Wild Birds Unlimited

10/15/2026

Are you enjoying the gorgeous fall colors on display all around us? Our friend Shawn was photographing the birds that stopped by his feeders for breakfast when he also captured this dazzling array of autumn orange foliage! Thanks for sharing your photo with us Shawn!

If you feed birds, you probably recognize this cute lil’ bird as a Tufted Titmouse. Tufted Titmice are a monomorphic species, meaning both males and females look alike so we really can’t tell what s*x this bird is – no worries, as long as they know the difference! Bird species, such as Northern Cardinals, where the males and females look visibly different are referred to as dimorphic.

Notice that the Tufted Titmouse in Shawn’s photo is about to snack on a striped sunflower seed. Striped sunflower seeds are larger than black-oil sunflower seeds and they have a harder shell. Besides Tufted Titmice, birds that are adept at cracking open striped sunflower seeds include cardinals, grosbeaks, jays, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. At the store, you can find striped sunflower seeds in our Supreme, Choice, and Cardinal Confetti seed blends. We will also special-order individual bags of the seed for customers when asked.

If you have our WBU Advanced Pole System you may recognize the EZ-Attach Decorative Branch Perch that the titmouse is perching on in the photo. Our Branch Perches allow birds to rest and enjoy their food in between feeder visits. Our Branch Perches (they come in two sizes), also provide us with longer views of the birds that visit, and ample opportunities to get amazing photos like this one Shawn took! Here is a link to our Advanced Pole System and accessories. https://order.wbu.com/woburn/poles-baffles-hobby-products/poles-baffles-hobby-products

What birds are you seeing at your feeders? Do you have any photos to share with us?

10/08/2026

Birds Are Caching Food for the Winter! For birds the biggest giveaway that autumn has arrived is the decrease in daylight hours. For many birds this means it’s time to get out of town and head south, but for birds that winter here like Tufted Titmice, Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, and Blue Jays, it means it’s time to stock up on food for the upcoming winter. This is also known as caching.

September through December is peak caching time for some of our favorite birds, and these birds can store anywhere from hundreds to thousands of separate caches scattered around their home ranges (our backyards and neighborhoods). Notice how birds are spending less time eating their seeds and nuts at your feeders and are instead making repeated visits where instead of hanging out and eating, they quickly leave with their bounty. Some birds like Blue Jays may actually stay longer as they stuff their mouths with as many seeds or nuts as possible. A study found that Blue Jays can stuff up to 100 sunflower seeds in their mouths before setting off to hide them!

Chickadees, nuthatches, titmice and woodpeckers store their seeds and nuts under tree bark and knotholes; and even under roof shingles, house siding and eaves. Some birds hide seeds by covering them with leaves, moss or grass. Blue Jays often bury their cache in the ground. Birds also remember key landmarks such as rocks and shrubs that surround their cache locations.

Now here’s something truly amazing! Chickadees’ brains actually grow in the autumn to help them remember where they hid their caches of food! In the spring their brains shrink back. Kinda makes a person rethink what it means to be a “bird brain!”

10/07/2026

Thanks to Jules from the store for sharing this beautiful photo of a male American Robin that recently appeared on her lawn. You may wonder how we know this is a male robin and not a female. I instantly knew this was a male due to its black head feathers. Female robins have much paler, grayer head feathers. Females are generally a bit lighter overall than males – but you may not notice this difference unless you see them side by side.

By the way, this robin is very likely to spend the winter here in Massachusetts and maybe in Jules’ neighborhood – that is if Jules and her neighbors grow berries and other fruits. I grow several types of berries and have several apple trees. Every autumn I leave fruit on my plants and my neighbors do as well. Come winter, robins show up in large flocks to feast on the berries and apples. I’ll try to get video of this!

Here is a link to the Range Map for American Robins. Did you know that they breed as far south as Mexico and as far north as Alaska? Take a look at the map – I think it will surprise you – it did me! https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/maps-range

10/06/2026

Wowza! What awesome photos our friend Phil took of a female Downy Woodpecker eating at his WBU Multiplex Suet Plug Feeder! The suet is our WBU SuperSuet No Melt Plugs, which can be served up any time of year. Unlike other brands of suet, our SuperSuet is specially formulated so it won’t melt when the weather turns hot! Okay, that is SUPER don’t you think? The birds sure do – and why not, it contains a blend of mealworms, roasted peanuts, almond, pecans, walnuts, hot pepper and calcium – that’s some good stuff or should I say SUPER stuff!

Yesterday I posted a photo of a male Downy Woodpecker and noted that we knew it was a male from the red feathers at the back of its head. This female Downy Woodpecker has no red feathers at the back of her head. Take a peek at both photos to help identify the differences.

If you are curious to check out our Multiplex Suet Plug Feeder it is available in-store and online at https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-feeders/suet-feeders/wood-suet-plug-feeder/545

Here is a link to the SuperSuet Plugs Phil has in his feeder https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-food/super-suet/supersuet-no-melt-plugs/257

The SuperSuet Plugs are also available in a Hot Pepper variant, to help keep squirrels away – birds can’t taste the heat, but squirrels sure can and they no likie it! https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-food/super-suet/hot-pepper-supersuet-no-melt-plugs/258

By the way, if you hae any bird/nature photos to share with us, please message them to me or email to [email protected]. Thanks in advance, and thanks to Phil for sharing his photos!

10/06/2026

Many backyard birds are clever food hiders, or “cachers,” storing seeds, nuts and even insects in tree crevices, under bark or in the ground to eat later! 🌳🥜 These smart birds use landmarks, the sun and even each other to keep track of their stashes, helping them survive tough winters and busy seasons. ❄️☀️ Watching them work is like seeing a tiny treasure hunt happen in your backyard! 🔍✨

10/05/2026

What an awesome photo Jules from the store took of an itsy-bitsy Downy Woodpecker! I say itsy bitsy because Downy Woodpeckers are only about 6 ½ inches in length. Even itsy bitsier (is that a word?), they weigh only about one ounce!

By the way, this is a male Downy Woodpecker and we know this because of the red feathers at the back of his head. Female Downy Woodpeckers do not have the red patch at the back of their heads.

Notice that Jules is feeding Simply Suet in her feeder. Simply Suet is a high-fat, high-energy food that blackbirds, starlings and squirrels tend not to like. Most other birds, including woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmice, and wrens eat Simply Suet with gusto!

Here is a link to our Simply Suet cake and all our other suet cakes https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-food/suet-mealworms as well as all of our suet feeders https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-feeders/suet-feeders

To help keep her suet dry and protected from inclement weather, Jules uses an 18” WBU Hanging Baffle https://order.wbu.com/woburn/poles-baffles-hobby-products/poles-baffles-hobby-products/18-hanging-baffle/704

This baffle also helps keep squirrels and other critters from accessing the food.

Have you been seeing woodpeckers at your feeders? Do you have any photos to share with us?

10/03/2026

Fake Halloween Spider Webs Can Be a Real Danger to Birds! It’s fun watching all the Halloween decorations going up in our neighborhoods! The carved pumpkins, ghouls, goblins, ghosts, witches and skeletons are spooky and they can bring a lot of enjoyment to children and adults alike. If you are decorating your yard for Halloween, there is one common decoration you may want to avoid because it can cause harm to birds and small mammals – fake spider webs.

Fake spider webs are often placed on bushes and trees or around window ledges – all places where birds tend to land and they can become entangled. Trees and bushes serve as wonderful places for birds to rest or hide from predators, but when wrapped in fake spider webs a place of safety can quickly become a trap that they can’t escape from.

Thank you for helping to make sure Halloween isn’t scary for our bird friends!

10/01/2026

Are you decorating for Halloween this year or just feeling in the Halloween spirit? I think you might be after seeing these spooky Origami Halloween Lanterns we are now carrying here at the store! I’m thinking of getting one to surprise everyone who comes to trick-or-treat at my house! What fun – don’t you think?

The Lanterns are rechargeable and can last for over five hours when fully charged. They twist flat for easy storage and open to a height of 8.25 inches by 4.75 inches wide. Additionally, they come with a convenient carrying and hanging strap!

Now for the big decision, would you pick the ghoulish Jacko Lantern or frightening Witches Lantern? Don’t wait too long to decide – the Limited-Edition Lanterns won’t be here long!

09/30/2026

I know there has been A LOT of rain lately, which also means A LOT of puddles, but that doesn’t mean birds won’t continue to visit our birdbaths! I saw a mixed flock of finches, cardinals, doves and sparrows drinking from my two birdbaths this morning and lookie who Jules from the store had at her bath – a very thirsty Turkey Vulture!

Although Turkey Vultures will occasionally visit our yards for a quick drink, they are not commonly seen eating food from under our seed or nut feeders. Instead, they really prefer to chow on freshly dead or recently dead animals, which they locate by their keen sense of smell! I think we can all agree that this is both ewww and cool!

The ewww factor aside, this choice of food got me thinking – why don’t Turkey Vultures get sick from eating dead and rotting animals. Apparently, they have extremely potent stomach acids and a strong immune system that breaks down and fights off deadly toxins. There ya have it!

Although we don’t “officially” sell birdbaths for Turkey Vultures, we do have plenty of birdbaths for our backyard songbirds! You can check them out in-store or online at
https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-baths-&-houses/bird-baths-&-water

09/29/2026

What a stunning bird, don’t you think!? It’s a female Red-bellied Woodpecker. I know the red belly is often hard to see, especially when the birds back is to us and its belly is up against a tree or, in this case a feeder. By the way, we know this bird is a female because, although she has a bright and distinctive red nape, she does not sport the flashy red crown feathers that males do!

Red-bellied Woodpeckers are fairly common at our bird feeders here in Massachusetts, but did you know that wasn’t always the case? Red-bellied Woodpeckers have expanded their range northward into New England, with the first documented reports of sightings in Massachusetts in the mid 1970’s! Now we see them just about everywhere – our backyards, local parks and of course in forests.

In the wild, Red-bellied Woodpeckers eat a pretty varied diet of insects, seeds, acorns, nuts, pine cones, fruits, tree sap, frogs and lizards, and even small fish! At our feeders they will eat sunflower seeds and chips, suet including our Bark Butter and Bark Butter Bits (suet nuggets), peanuts, tree nuts, live and dried mealworms, and hummingbird nectar. If you feed orioles in the spring and summer months, you will probably see Red-bellied Woodpeckers eating oranges and grape jelly at your feeders – they truly have a sweet tooth…or, should I say, beak!

The Red-bellied Woodpecker in my photo is feasting on fine sunflower chips from my WBU Quick-Clean Finch Feeder https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-feeders/finch-feeders/quick-clean-medium-finch-feeder-(yellow)/621
Although Finch Feeders were designed to hold nyjer/thistle seed, we now offer sunflower chips chopped very fine to fit in these feeders https://order.wbu.com/woburn/bird-food/bird-seed/sunflower-chips-(fine)/110 .
Goldfinches LOVE the fine sunflower chips and eat at this feeder all the time, as do Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, nuthatches, Tufted Titmice and chickadees!

What birds have you been seeing at your feeders? Do you have any photos to share with us?

09/29/2026

The windows in our homes and offices can be hazardous for birds. Birds cannot readily distinguish the presence of a pane of transparent glass from an unobstructed space or passageway and often fly into window panes causing injury or death. Click here to learn more: www.wbu.com/window-strikes

09/28/2026

I was photographing our NEW Ceramic Bird Mugs when I became curious as to how long our customers have been collecting these, so I asked our store owner, Susan. WOWZA! Susan says customers began collecting them more than 15 years – she says that is how long we have been selling them at our Sudbury store. The mugs are also very popular with our Woburn customers – we introduced them there when we opened the store nine years ago!

I counted and we currently offer the 100% ceramic mugs in twenty bird/nature designs – including these three NEW offerings: Female Cardinal, Bald Eagle and Monarch Butterfly mugs. The 12-ounce mugs are individually boxed and are both dishwasher and microwave safe.

The mugs are available in-store and online at https://order.wbu.com/woburn/gifts/home

At the time of this posting, the NEW mugs are not yet available online, but can be purchased in-store or by phone at 781-281-0484.

09/23/2026

09/22/2026

In the Northern Hemisphere, the First Day of Autumn is Tuesday, September 22. That's when the length of day and night are almost the same. Be sure your feeders are ready for some hungry birds that are either preparing or recharging for the longer nights.

The Blue Jay shown is an example of a North American bird working hard to find the additional calories needed to make it through autumn's longer hours of darkness. Which birds are visiting your backyard this season? Share in the comments.

09/21/2026

What kind of corvids do you have in your yard? Are you seeing crows, jays, or maybe even ravens?

If you haven't listened to the most recent episode of the Podcast, tune in today! You won't want to miss this very interesting topic! Listen here: https://www.wbu.com/podcast/episode-113-jays-crows-other-corvids/

09/16/2026

Kathy and John Haigh have recently purchased the WBU store in Spokane, WA! John and Kathy also own the WBU stores in Billings and Bozeman, MT. We’re so excited to see their WBU journey continue to grow and can’t wait to see all the wonderful things they’ll bring to the Spokane community!
To learn more about how you can own your own WBU store, please visit us at https://franchise.wbu.com. To find a local WBU store near you, please visit https://www.wbu.com.

09/13/2026

It's National Peanut Day! 🥜 To celebrate, let's fill up our peanut feeders for our friends that love peanuts like Jays, Nuthatches, Titmice, Woodpeckers, Chickadees, and...love them or hate them...squirrels!

Featured Bird: Downy Woodpecker
Feeder and WBU Food: EcoClean Peanut Feeder with Peanuts, Out of the Shell

09/10/2026

What if jays or crows could save your life, help replant forests after fires, or learn to communicate with you? Brian is joined by WBU store owners Kurtis Huston of Kamloops, BC and Laura Fleming of Medford, OR to explore the fascinating world of jays, crows and other corvids. Discover just how intelligent these birds can be, the surprising ways they interact with people, and the important roles they play in the natural world. Plus, learn how to attract or deter them. Listen here: https://www.wbu.com/podcast/episode-113-jays-crows-other-corvids/

09/07/2026

This Labor Day, take a moment to rest, recharge, and listen to the birds. You work hard—you’ve earned a little R&R. Here’s to long weekends, lazy mornings, and soaking up the simple things. 😌

The Red-headed Woodpecker shown is a beautiful sight at feeders across many regions of the US. Let us know which birds are stopping by your feeders this holiday weekend. Share in the comments.