Ask ALOysius
About Birds on a Wire!
| Ask ALOysius |
About Birds on a Wire! |
Alliance
for a Living Ocean
2007 Long Beach Boulevard
North Beach Haven, New Jersey 08008
(609) 492-0222
Question:
Last fall I saw hundreds of little birds sitting on telephone pole wires along the streets on Long Beach Island. What kind of birds are they, and what are they doing?
ALOysius:
The birds are swallows. They have long pointed wings, and notched or deeply forked tails. What you saw were migrating swallows. They migrate by day in these large groups, most often along coastal areas. They have small, weak feet that are only fit for perching, which they do in large numbers on roadside wires. When they are not perched on wires, they can be seen flying about. Their flight is swift and so very graceful that it sometimes seems like they are dancing in the clouds. Their flying abilities enable them to catch flying insects which sustain them as they migrate south.
The swallows are not the only songbird visitors to Long Beach Island even if they are the most visible. There are many other migrating birds that visit LBI including red-winged black birds, robins, grosbeaks, flickers, and tanagers, to name a few. Another wonderful creature also joins the fall migration. They are the beautiful monarch butterflies which arrive in large numbers to use our island as a rest stop on their long journey south.
Just like Long Beach Island's human visitors, the birds and butterflies need food, water and a place to stay. Without LBI's hotels, inns, restaurants and markets, our summer vacationers would not come to our island. The same holds true for the songbirds and butterfly visitors. There are things each of us can do to provide them with these three essentials.
- FOOD - The songbirds need seeds, berries and insects to eat. Butterflies love bright colored flowers with sweet nectar. For years they have relied on local bushes, trees and wildflowers for their food. With open land disappearing, we can help by including these bushes and flowers in our yards and gardens. Putting up a bird feeder also helps to supplement their natural food.
- WATER - On Long Beach Island, even a mud puddle will attract birds and butterflies. Adding a simple birdbath with a large perching stone in the middle will bring both birds and butterflies to a garden.
- COVER- Just like people, birds need a place where they are protected from predators and dangerous weather. If we plant evergreens and densely branched shrubs in our yards, we will help provide a "home" for our guests.
Now we all can enjoy the beautiful song birds and butterflies.
Until next time.
ALOysius
