Bird Watching: A few more (perhaps a lot more ) Tufted Titmice., 1 by 2dCousinDave

2dCousinDave wrote:
Hack:

To answer your question, the meal worms will survive the cold a lot better than the sunshine or the heat. I often leave some in a plastic carton (with a lid on it) out on the deck overnight when the temp drops below freezing and they are still alive next day

But really, my BBs don't seem to care if the meal worms are alive or dead. They will eat them frozen. But they won't eat them when they turn black from the heat of summer.

My birds observe a strict pecking order. Nobody even enters the cage while Papa is eating. Then nobody eats until Mama has eaten. Then all the juveniles that want to, crowd in. Only five or six can get at the bowl at the same time. I have one juvenile female and one juvenile male that are less aggressive and prefer to wat till everybody is finished. The male may be from another family. He still has trouble getting into the wire cage although that is one of the first things my young fledglings learn to do.

After all the bluebirds are finished, the song sparrows take over, then the carolina wrens and THEN the titmice. The only birds the titmice outrank are the chickadees.

I might mention that the carolina wrens are very quick and rather daring. They will often zip in, grab a worm and zip out before the blues can react.

Here you see at least five crowded around the bowl.