Hummingbirds, Orioles, Tanagers & Buntings... How Cool!

Cool Bird Alert! Entice Wintering Hummingbirds, Orioles, Tanagers, Buntings, Sparrows and Kinglets with the right foods. The secret to success is consistently having the foods they want available and ready BEFORE they start arriving for their winter stay or as they travel through to their winter residences!

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are most easily attracted with nectar feeders. Keep feeders ready during migration and throughout the year, as hummingbirds often remember reliable food sources and return to the same spots.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds: Our most common hummingbird, Ruby-throats arrive in greater numbers in March and remain through September, although some can be found here year-round. Having feeders ready when they arrive encourages them to make your yard a regular stop.

Winter Hummingbirds: From November through February, Tallahassee may host Rufous, Black-chinned and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, along with occasional visits from species such as Buff-bellied, Allen’s, Broad-billed, Anna’s, Costa’s and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds.

Place multiple feeders around your yard to prevent one hummingbird from monopolizing the food source. Red-colored feeders can also help attract their attention, as hummingbirds naturally associate red with nectar-rich flowers.

Orioles

Tallahassee is fortunate to host Baltimore Orioles from September through April. We have a healthy and growing population of wintering Baltimore Orioles at the feeding station right behind the store!

Orioles eat nectar, fruit and insects and can be attracted with nectar, grape jelly, orange slices, mealworms and Jim’s Birdacious® Bark Butter®. Often hidden high in the trees, they may become regular visitors once they discover a reliable food source and, with time, become less shy.

Other Orioles: Orchard Orioles are occasional visitors, generally from April through September, while Bullock’s Orioles make rare winter appearances.

Tanagers

Tanager sightings are on the rise in Tallahassee, with growing numbers of Summer Tanagers seen year-round. Males are bright red, while females range from yellow to orange.

Western Tanagers are occasional winter visitors, typically from November through April. Males are bright yellow with a dark back and reddish face, while females are more subdued gray with hints of yellow. Scarlet Tanagers pass through during spring and fall migration, usually in April and again from September through October.

Like orioles, tanagers often stay high in the trees but can be tempted closer with suet, Bark Butter, fruit and grape jelly. We regularly see them visiting the jelly feeders behind the store.

 

Painted Bunting

Painted Buntings are winter visitors to Tallahassee, typically arriving in October and remaining through April. Males are especially striking with their bright blue, green and red plumage, while females are a beautiful soft green. They primarily eat seeds, especially white millet, and will also eat insects.

Painted Buntings prefer feeding stations where they can feed comfortably without competition from larger birds. Small-bird or caged feeders filled with white millet are excellent choices. They are also attracted to birdbaths, particularly those with moving water.

Indigo Buntings can be found in our area year-round, with larger numbers typically seen from April through November. They also eat seeds and insects and may visit a variety of seed feeders.

Chipping Sparrows

Chipping Sparrows are winter visitors to Tallahassee, typically arriving in November and remaining through mid-April, as do most other varieties of Sparrows. Chipping Sparrows are easy to recognize by their bright rufous cap, black eyeline and clean gray underparts.

Chipping Sparrows primarily eat seeds, especially millet, and readily feed on the ground or from platform feeders. Winter is a great time to switch from No-Mess No Millet Seed Blend to No-Mess DP Seed Blend, which contains hulled millet and is especially appealing to these winter visitors.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Ruby-crowned Kinglets are winter visitors to Tallahassee, typically arriving in October and remaining through April. These tiny, energetic songbirds are easy to overlook as they constantly flit through trees and shrubs searching for food. Males have a brilliant red crown, but it is usually hidden and only revealed when they are excited.

Golden-crowned Kinglets also winter in our area during the same period, although in smaller numbers. They can be identified by their distinctive yellow crown bordered by black.

Kinglets primarily feed on small insects and spiders, but they also eat fruit and seeds, especially during the winter months. Offer No-Mess Plus Blend or Choice Plus Blend to provide food they may readily find at your feeders.