely. So we have a free upcoming lunch hour webinar actually about the Kirtland's warbler, and that'll be on Wednesday, April 6th at 12:00 PM Eastern, and you can learn more in rsvp@gl.audubon.org. And then we also have an upcoming DNR spring birding tour at Saint Clair Flats State Wildlife Area on Harsens Island on Saturday, May 7th. More details on that event are coming soon and you can learn more by following MI Birds, Audubon Great Lakes, and Michigan DNR. And there are a few ways that you can get involved in community science if folks are interested in participating in some spring and summer bird counts.
Erin:
Like I mentioned before, spring migration can be a stressful time for birds, and bird-window or bird-building collisions are really common during this time. So you can actually participate to join a building monitoring team or submit your own bird collision observations using something called the Global Bird Collision Mapper app. And if there are any teams in your area, you can find them within that app. And if there isn't a team in your area, you can still submit your own observations, and you can monitor buildings that you think would be a problem for birds that have a lot of reflective glass or a lot of just clear glass even.
Erin:
You can also join Audubon Great Lakes this summer to learn about Traverse City's piping plovers and how you can protect them. To learn more about that project, you can follow Audubon Great Lakes on Facebook for future updates. And then to count birds and contribute to community science and conservation at the same time, you can participate in spring and summer bird counts through Michigan DNR stewardship division. You can visit their stewardship page to learn more.
Erin:
We also have Audubon's Climate Watch, which is looking for volunteers to count birds from mid-May to mid-June during at spring season. And then finally, all you need is five or ten minutes to participate in the summer Global Big Day, which is an annual global bird count hosted by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and this year it will be on Saturday, May 14th. And all bird observations on this day are entered into eBird, which is one of the largest community science databases. And it's a free resource that can also help you keep track of what birds you're seeing.
Hannah:
So lots of opportunities for folks to get involved with spring and summer bird-related events and projects. Are there any other additional resources you might want to mention where people can find more birdy related type information?
Erin:
Yeah. So for all things Michigan birds, you can follow MI Birds. Across the state, we give public talks and virtual webinars on bird conservation, and we engage Michiganders in stewardship activities, and community science projects. So you can learn more by visiting MI Birds online at gl.audubon.org/mibirds, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You can also visit Michigan DNR's birding page for seasonal bird updates and information about Michigan's birding trails at michigan.gov/birding.
Hannah:
Fantastic. And I'm sure we'll have some links to those resources that you've mentioned in our show notes as well for folks.
Rachel:
Well, thanks for joining us today, Erin. It is always a pleasure to have you on to talk about birds. We really enjoy when you join our show. So thank you.
Erin:
Thank you so much. I was really happy to be here.
Rachel:
All right, folks. So next step, you'll want to stick around, we will be answering questions from the mailbag.
Announcer:
Did you know that Michigan lies where the Atlantic and Mississippi migratory flyways intersect? This brings over 340 species of birds to Michigan each year. Follow MI Birds on Facebook to learn more about our feathered friends, year-around guided bird walk, stewardship events and community science opportunities near you. MI Birds is an education and outreach program created by Audubon Great Lakes in the Michigan DNR. Search MI Birds on Facebook, that's M-I Birds.
Hannah:
Welcome back to Wildtalk. Now, we're going to dig into the mailbag and answer some of your questions.
Hannah:
So I got a question from Jared who wrote in about issues they have been having with a group of turkeys in their area. Now, to make your area less appealing to the turkeys, be sure to remove any food sources like bird feeders that could be attracting the turkeys to the area. If there are those food sources like grains and birdseed available, the turkeys will continue to frequent the area, and other hazing methods that you try could be less effective. Hazing techniques can be used to assert your dominance and maintain the turkey's natural fear of people. So whenever the turkeys come around, use things like noisemakers, such as air horns, banging pots and pans, barking dogs, or rattling rocks in a glass jar, to try and scare those turkeys away. Spraying a water hose near the turkeys, or using motion-detecting sprinklers might help startle them and keep them away as well.
Hannah:
And then if you're walking out and about, open and close an umbrella while walking toward the turkey to try and spook it. Male turkeys are known for attacking their reflections, especially in the springtime because they are territorial and think they see another male turkey. So if you notice this type of behavior, try covering or disguising windows or other shiny objects that the turkey might be pecking at. And if you live in an area where hunting is allowed, turkeys may be hunted in certain areas in the spring and the fall with a valid Michigan turkey license. So some additional tips and information on living with wild turkeys can be found at michigan.gov/wildlife.
Rachel:
Lots of good tips there for how to live with turkeys this time of year. And speaking of turkey hunting, the month of April opens up the spring turkey season, and most hunters this time of year are itching to dust off their best camouflage and get out to the woods, that also includes me. And we have received a handful of questions from turkey hunters about spring season dates and different license types. Luke wrote in wanting to know what turkey management units have leftover licenses and how many license he can purchase this spring season. Leftover licenses for the spring season went on sale back in March, so there may be a limited amount of licenses that are still available. You can check what units have licenses on the Michigan DNR eLicense homepage, that website is michigan.gov/dnrlicenses. And then for the spring season, you may only purchase one license to harvest one bearded turkey.
Rachel:
Now, Paul also wrote into us, he must have checked his leftover licenses on the DNR website. He says that he is a turkey hunter, and unfortunately the unit he was hoping to get a license in was sold out. And he wanted to know if there are any other license options so that he can hunt turkeys this spring. And you are in luck, Paul, there are licenses still available for you. You should check out the Hunt 0234 license, which is currently on sale now. The Hunt 234 spring turkey license allows you to hunt on public and private lands statewide, except for public lands in Unit ZZ, which is in the southern Lower Peninsula. And there's lots of flexibility with this license because you can use the Hunt 234 license to hunt about three weeks in May. The season opens up on May 7th and runs through the 31st. This is also a guaranteed license, which means we guarantee that it will not sell out and it will be available for hunters.
Hannah:
Awesome. Good to know that opportunity is still out there for folks who might be looking for some spring turkey hunting opportunities.
Rachel:
Spring turkey season is a favorite of mine. I have yet to harvest a turkey, but I do love being out in the spring season. So I hope anybody else who's heading to the field within the next couple of weeks has a great turkey season or at least enjoys the spring blooms. Well, as we zip the segment to a close, remember if you have questions about wildlife or hunt, you can call 517-284-WILD or email us at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov, your question could be featured on the mailbag.
Announcer:
Did you know that you can take your hunting and fishing regulations with you wherever you go? Have access to the information you need when you need it right on your smartphone, just visit Michigan.gov/DNRDigests to download the applicable hunting digest before you head out to the woods or the Michigan fishing guide before you hit the water. Download the most up-to-date regulations available today at Michigan.gov/DNRDigests.
Hannah:
As we are thinking about birds returning this spring, we thought it would be good to cover some of the preventative measures you could take if you experience issues with some of the larger migratory birds that are protected by federal laws.
Rachel:
Because these birds are protected by federal laws, scare tactics and other non-lethal deterrent methods are the first step to take in order to reduce conflicts, just in case you get some predatory birds that are causing issues for you at your house. Now, scare tactics for birds include noisemakers, such as rattling rocks in a jar, or banging pots and pans together, as well as visual stimuli placed around the yard or the areas you want to deter them from. Things like bird balloons, Mylar, or brightly colored ribbon, all can help deter birds.
Hannah:
And now most often we hear about hawks or owls that are going after someone's backyard poultry, and I'm no stranger to having chickens picked off by hungry migrating Hawk. So in these cases, first, you want to make sure your poultry is in a sturdy enclosure and you may need to use netting or another material over the top to protect them from above as well.
Rachel:
Now, hawks and owls hunt from high perches. So whenever possible, you want to remove those perches near the poultry enclosure so that they are, as Hannah mentioned, not catching your chickens from above. And use a variety of scare tactics if you see them hanging around.
Hannah:
Now, occasionally, we also hear of someone having trouble with an egret or a heron that is hunting fish in their ornamental pond.
Rachel:
Now, for these situations, try placing a heron decoy in your pond. If it appears that a heron or an egret is already feeding there, then the heron may choose to leave and find another place to hunt. You also want to create many hiding places for fish within your pond, so that if they can escape the probing beaks of these herons and egrets, they have a safe place to do so. You want to use logs or large rocks or other structures that fish can hide behind or underneath.
Hannah:
Yes. And also use scare tactics if you see these birds in or near your pond, as well as try creating some obstacles around the pond that make it tricky for waiting birds to navigate, such as placing a decorative fence around the pond to keep those waiting birds out.
Rachel:
So it's really like a trial and error type approach. You just try lots of different things and see what happens to work. As we talked about earlier in this episode, turkey vultures aren't going to try to catch a chicken or a fish, because they primarily feed on dead things. However, they may roost in large groups and some homeowners complain about the large messes under their roosts.
Hannah:
Yep. They can form some of those large groups and kind of congregate together, especially if you got nice big tall trees. Now, in these cases, as we discussed at the beginning, use noisemakers to try and scare birds from their roosts and place visual stimuli near where they are trying to just roost to startle them.
Rachel:
And if you can safely access where they are roosting, porcupine wire can be placed on roosting areas to deter birds from actually landing there, or you can try creating ledges that are difficult for them to perch upon. Angle ledges with wood or metal sheathing at 60 degrees or so to deter those birds from perching will also hopefully work effectively for you from removing those birds from the area.
Hannah:
Yeah. So those types of tips would be probably most applicable on maybe a building if you have a turkey vulture group trying to roost on a building roof. Using some of that porcupine wire or making it so they can't effectively perch there, those methods that Rachel mentioned are what you probably want to try in that situation. Be sure to keep these tips in mind, if you have any of the birds that we mentioned hanging out in your area, and hopefully you'll be able to enjoy all the returning birds this spring. So keep thinking warm thoughts, and we'll see you back here in May.
Announcer:
This has been the Wildtalk Podcast, your monthly podcast airing the first of each month and offering insights into the world of wildlife across the State of Michigan. You can reach the wildlife division at 517-284-9453 or dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.