Spring in Lions Bay is a busy time for wildlife… around mid-March our migratory birds start returning and at the same time our bears emerge from their long winter hibernation.
Bears are seeking out nutritious high-calorie meals and bird seed and hummingbird feeders can be very enticing to them. So if you choose to have a bird feeder on your property, it is important to ensure you use Bear Smart practices. Here are suggestions to keep bird feeders out of reach of bears:
Secure bird feeders 10ft above the ground and from any other access points, such as trees or your deck (Bears are agile climbers with a long reach!)
Do not overfill your bird feeder, ensure seeds are not scattered on the ground under the feeder (Bears have a keen sense of smell)
Consider alternatives to bird feeders, such as a bird bath, nesting boxes or Bird Friendly plants to attract birds to your yard (and not bears). Even if a bear cannot reach a bird feeder, the smell can be an attractant for them.
If you’re unable to keep your feeders out of reach of bears, please consider taking them down for the summer.
As a reminder, if you see a bear, please report the sighting on the Lions Bay Bear Smart website.
And for information on how to keep feeder birds safe and healthy, read more here.
(Photo courtesy of Rod Baker)