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Talking About the Birds and the Bears |
Chris Parmeter | 6/25/08
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There's a first time for everything. Unfortunately, when it comes to bears and bird feeders, first impressions are usually lasting ones.
Take for example the summer homeowners who've vacationed in our mountain valley for twenty years who have never been exposed to a bear incident. And then one night a bear happens into their yard, makes off with a bird feeder and three pounds of sunflower seeds.
But things don't stop there.
The next night the bear is back, but there is no feeder. But it doesn't stop there: He can smell the seeds stored in the shed. RIP! CRASH! Off comes the door from the shed, and alas, a 20-pound sack of sunflower seeds are no more.
But it doesn't stop there. Two nights later he's back again. There is no bird feeder, nor cache of seeds in the shed; but his nose tells him there is food about. Through an open window he climbs, into the vacation sanctuary, where, to the panic and fear of the occupants, he steals away with a bag of cashews from the kitchen counter.
But it doesn't stop there. The bear must be trapped and relocated by Division of Wildlife. The bear then repeats his work in another town - or even returns to the scene of the crimes. Then the bear must be destroyed; and unfortunately, it all stops there.
Much of what occurs in human/bear conflicts can be traced to the olfactory senses of bears.
 While bears' eyesight is about comparable to ours (they see in color), their sense of smell is another story altogether. It's 20 times greater than ours! Bears can smell a person from a mile away, and a hummingbird feeder from as far as five miles off. And to a bear, anything edible is food, including bird seed, suet and red nectar.
In a growing number of states, bird feeders are identified as the No. 1 attractant resulting in human/bear conflicts. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation claims that bird feeders are the cause of conflict in 80 percent of bear complaints. A mix of common bird seed contains as many as 2,600 calories per pound, an easy way for a bruin to round out its diet.
In Colorado, bears go into hibernation in late October or early November. This corresponds with the decrease of available natural foods. The bear's unique way of dealing with the grocery shortage is not shared by all animals, of course. Over-wintering birds such as the chickadee eek out a living in the snowy world, and are surely appreciative of the backyard feeder come January. When most sources of food are covered by the white blanket of winter, feeding seeds and suet may indeed increase the odds of surviving the winter for some birds. And at this time of year there is little danger of attracting a bear because they are content in their winter slumber.
Bears, while classified as omnivores (animals that eat both plants and meat), are primarily vegetarians; consuming as much as 90 percent of their diet as seeds, berries, flowers and plant leaves. Generally emerging from their dens in late April to early May, they exist in a state of "walking hibernation" for a few weeks until their digestive system warms up. This coincides with the coming of spring, when the availability of food again becomes more abundant for both birds and bears. Many bears will "move down" after emerging from the den, migrating to lower elevations where the spring has sprung a bit earlier.
As the snow recedes, birds become considerably less reliant on feeders. This is a wise time to bring in the suet and let the feeder run dry.
Bears are very intelligent creatures, with a real knack for long-term memory; the evolutionary adaptation of an animal whose survival depends on such ephemeral boons as berry patches and salmon runs. Once a bear scores a pound of black-oil sunflower seeds in a backyard, he will not only remember where he found them, but will use his intellect and make the assumption that if there's good food at that house, then maybe there's good food at the next house. And before you can say "stash your trash", WHA-LAH!, a nuisance bear is born.
In the dog days of summer bears begin ramping up their appetite in preparation for hibernation - a phenomenon termed hyperphagia. During hyperphagia, bears may eat 20 hours a day, packing in as many as 20,000 calories. That's about the equivalent of 66 Subway sandwiches. During this period, bears, more than ever, think with their stomachs and follow their noses. (Remember the power of that nose?)
At the Division of Wildlife we often suggest that people "bear proof" their homes. The truth of the matter is that it is almost impossible to "bear proof" anything. Bears are incredibly strong, surprisingly agile climbers, deft with their paws, and they can reach, dig, manipulate, chew through, or flat-out destroy whatever the obstacle between them and their desires.
Another myth worthy of de-bunking is the "We bring them in at night" method of prevention. It goes like this: In theory, the feeders are brought in at dusk, thus fooling the bear into believing that there is no free meal here. But the truth is, the bear knows. Scattered seed and hulls on the ground give it away. The sweet smell of a single drop of nectar splashed onto the deck is enough to lure the bruin in. And once he's there, mayhem will likely ensue, as he will recklessly search for something, anything, to eat.
As a local wildlife officer, I am often called upon to deal with bears causing mayhem; sometimes that means I must destroy the animal. There is no more unpleasant task for a DOW officer than to put down a bear - a truly magnificent creature whose only crime is that it must live among humans.
So, I make this request of anyone who lives in bear country who wants to enjoy birds year-round to consider some of these bear friendly alternatives:
1) Clean up your act. Birds enjoy a good bath. Creating a water feature to attract birds can be as easy as providing a simple bird bath. Better yet, a shallow fountain will serve well to entice birds to your yard. The up-side? Most bird baths are too small for bears! Visit your local home improvement store or check out www.gardeners.com.
2) Go Green. Spruce up your yard while inviting a variety of birds for breakfast. There are dozens of native plants which do well in our high-country setting. Plants with pink or red flowers and hanging baskets draw humming birds. Shrubs and trees can provide food, shelter and nesting habitat for a variety of birds.
3) Throw out the welcome mat. Many species of birds are cavity nesters, but only a few species are cavity creators. Put up a few bird houses and you'll attract blue birds, house finches, tree swallows and more to your yard. You can even encourage specific species to move in by the design and location of the house you choose. Check your library for a good "how to" book on bird houses.
So, please, remember: A Fed Bear is A Dead Bear.
Chris Parmeter is a district wildlife manager in Gunnison County. For more information about Division of Wildlife go to their website. |
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