More bird migration is happening all the time with warmer temperatures in Iowa.

Jefferson resident bird expert Matt Wetrich says there are a lot of ways that people can see unique birds stop by their house. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio to attract hummingbirds, just put one part sugar to four parts water in a bird feeder or a specifically designed hummingbird feeder.

“That’s it, just simple water sugar. That very closely mimics what the nectar is out of flowers. You’ve got to clean those out on a weekly basis to keep the birds healthy.”  

Wetrich points out another way people can attract birds is by having a place for them to cool off and get a drink. 

“Even a little bird bath, if you get a little dripper in there, or recirculating water, the sound of moving water is a magnet for these birds that are traveling. You’ll get these birds that will come in your yard and they’ll stop, they may not come to your feeders because they don’t care about that type of food, but they’ll come down to water sources as well.” 

Wetrich points out Baltimore and Orchard Orioles are coming through now and to get them to stop by your home, he suggests putting out orange slices and some jam. He advises people to also get black oil sunflower seeds for bird feeders, as that is the most widely used seeds for birds to eat.