Not all birds commonly seen in Chico live here year-round. Some appear for just a few weeks during their spring or fall migration. Others may stay for the summer. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos are two species of birds that are quite often seen in the Central Valley during the winter, when they prefer open spaces like woods, thickets, or residential areas. Both species are lively birds that are fun to watch while they forage in Bidwell Park or in your garden, before their springtime migration to breeding areas at higher elevations in coniferous forests.

The main winter warbler in North America, the Yellow-rumped Warbler can be identified by a yellow patch on the rump, a slender bill, and white eye arcs. They may or may not also have yellow patches on the head and sides and a white patch on the throat. In the winter this bird's plumage is more subdued than it is in summer.

Yellow-rumped Warblers feed mainly on insects but will also eat berries in the winter. They forage for their prey on the ground, in foliage, or in mid-air. They are usually in motion, but you may see them perched on exposed branches, watching for insects to fly above them. You can tempt them to come to your bird feeder with hulled sunflower seeds, raisins, suet, or mealworms. Having trees and shrubs where they can perch while hunting as well as berry-forming shrubs will also make your yard more attractive to these warblers.

According to Karen Smith, an experienced birder who is field trip coordinator for Altacal Audubon Society, “The Yellow-rumped Warbler, fondly nicknamed “butter butt” because of the bright yellow patch just above the tail, can be found all around Chico and surrounding areas in the winter months. This small warbler can be seen flitting from branch to branch in search of insects such as caterpillars and other larvae, ants and aphids, just to name a few. I usually hear their ‘chip, chip' sound before I see them. They are numerous along the Yahi Trail next to Big Chico Creek flying out from branches over the water to catch a meal.”

The Dark-eyed Junco is a species in the New World sparrow family. There are many plumage variations, but in our area the most common Dark-eyed Junco has a dark, blackish hood if it is male and a gray hood if it is female.  Both male and female Dark-eyed Juncos have a reddish-brown back and sides, white belly, dark eyes, and a pinkish bill. Their white outer tail feathers are visible in flight but hidden when stationary.

Dark-eyed Juncos generally feed in flocks on seeds of weeds and grasses in the winter, often pecking and scratching the leaf litter to forage and flying into a nearby shrub when startled. In the summer they also eat insects and their larvae, spiders, and some berries. They will feed on millet, hulled sunflower seeds and cracked corn that falls from your bird feeder. You can also let some vegetables and flowers in your garden go to seed and leave them standing to provide more winter food.

The Dark-eyed Junco is one of Karen Smith's favorite backyard birds to watch while they scratch up seeds on the ground along with other sparrows. She says that in flight their bright white outer tail feathers flash. This is helpful for identifying these birds in the field if they are too far away to see clearly, which can especially be the case when they are grouped with other ground feeders such as the White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows.

You can count on these two species of birds to provide you with hours of backyard entertainment in winter.  Useful resources for bird identification are Roger Lederer, The Birds of Bidwell Park, and David Allen Sibley, The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America.

Today and tomorrow, Master Gardeners will be answering gardening questions at Magnolia Gift & Garden (1367 East Ave., Chico) during the Local Nursery Crawl on Friday and Saturday, February 25 and 26, 2022.  12 nurseries are taking part in the Crawl which runs from 9 am to 4 pm both days. Need a Butte County Garden Guide & Three-Year Journal?  They are available at Magnolia Gift & Garden.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu (preferred) or call (530) 538-7201.

Loss of natural habitat is a serious threat to wildlife. How game birds have managed to recover after the wildfires that have roared through and incinerated our neck of the woods is a mystery, but they are again thriving in my part of Paradise. The quail are beginning to nest in protected spaces, and their distinctive call can be heard in the early morning hours.  Another seemingly resilient bird is California's wild turkey.  While renting in Chico after the Camp Fire, I saw several turkeys around the south side of Chico. Imagine my surprise when I ran head on into one while on a walk on North Avenue, just a few blocks east of McManus School.  It is apparent that wild turkeys are quite comfortable moving into urban areas.

Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) was nearly extinct by the 1930's due to overhunting and deforestation that destroyed their natural habitat. Today their population has increased dramatically: wild turkeys can be found throughout North America from Canada to Mexico, numbering an estimated seven million birds. California's wild turkeys now occupy roughly 18 % of our state and are controlled through hunting. While wild turkeys can be found throughout the state, Northern California is home to the largest population.The most common species seen in the Sacramento Valley foothills is the Rio Grande wild turkey, identified by the buff-colored tips on its tail.

People either love or hate the presence of wild turkeys on their property. An adult turkey can weigh upwards of twenty pounds and can cause a lot of damage by roosting on cars, leaving droppings on sidewalks and driveways, and rooting in vegetable and flower gardens. Turkeys are easily domesticated and adapt effortlessly to the human environment where foraging is plentiful. Since turkey eggs hatch in just 28 days, a flock of wild turkeys can arise in a short period of time. There are strategies for humanely encouraging wild turkeys to move to a new neighborhood. Consider using motion detection sprinklers, removing bird feeders from areas where turkeys feed, removing pet kibble from an outside location, and letting Fido roam free in the yard.  These tactics will frighten turkeys and encourage them to move on. During breeding season, turkeys can become aggressive. It's best to keep your distance.

California wild turkey season opens March 26 and runs through May 1. The limit is one bird per hunter per day, three per season; a hunting license and Upland Game Bird Validation are required.

Fun Facts:

• Diet: turkeys are omnivores and eat grasses, grains, and berries, as well as snails, slugs, lizards, grasshoppers, caterpillars, spiders, and baby rattlesnakes.
• Average life span: three to five years in the wild. The oldest known wild turkey lived to be about 13 years old.
• Threats: racoon, fox, bear, opossum, hawks, wild cats, humans.
• Nighttime habits: turkeys can be found sleeping in trees.
• Wild turkeys can fly, and they have a top speed in flight of about 55 miles per hour. They also have strong legs and can run up to twenty-five miles an hour.
• Adult male turkeys are called toms, and females are called hens. Very young birds are poults. Juvenile males are jakes, and juvenile females are jennies. A group of turkeys is called a rafter or a flock.
• The wild turkey was Benjamin Franklin's preference for our national bird because of its protective instincts and proud demeanor.

California quail (Callipepla californica), also referred to as valley quail or California valley quail,are identified by the overlapping feathers on top of their small heads that curl into a U-shaped plume. Male quail have larger plumes than those of female quail. Another distinctive feature is the color of their heads. Female quail have brown heads, while the heads of males are black with white stripes. Quail are very social birds who live in coveys and can be seen nodding their heads with each step as they scratch their way across the ground. One of their communal activities is the dust bath, where they use their bellies to burrow down one to two inches in the soft soil, wriggling and flapping their wings and causing dust to fly. In spring, quail pair off for breeding season. They are serially monogamous, their bonds lasting only one season.

Quail nest on the ground in a shallow depression underneath a shrub or other cover.  Hens usually lay about a dozen eggs, which incubate in 22 or 23 days. Once hatched, the chicks begin running around after only an hour, socializing with their parents. A spring heat wave can endanger a chick in the nest. In an unusually warm season, chicks may not survive. Chicks begin to fly at two weeks and become independent from their parents in three to four weeks. Families often group together in communal broods which include at least two females, multiple males, and many offspring. The male quail (cocks) in the group are often not genetic fathers to any of the offspring. During the fall season, quail travel in coveys that range from 25 to 40 birds, though it is not unusual for coveys to be even larger. Coveys of more than 1,000 quail have been reported.

Quail prefer to eat just before sunrise and sunset, but they forage for food throughout the day. One bird will keep watch while the others eat, keeping the covey safe from predators. Their distinctive, chi-ca-go call can be heard as they eat or search for food. Although mostly staying on the ground, when startled or frightened California quail will run for cover or fly (flush) away. Quail prefer to run and have been clocked at 12 miles an hour.

Quail were hunted by the indigenous people who lived in our region. Besides eating quail meat, indigenous people used quail plumage for decorating baskets and clothing. Quail became an important item of exchange and commerce. Today quail are still being hunted for sport. Over a million California quail are shot each year in the state. The season opens mid-September to mid-October and can remain open through January; again, a current hunting license and Upland Game Bird Validation are required for hunting these birds.

Fun Facts:

• Diet: quail are omnivores, eating caterpillars, beetles, mites, seeds, leaves, berries, and roots.
• Average life span: most California quail live two to three years, although there have been exceptions. the oldest known California quail lived to be almost seven years old.
• Threats: snakes, skunks, bobcats, coyotes, squirrels, domestic cats, humans.
• The California Quail became the state bird of California in 1932.
• The California quail became the official bird of San Francisco in July 2000.

While natural disasters such as fire are not always predictable, they do significantly alter the balance of the ecosystem. It is critical to remember that the ecosystem will heal itself in time. Forests, woodlands, and grasslands will regenerate. Wildlife will return. But we can also support a healthy recovery by being mindful of habitat, and by replanting sources of food and shelter for our wildlife communities.

Master Gardeners will be answering gardening questions at Magnolia Gift & Garden (1367 East Ave., Chico) during the Local Nursery Crawl on Friday and Saturday, February 25 and 26, 2022.  12 nurseries are taking part in the Crawl which runs from 9 am to 4 pm both days. Need a Butte County Garden Guide & Three-Year Journal?  They are available at Magnolia Gift & Garden.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu (preferred) or call (530) 538-7201.

Magpies are amazing birds!  They are strikingly handsome, intelligent, and bold. They build nests with domed roofs and side entrances and decorate these homes with the bright shiny objects they collect. They hold funeral services for their dead. They can mimic human speech. A cartoon pair, the yellow-billed Heckle and Jeckle, starred in their own TV show from 1956 to 1966.

Although there are three species of magpie (genus Pica), our focus here is the yellow-billed magpie (P. nutalli) which is found only in our Central Valley and the higher elevations that surround it. The black-billed magpie (P. hudsonia) is common throughout the rest of North America, and the European species, P. pica, has evolved several sub species. These clever birds are part of the Corvid family that includes crows and ravens, nutcrackers, and jays. All Corvids are known for their high intelligence. Research into the relative size of the part of the brain that governs executive function suggests a level equal to that of apes and humans.  (Persons interested in learning more about the intelligence of Corvids and other birds are encouraged to consult the wonderful book Birdbrain: An Exploration of Avian Intelligence, by Nathan Emory.)

Scientists believe that ancestral magpies colonized North America about three to four million years ago. They conjecture that the early ice ages and the geological activity that raised up the Sierra Nevada mountains isolated the yellow-billed magpie in the Central Valley. The range of these birds stretches some 500 miles, approximately from Redding to Santa Barbara, covering an area about 150 miles wide down the length of the valley. They have thrived here by adapting to the long hot summers and historically abundant habitat of open oak woodlands and chaparral ecosystems along the valley rivers and in the foothills. The residential and agricultural development of these areas by humans led to loss of wildlife habitat. Magpies have adapted to these conditions by nesting in vacant lots and weedy expanses. They are most often seen where oak woodlands intermix with flatlands, orchards, and agricultural fields.

Yellow-billed magpies are quite large – up to 18-20 inches long with a wingspan of close to two feet. Their markings are a unique combination of black heads, chests, bellies, and backs with broad white patches on their sides. Their wings and tails are characteristically an iridescent, shimmering blue-green. The bright yellow of their bills continues up to surround their shiny eyes (this marking is not always clearly visible).

Before 2004 or so, valley residents could rely on the evening skies being filled with large flocks of yellow-billed magpies flying from their foraging grounds to roost. Then West Nile virus started making its way up the valley. Magpies are especially vulnerable to this virus strain, and it is estimated that in just two years (2004 – 2006) up to 50% of all yellow-billed magpies succumbed to the disease. When safe from disease, magpies are a relatively long-lived bird. The oldest known wild magpie lived to be over 11 years old.  In captivity, they can live up to fourteen years.

Gregarious, aggressive, and territorial, the magpie surpasses even the wily blue jay in earning the title of Camp Robber. They steal food from other predators, and even enter campsites and tents to steal food. They will try to destroy the nests of other birds. Their own nests, built by both male and female magpies, are constructed from sticks and twigs, and located far out on high tree limbs. Nests are large (two to three feet in diameter), bulky, and domed, with an entrance on either side. Magpies plaster the interior with a base of mud and line the walls with fine soft plant matter.

A female magpie will lay and incubate between five to seven eggs once each year. While she sits on the eggs, the male brings her food. Eggs hatch within 16 to 18 days, and both parents will feed the young, primarily with insects. The young magpies fledge (develop wings large enough for flight) about a month after breaking through their shells. Both parents feed the young and continue to do so for several weeks after they fledge.

Magpies are omniverous, but because their primary diet is insects and rodents, one source claims that they can be considered beneficial to agriculture. (Relatives of mine who grow almonds locally scoff at this idea and consider the magpie a pest.) Their favorite mode of forage is along the ground, mainly for insects, especially grasshoppers, and they will also peck at fallen acorns, almonds, and fruit in fall and winter. They crack through the acorn shell by pounding it with their bills. They also use their bills to flip over cow dung, wood chips, and the like to feast on the insects beneath. Sometimes magpies will stash food items (such as acorns) in shallow holes in the ground or crevices in tree trunks. Carrion is a part of their culinary repertoire, and magpies will attempt to eat recently butchered farm animal carcasses; they will even peck at open wounds created by branding. They are not above picking through garbage at landfills and dump sites. Magpies are opportunists and will ride on the backs of deer for a meal of fleas and other insects. In fact, the word pica, which was first used in the 1500's to denote an odd craving for substances unfit to be used as food (such as chalk or dirt), is a fitting moniker for this bird that will eat just about anything.

Like parrots, magpies can mimic sounds they hear in nature.  In human care, magpies have been trained to imitate the human voice and “talk.”  Ruckus, a yellow-billed magpie resident at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding can repeat several phrases, including “I'm smart,” “Hi,” and “I love you.”

A member of my family once witnessed the death ceremony for a magpie that had been killed across the street from their home by a car. They watched while about seven magpies formed a circle around the fallen comrade and 30 or so more magpies gathered in the tree above. After calling loudly for a few minutes, one magpie picked up a leaf, hopped over to the deceased companion (possibly its mate - magpies mate for life), and gently laid the leaf over its body. As a car approached, the ceremony attendees dispersed into the air. Research confirms this observation; as one source notes “when a magpie dies, a gathering of them congregates around the deceased bird where they call out loudly for 10 to 15 minutes.”

Something the scientific facts of these delightful birds do not capture is their raucous and boisterous personality. Magpies love to steal, tease, and “heckle.” While they can create an inhospitable environment for the smaller, prettier songbirds, they never fail to entertain -- just like their trickster, mischief-making cartoon incarnations who love to outwit and play pranks on others.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu (preferred) or call (530) 538-7201.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a science-based pest management process which focuses on managing the ecosystem for the long-term prevention of pests and the damage they cause.  The University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) has developed an IPM program dedicated to helping Californians “prevent and solve pest problems with the least unintended impacts on people and their environment.”  For the home gardener, a guiding principle of IPM is to understand why your landscape favors particular pests, and then enact changes which will make that environment less attractive to those pests. 

One component of the IPM approach is to use biological control measures rather than pesticides to curtail garden pests whenever possible.  This usually involves creating conditions that attract the natural enemies of pests.  For rodent control, owls are an often-overlooked ally of both home gardeners and farmers.

According to the Altacal chapter of the Audubon Society, ten different species of owls can be found in Butte County.  Of these, eight are permanent residents: Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, Western Screech Owls, Northern Pygmy Owls, Burrowing Owls, Spotted Owls, Long-eared Owls, and Short-eared Owls.  Since most owls are nocturnal, they aren't easily seen in the wild, but birders often recognize different species by their distinctive calls.  [The National Audubon Society has a website with recordings of the calls of different bird species, including owls].  I've never seen them, but I regularly hear Great Horned Owls and Screech Owls around my home in the foothills above Oroville.

All animals have three basic needs: food, water, and shelter.  In the case of owls, their food (primarily rodents) is already present in most environments, whether wildland, rural, suburban, or urban.  Owls also get the water they need from their prey.  Providing shelter is the one thing a property owner can realistically do to attract owls as a method of controlling rodent pests.  Shelter for most owls consists of rotted hollows in trees or artificial nest platforms and nest boxes.

Nest boxes are commercially available but can be expensive. For the DIYer, nest box plans for various owl species are available at no charge from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (https://nestwatch.org/learn/all-about-birdhouses/).  Either the roof or one side of a nest box should be hinged to create a door that can be opened for cleaning after any owlets have fledged and left the nest.  Quarter to half-inch holes drilled near the roof will aid air circulation and similar holes in the floor will allow drainage if necessary.  Lay wood chips or wood shavings on the floor of the box for bedding.  The box should be placed at least 15-20 feet above the ground with the opening facing northeast.

Owls regurgitate the undigested fur and bones from their prey in the form of pellets.  Pellets and fecal material will build up inside the nest box, so owl boxes need to be cleaned out at least once per year, after their occupants have vacated.  The best time to clean boxes is October to December.  Be sure to avoid breathing the unhealthy dust when cleaning a nest box.

Owl safety is a consideration when deciding if it is appropriate for you to attract them to your property.  Do you have high speed roadways nearby where owls could collide with vehicles?  Do you or nearby property owners regularly use pesticides, herbicides, or other potentially harmful chemicals?  As predators, owls are particularly susceptible to such chemicals as they often become more concentrated as they pass up the food chain.  Additionally, the light pollution produced by porch and outdoor lights can be confusing and act as deterrents to these nighttime hunters. 

It is important to preserve large trees because most owls prefer mature trees for roosting, hunting, and nesting.  Dead snags can provide nesting cavities but can be hazardous in fire areas. Finally, think about family pets.  A hungry owl could make a meal of a small dog or house cat.  (I have a sneaking suspicion Great Horned Owls are the reason our local feral cat population has been kept in check).

The natural habitat preference of a particular owl species will help guide the decision on which species to attract.  Four owl species found in Butte County with varying habitat needs are good examples of how habitat influences owl distribution: Barn Owls, Great Horned Owls, Burrowing Owls, and Western Screech Owls.

When Humboldt State University graduate student Carrie Wendt studied Barn Owl nest site preferences, she found that they preferred nest boxes near grassland, riparian, and mixed forest habitats as opposed to mixed scrub.  Therefore, efforts to attract Barn Owls to heavily wooded areas are likely to fail. 

Barn Owls are medium-sized owls, with adults standing 13 to 16 inches tall and weighing between one and one and a half pounds.  They usually hunt within one to three miles of their roost and are only mildly territorial, so you can put up several nest boxes in an area with possibly multiple families taking up residence.  Great Horned Owls are the fiercest predators of Barn Owls, while collisions with cars also contribute heavily to the Barn Owl death toll.

Barn Owls seem to be the go-to owl when it comes to biological control of rodent pests, dominating the literature on owls and IPM.  According to several studies, pocket gophers, mice, and voles constitute most of the Barn Owl diet.  In fact, 99.5% of prey creatures studied were agriculture pests, so clearly owls can provide valuable pest control services for farmers.  According to UCANR, a family of five Barn Owls, including two adults and three young, will feed on about 1,000 rodents during a season.  Because they prefer to hunt in more open areas, they readily hunt in vineyards, alfalfa fields, and along levees, making them valuable allies for farmers practicing IPM.  Over a three-year period, one study found that Barn Owls killed more than 30,000 rodents in a single vineyard for a fraction of the cost of trapping or poisoning: “the average cost of trapping was $8.11 per pocket gopher versus $0.34 per rodent taken by Barn Owls.”

On the other hand, Great Horned Owls prefer to nest in wooded areas with scattered clearings.  In nature, they will nest in old hawk, magpie, raven, and crow nests, so they are more likely to be attracted to an artificial nesting platform or nest basket rather than a nesting box. 

Growing up to two feet tall, weighing three pounds, and with a wingspan of nearly four feet, this huge, powerful bird is the largest owl in North America.  It gets its name from tufts of feathers (“horns”) projecting from its head.  Fierce predators, they will hunt prey weighing up to 15 pounds, including rabbits, grouse, and skunks (and family pets!), as well as smaller prey such as squirrels and mice.  Great Horned Owls will hunt and kill all other owls, so don't place Great Horned Owl nest baskets near any other owl boxes.

Burrowing Owls have historically preferred nesting in prairies and grasslands -- areas with short grass or exposed soil where they can excavate their burrows.  Today they can also be found on farms, golf courses, vacant lots, and even airports.  Unlike other owls, Burrowing Owls nest in underground burrows and these sorts of open spaces facilitate burrow construction.  These owls will often commandeer and enlarge burrows started by other animals.  Property owners who can offer this kind of habitat can further encourage Burrowing Owls to take up residence by starting an artificial burrow that these owls can complete.

Once called “howdy birds” by cowboys due to the rhythmic head nods they make from inside their burrow entrances, these smaller owls reach a height of only nine inches and weigh just seven ounces.  Burrowing Owls feed on small birds, reptiles, large insects, rodents and even fish.  Although they do some hunting at night, Burrowing Owls are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day, an uncommon pattern for an owl. 

Another small owl, the Western Screech Owl ranges in size from seven to ten inches tall and weighs between three and a half and eleven ounces.  Western Screech Owls have a wide-ranging diet that includes everything from worms and crayfish to rats and bats.  They will even take prey larger than themselves, such as cottontail rabbits or mallard ducks.  Although they are gutsy hunters, if they are frightened these masters of camouflage will elongate their body and tighten their feathers so that they appear to be a branch stub. 

The natural habitat of Western Screech Owls is open woodlands, where they nest in tree cavities, but they can also be found in urban parks and residential areas.  Because they will readily occupy backyard nest boxes, they are probably the most likely owl candidate for a suburban homeowner to entice into their yard.   

Owls can be a valuable ally for farmers and homeowners who wish to practice biological pest control. With a little research and relatively minimal effort they can be encouraged to take up residence near you.

UC Master Gardeners of Butte County are part of the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) system. To learn more about us and our upcoming events, and for help with gardening in our area, visit our website. If you have a gardening question or problem, email the Hotline at mgbutte@ucanr.edu (preferred) or call (530) 538-7201.