Ask the Experts

Pros weigh in on spring gardening and birding questions.

Q Common grackles consistently throw birdseed and empty my feeders. How can I deter them? Stefanie Vanderbush WAUPUN, WISCONSIN Kenn and Kimberly: To deal with the big appetites and messy habits of grackles, the best approach is to switch to different styles of feeders. Hanging tube-style feeders with short perches will attract finches and other small birds, but grackles find them hard to use. A suet feeder that can be accessed only from the underside will work for chickadees, nuthatches and other acrobatic birds, but may discourage grackles. You can also place a wire cage around a feeder—use wire with openings too small for grackles to squeeze through but big enough to let in finches, chickadees, juncos and other small birds. Q When I purchased this plant, I was told it’s a…

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Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, February/March 2022

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