Wild Bird Center of Colorado Springs Colorado

Right now, many birds are on the move. They are making the journey to their winter homes and it is the very best chance for you to see an unusual bird in your backyard or on a bird walk to a migration “hotspot” like Fountain Creek. You can increase your chances of attracting an unusual bird species to your yard by keeping your feeders full and clean fresh water available.

Look for migrating birds during a change in weather as when a front passes through. If bad weather sets in or the wind direction changes, birds on the move may just wait it out in your yard. You may see a whole flock of something unusual or just a single bird.

Don't forget to look up and listen, and not just during the day. Lots of birds migrate through the night. You may get the thrill of seeing flocks of birds crossing a beautiful fall moon or hearing their calls overhead in the crisp, still night.

Have your guidebooks and camera ready. We are always willing to try and help you id a difficult bird and you are welcome to come into the store and use our reference materials.

NOTE: It seems that Fall also brings many window collisions. If you have ever heard that thump against the window and then spotted the lifeless body below, you know how distressing this situation can be. One theory for the increase in collisions at this time of year is that the birds that stop by to grab a meal or a sip of water are not familiar with the landscape. They are more easily confused by the reflection in your window than your usual yard birds. There are things you can do to reduce the reflection or give a signal that this is not the path to escape. Dirty windows aren't as reflective, maybe blinds and curtains kept open or closed will make the window less reflective. You can hang something in front of the window, use stickers, and even putting up a window feeder can help. Talk to one of our associates about other suggestions.