A local birding expert says now is the beginning stages of most migratory birds coming through Iowa.

Matt Wetrich is the Jefferson resident bird expert and he says the first two weeks of May is the time period when most birds are making their way north. He encourages everyone to set up their bird feeders if you want to catch some birds that are not necessarily native to Iowa.

“They will come throughout the day, especially these migratory species because they are traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles sometimes. And so we are acting like just a little rest stop on their way for a lot of them. So they’ll be feeding continuously trying to keep that energy up, keep that fat reserve built.”   

Wetrich points out hummingbirds are also coming in vast numbers now and so he suggests buying a certain type of hummingbird feeder, and to use one part sugar to four parts water as a way to mimic the nectar from flowers.

“And they have little ports you would say that hummingbirds feed out of. The shape is what they are attracted to, not so much the color. Some hummingbird feeders have yellow ports and that’s more likely to attract bees and wasps, those yellow ones are. So look for feeders that don’t have yellow but red only.” 

Wetrich advises to not get hummingbird sugar water with color dye because it could be dangerous. He adds orange slices and grape jelly can also be used now to attract Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, along with Red Belly and Red Headed Woodpeckers.