Wild Birds Unlimited

IT'S POLLINATOR WEEK! Did you know . . . In the United States, pollination by honey bees, native bees, and other insects produces $40 billion worth of products annually. Worldwide, roughly 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, fibers, spices, and medicines need to be pollinated by animals in order to produce the goods on which we depend. Foods and beverages produced with the help of pollinators include: apples, blueberries, chocolate, coffee, melons, peaches, potatoes..., pumpkins, vanilla, almonds, and tequila. There are many benefits of bats, mainly because bats act as pollinators and pest controllers. Bats also act as indicator species in some areas, meaning that changed in these bat populations can indicate changes in the biodiversity of the environment. Over 500 species of plants rely on bats to pollinate their flowers, including species of mango, banana, cocoa, and guava. (from wustl.edu) Read about bats in MO here: https://sites.wustl.edu/monh/bats-of-missouri/ Photo: Nathan Muchhala for WUSTL.edu Who has a bat house set up on your property? #wbuww #pollinatorweek #pollinators #bats #batsofmissouri #wildbirdsunlimited See more

IT'S POLLINATOR WEEK! Fun Fact: The Honey Bee is the State Insect of Missouri! Wow Fact: The first bees appear in the fossil record dating 40 million years ago and the honeybee has remained physically and socially unchanged for 30 million years! Yikes Fact: Missouri is home to around 450 species of native bees! Awww Fact: We need the Honey Bee and other bees to pollinate our plants & flowers, in addition to providing us with beneficial honey. Let's learn to love our state in...sect! Read a few more quick facts: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/honeybee Which bees are buzzing in your neighborhood? Photo: Missouri Department of Conservation #wbuww #PollinatorWeek #pollinators #honeybees #wildbirdsunlimited #honeybeesofmissouri #gonative #stlouismo #FunFactsFriday See more

You just never know whooooo (yup, we went there) will show up in your backyard! This gorgeous Barred Owl stopped by our friend Rachel's St. Louis home. While Barred Owls do hunt small animals at night, they are often more active during the day than other owls. You might hear them calling, "Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?" Have you ever gone on an owl prowl?... #wbuww #owls #barredowls #owlprowl #wildbirdsunlimited #owlsofmissouri #birdsofprey #stlouismissouri #owllove #nature

~I am that little Robin that sits upon the tree. I sing to you each morning, but you don't know it's me. I am that Robin, in your garden every day. I will never leave you, I will never fly away.~ ~~John. F. Connor~~... This sweet songbird is often known as a harbinger of spring, but Robins actually winter here, you just don't notice them as much as they spend much of their time roosting in the trees. Now is the best time to put up a roosting or nesting box for them, add some nesting material as well. And while the ground is frozen and earthworms are not as plentiful, offer sunflower chips or suet with peanuts & fruits, such as our Nuts & Berries Suet Cake. Another great option is to put out a bowl of mealworms, dried or live. Yum! Yum! Learn to quickly identify beautiful backyard birds like this American Robin when you join our Zoom Workshop! Get details by visiting the Events tab on our homepage. #wbuww #americanrobin #savethesongbirds #feedthebirds #dianagossgrahamphotography #wildbirdsunlimited #warsonwoodsmo See more

Chilly mornings remind us that winter is coming! Is your yard ready for wintering birds? Tune in to the latest podcast from Wild Birds Unlimited Chief Naturalists Brian & John as they discuss how you can make your yard bird friendly and what you can do to help the birds prepare for the upcoming colder months. Show us your winter-ready set-up! Listen here https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-7j5bu-f0c139 #wbuww #podcast #winteriscoming #backybirds

Want to truly enjoy a good cup of coffee knowing you are aiding in bird conservation? Drink Birds & Beans Coffee, an aromatic, bird-friendly coffee! What is bird-friendly coffee? Bird Friendly Coffee is Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) certified and represents a gold standard in ethical and sustainable coffee business. Bird Friendly coffee is coffee that comes from family farms in Latin America that provide good, forest-like habitat for birds. Rather than being gr...own on farms that have been cleared of vegetation, Bird Friendly coffees are planted under a canopy of trees. These trees provide the shelter, food and homes migratory and local birds need to survive. (birdsandbeanscoffee.com) We are excited to now offer Birds & Beans Coffee in our store! We are currently featuring (in whole bean & ground): ~American Redstart Light Roast ~Baltimore Oriole French Roast Decaf ~Kingbird Espresso Roast ~Scarlet Tanager Dark Roast More roasts to come! Available in-store or for curbside pickup: 314-821-2266; also available from our online shop for pickup or delivery! http://mywbu.com/warsonwoods #wbuww #birdfriendlycoffee #birdconservation #savethesongbirds #coffee

With respect, honor, and gratitude, we wish to remember all American Veterans today. Thank you!

Are your backyard birds unionized? If you've noticed groups of mixed species descending upon your feeder station together, they have formed a 'foraging guild'. Birds are forming small winter feeding flocks. They can learn each others’ warning calls to stay safe. Chickadees, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Kinglets, Titmice, & Brown Creepers may join together. Have you noticed any foraging guilds yet? Which species? ... Keep your feeders stocked with fresh Finch Blend Seed Mix, a Suet cake, and Bark Butter. Come in to chat with one of our Certified Bird Feeding Specialists and pick up a bird id guide so you'll know which birds are flocking together at your feeders! #wbuww #foraging #birdguild #birdseed #barkbutter #flockofbirds #BIRDACTIVITY #savethesongbirds #BringBirdsBack #wildbirdsunlimited #warsonwoodsmo #birdsofmissouri #birdfeeding #backyardbirds #birdwatching #stlouismo #birdsofstlouis #wildlife #wildlifeofmissouri

Bird Beaks Fun Facts! ~How well do you know your birds?~ The top and bottom parts of a bird's bill are called mandibles. The upper bill or mandible is also called the maxilla. All birds have their nostrils at the basal end of the top mandible, except for the New Zealand Kiwi where they are at the tip.... The edges of the bill are especially hard and sharp and are called 'tomia', singular 'tomium' The part where the two mandibles meet at the hinge of the bill is called the 'Commissure'. No birds chew their food though they will use their bill to tear chunks off or to crush lumpy items before swallowing them. Birds' bills continue to grow throughout the birds lives, this is necessary to replace the wearing that inevitably occurs at the tips. When birds open their mouths it is the lower jaw that does most of the moving, most birds can move the upper jaw to some extent though only in a few groups like the parrots is it anywhere near as flexible as the lower jaw. Birds' bills are very sensitive, especially at the tips. Which beaks and/or bills do you most often see? Visual by Shyamal from India~~Fun Facts from Avian Conservation & Education #wbuww #birdbeaks #birdbills #birdseed #nature #birdlovers #birds #savethesongbirds #learnaboutbirds #educateyourself #wildbirdsunlimited #warsonwoodsmo #birdsofmissouri #amazingnature See more