Wildlife look for help in cold weather

Business is booming at the 17 bird feeders in the backyard of Amber Kimmich's Powhatan County home.

Colorful nonmigratory birds such as purple finches, cardinals and downy woodpeckers flock around the thistle holders, tray feeders and tubes.

"Birds lose 50 percent of their body fat during the winter trying to stay warm," said Kimmich, a volunteer for the Area Rehabbers Klub, a Powhatan-based group that cares for sick or injured wildlife. "That's why it's so important" that homeowners keep feeding birds during cold months.

ARK president Diane Elrod gets lots of calls this time of year from residents who see raccoons wandering around during the day. They're concerned that the usually nocturnal creatures might be rabid.

"If they're out during the day, they're looking for food — they're starving," Elrod said. "Unless they're acting strangely, staggering, what we call 'sleepy rabies,' they're OK."

When food, water and shelter are in short supply, creatures begin invading yards and homes. "Almost everything can be traced to food and water," El-rod said. "They're looking for anything they can access."

Aaron Hairfield, Richmond service manager for Terminix, said he's getting calls about rats and mice invading homes.

"When cold weather hits, it's not so much that they can't survive in the cold, it's that the weather has killed all of their harborage and food sources," he said.

Laura Simon, field director of urban wildlife for the Humane Society of the United States, said simple things can help wildlife survive winter temperatures and food shortages. Following are tips on how to attract desirable wildlife — and keep out varmints you don't want on your property.

A GUIDE TO FOOD THAT'S FOR THE BIRDS

Invite them over

*Keep bird feeders full in winter. Wildlife rehabilitator Amber Kimmich recommends that homeowners stay away from multipurpose bird feed. "Those feeds have a lot of filler in them," she said. "The filler gets kicked out onto the ground ... you're wasting a lot of money."

Different species like different foods in their feeders:

Blue jay: black-striped sunflower, peanut kernels, black-oil sunflower

Northern cardinal: black-striped sunflower, safflower seeds, black-oil sunflower, cracked corn, millet, unsalted nutmeats, raisins

Northern oriole: hummingbird nectar, grape jelly

Northern mockingbird: orange halves, sliced raw apple, raisins, suet, cornbread

American goldfinch: thistles, black-oil sunflower, hulled sunflower seeds

House finch: thistles, black-oil sunflower, hulled sunflower seeds

Mourning dove: oil-type sunflower seeds, white and red proso millet, safflower, cracked corn, wheat

Downy woodpecker: suet, cornbread, peanut butter, unsalted nutmeats, sunflower seeds, cracked corn

Tufted titmouse: black-striped sunflower, peanut kernels

Native sparrows: red or white proso millet, oil-type sunflower seeds, cracked corn.

*If you don't own bird feeders, coat large pine cones with peanut butter and roll them in sunflower seeds. Attach a string to the top and hang them from trees. Other bird favorites: white millet, in a feeder or on the ground; sunflower chips or whole black-oil sunflower seeds; and suet, basically a block of fat that's a good protein source for birds.

*Keep your bird bath full. Birds need water, and many natural sources may be frozen. "They'll bathe in it, even when it's cold," said Diane Elrod, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in Powhatan and president of the Area Rehabbers Klub, a volunteer group that cares for orphaned and injured native Virginia wildlife with the goal of releasing animals back into the wild.

*Put corn, sunflower seeds and peanuts on the ground or in a feeding station for squirrels.

*Consult "Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife" (Humane Society Press; $27.95) to learn more about coexisting peacefully with wild animals. It's available online at www.hsus.org/press--and--publications/humane--society--press and www.amazon.com.

*For help with sick or injured wildlife in central Virginia, call Area Rehabbers Klub's hot line at (804) 598-8380.

KEEP THEM OUT

*Resist the urge to feed deer. They will stay near an easy source of food, even if it's inadequate, rather than look in their natural environment. If deer ingest a food type that isn't part of their natural diet, they can become sick or even die.

*Cover window wells around your home to prevent animals from becoming stuck. Skunks, for example, have poor climbing abilities.

*Amber Kimmich, a bird expert and ARK member, recommends using ammonia to keep out invasive wildlife. "Soak rags in ammonia and put the rags in pantyhose," she said. "Hang them from rafters or around garbage cans."

*Inspect your house for exterior openings. Use binoculars to help you check the roof elements — trim board, siding and vents. Use a flashlight to illuminate potential openings in dark areas. Look for signs of animal activity where pipes, vents and cables exit the house.

Attic — Look for droppings, chewing and nesting material. Turn off attic lights and look for places where exterior light leaks in. Test to see if an opening is being used by stuffing a paper towel into the space. Watch to see if it gets pushed in or out. If after three days the paper is still in place, you can close the hole.

Chimneys — Shine a light up the flue. Look for signs of animal activity on the damper and smoke shelf. Have a chimney sweep or home inspector (American Society of Home Inspectors, www.ashi.org) inspect the flue from the roof to be sure no animals are present before installing an animal-proof chimney cap.

Roof/siding/trim board — Look for loose vent screens, warped siding, trim board that is deteriorated or pulled away from the wall and roof holes that need repair.

*Seal cracks in your home's exterior. Rodents can squeeze through openings smaller than one-quarter inch. Stuff with steel wool or wire mesh, then seal with caulk. Be sure there are no animals already inside before closing, sealing or capping potential entry points.

*Keep firewood away from your foundation. Wood piles provide shelter for rodents.

*Ensure that attic and foundation vents are equipped with tightly fitting, one-quarter-inch hardware cloth. Regular screening will not deter rodents; they'll simply chew through it.

*Secure trash containers with cords, ropes or weights. Raccoons can tip garbage cans, and skunks, opossums, crows and gulls might join in the feast.

*Cover and secure compost piles. Never compost meat scraps. Feed your pets indoors only, or remove uneaten food after 20 minutes of offering it outside.

Sources: Area Rehabbers Klub, Humane Society of the United States, Terminix