Indholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2025 i Birds & Blooms

After a hot Wisconsin summer, I am welcoming the cooler temps, fall colors and Halloween vibes with open arms. This issue is full of all things autumn, so even if the weather isn’t chilly in your neck of the woods, you’ll get to experience the best of the season right here. Explore the forest floor and learn about the birds that spend their time under the tree canopy in “Tales From the Understory” on page 28. And follow along with A.J. Berard, a self-proclaimed owl tracker, as he captures amazing photos in “In the Company of Owls” on page 44. Then enjoy the colorful blooms—and cute creatures—that add beauty to a fall garden in “Autumn’s Allure” on page 48. Plus, read all about why bats deserve a little time in…

1 Indian Summer black-eyed Susan RUDBECKIA HIRTA, ZONES 3 TO 7 Indian Summer is a low maintenance cultivar of native black-eyed Susan with large, gold daisy like flowers. In full sun, these plants can reach 3 feet tall. Depending on location, they may be an annual, biennial or short lived perennial. Why we love it: If you plant several of these, you can cut for fresh bouquets inside and still have a mass of blooms outside. Leave seed heads on for the birds. 2 Autumn Fire showy stonecrop HYLOTELEPHIUM SPECTABILE, ZONES 3 TO 9 Autumn Fire is an improved version of Autumn Joy boasting a longer bloom season of more intense brick-red flowers that sit above strong upright stems and fleshy succulent foliage. Drought resistant and heat tolerant, this is a…

During the peak of fall colors, a maple tree in my yard was a striking vibrant orange. I captured a photo of this singing tufted titmouse with the blurred colors of the maple tree in the background. Andy Raupp MONTELLO, WI BOLD MOVES Although it’s a spring behavior and you won’t see it in the fall, tufted titmice aren’t afraid to go after what they want. They’ve been known to pluck hair for their nests from live animals and even humans! On a beautiful and sunny fall day, I saw a flock of cedar waxwings at a local nature center in Madison, Wisconsin. At least 30 of them feasted on the fruit of a juniper tree. This waxwing popped out from behind a branch and gave me quite a look,…

On any given morning, you’ll find A.J. Berard trekking through the woods and mountains of Montana with a 45-pound pack and his Siberian huskies. He’s on the hunt but, unlike other wilderness enthusiasts at the crack of dawn, it’s not for game. He’s owling; meaning he’s tracking the owls that reside around his hiking loops in hopes of capturing the awe-inspiring photographs he is known for. He wouldn’t consider himself a traditional birder—birds of prey have always intrigued him. “I’ve never really had to pull out the rig to look at a yellow-bellied warbler,” says A.J. “It’s not for me. But if it’s an eagle or something predatory, I would photograph that.” His daily photography sessions have even led him to form bonds with certain owls over the seasons. But…

Keep your suet feeder a few feet from a window. Our avian guests are messy eaters and flick bits of suet all over. It’s fun seeing them close up until your window is spotted with suet. And take it from me, it’s hard getting suet off a window! Mary Ward SEA GIRT, NJ In the fall, I hang suet from the top of hanging planters to catch extra seeds that fall from the suet. Shari Howard VANCOUVER, WA Buy suet made with hot pepper. It’s the only bird food that my squirrels won’t touch. Jerri Harris ROSWELL, GA I recently discovered suet nuggets. Bluebirds love them! Since the bluebirds have a hard time with suet cages, I put the nuggets out on trays. Anne Marie Heyes BARRE, MA My husband…

Find the Hummingbird In each issue, we hide a hummingbird like the one above left. Enter to win at birdsandblooms.com/contests if you find it. Winners get a one-year subscription to Birds & Blooms. In the June/July issue, we hid it on page 15. HIDDEN OBJECT GUIDELINES No purchase necessary to enter to win. Purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes is open to legal residents age 18 years or older of the U.S., its territories and possessions, or of Canada (excluding the Province of Quebec). Sweepstakes begins on Sept. 24, 2025, and ends on Nov. 18, 2025. Visit birdsandblooms.com/contests for official rules. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Sweepstakes sponsored by RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC. Contact Us! CUSTOMER CARE For subscriptions, renewals, gifts, payments, account info and inquiries: Email: customercare@birdsandblooms.com Visit:…

680,000 Estimated breeding populations of screech-owls in the U.S. and Canada vary by species with eastern at 680,000, western at 220,000 and whiskered at only 500 in southern New Mexico and Arizona. 22 Three screech-owls are found in North America: eastern, western and whiskered. But about 22 screech-owl species are found in the world, all in the Americas. 1983 Long classified as a single species, eastern and western screech-owls were identified as distinct in 1983 based on differing sounds and markings. 2 The bones, fur and feathers of a screech-owl’s prey are regurgitated in the form of a pellet one or two times a day. 9 Screech-owls produce up to nine different sounds, including trills, low hoots, squeals and barks. They also snap their bills when alarmed. 3.5 In Idaho, unearthed fossilized owls related to…

Japanese Anemone Anemone x hybrida, Zones 4 to 8 When other flowers begin to fade, Japanese anemone perks up with happy pink and white blooms. This perennial does fine in most conditions but prefers a just-right soil: not too wet and not too dry. An eastern-facing garden border or a more naturalized spot beneath some trees are great options. Attracts: Light needs: Part shade or full sun. Size: 2 to 3 feet tall. Grown for: 2 to 3 inch flowers in late summer and early fall. Care advice: Use vertical support as needed for better looking growth habits. Cultivars to try: Elegans is an award-winner with strong stalks and light pink flowers. COOL CULTIVAR Fall in Love Sweetly Japanese anemone (shown here) features semidouble pink flowers and lots of dark…

Before you bring home a new tree, consider your options. How big does the tree get? How wide will the branches spread? How wet is your location? How much sun does it get? Do you like the fall color? “These are the core questions you want to think about before planting a long-living organism,” says Spencer Campbell, manager of the Plant Clinic at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. Planting a Tree “Remember, this is the last time the roots are ever going to see the sunlight,” Spencer says. Dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball, piling the dirt on a tarp for easy refilling. The root collar (where the roots slope away from the trunk) should be level with or above the ground.…

Historically, bats have been cast as terrifying night stalkers. This, however, is a misleading portrayal. “I’ve personally noticed,” says Erin Cord, community engagement manager for Bat Conservation International, “that when I show people, who are generally afraid of bats, up-close photos of them, people are often surprised how cute and fragile they are.” Good looks aside, bats have many other redeeming qualities, including being exceptional garden helpers. A little brown bat can devour 4,000 to 8,000 insects a night, helping manage garden pests such as midges, hoppers, moths, ants and mosquitoes. Their pest control efforts also have a huge impact in farming industries. Bats contribute over $3 billion worth of agricultural insect control a year in the U.S. Thanks to bats, farmers not only save on pesticide costs, but the…

In March 1942, a flock of seven house finches was discovered on Long Island. This was highly unusual, since at the time, house finches were typically found only west of the Mississippi River, including the western United States and Mexico. After some investigation, the National Audubon Society caught wind of a Brooklyn pet store selling house finches as “Hollywood finches.” Fearing legal consequences, the sellers released the birds into New York City. An estimated 100,000 house finches had been smuggled in from California—and the rest, as they say, is history. Versatile Nesters Today, house finches can be found throughout the U.S., including Hawaii. They’re highly adaptable birds, thriving in a variety of habitats, from their native deserts to busy, urban environments. They also build their cup nests just about anywhere—from…

Sugar maple NATIVE REGION New England, Midwest and southeastern Canada. BARK Irregular ridges, gray with red tones. LEAVES Only five lobes and the lobes at the base of the leaf are less wide. BUDS Narrow, brown buds with sharply pointed tips. FALL COLOR Ranges from yellow, orange and red. PROS Natural habitat and food source for birds and pollinators. Norway maple NATIVE REGION Across Europe and western Asia. BARK Uniform vertical ridges, light gray to brown. LEAVES Varies from five to seven lobes; lobes near the stem are as wide as the outer lobes. BUDS Terminal buds are broad with rounded tips. FALL COLOR Primarily yellow, not red or orange. CONS Invasive, casts too much shade for native plants to grow. ON-CALL EXPERTS If you’re ever unsure of a plant—whether…

Q Some areas in Ohio have black squirrels along with other types of squirrels, while neighboring areas in Ohio do not have black squirrels. Why is that, and what species of squirrel is a black squirrel? Barbara J. Bricker WOOSTER, OH Kenn and Kimberly: Three species of tree-dwelling squirrels live in Ohio: red squirrels, eastern fox squirrels and eastern gray squirrels. Both of the latter two can occur in a black color morph, but such dark fox squirrels are seen most often in the southeastern states. The black morph of the gray squirrel, by comparison, is most frequently found farther north, around the Great Lakes. There are several places in Ohio where a high percentage of eastern gray squirrels are of the black morph, reflecting the way this interesting but…