Cornell Lab of Ornithology

[Bobbie Ireland]

I am sure many check this site, but I particularly like its list of FAQs. This week's is about the American Robin in winter.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/Page.aspx?pid=1277

[Carol P.]

Very interesting Bobbie.   

[Donna]

Q. Do birds store food for the winter?

A. Chickadees, nuthatches, some woodpeckers, jays, and crows store, or "cache," food. Many other feeder birds—doves, sparrows, blackbirds, finches, etc.—do not store food at all.

My Blue Jays must have a few pounds of peanuts stored! Love when they stash them on my window sill and in the gutter! They always come back for it! Funny, one day I started hiding the peanuts myself and the little moochers found every one, they were watching me!!! SMART!!

[Kris G.]

We have a Nuthatch that will come to the suet feeder..always eats a few pieces for itself then gets a big chunk in its beak before flying up to a large tree on our neighbor's lot.  This is repeated several times a day.

[Bobbie Ireland]

Interesting observations from Donna and Kris G. And... How I miss the Nuthatch!

[MAK]

When I lived in my house I had chickadees and nuthatches that would cache sunflower seeds and peanuts in the garage wall and up under the roof shingles. And of course the Blue Jays took peanuts off to cache who knows where. I used to chuckle when they would place a nut in one of the gardens or in the lawn then pick up a leaf or mulch or something and place it on top of the nut. I don't know if this was done to hide it or remind them of where they put it but the squirrels usually found them and scurried off with the goods!