Frequently Asked Questions

Nongame Wildlife

I haven't seen a hummingbird at my feeder all year! What is going on?

There are many factors involved here. Hummingbirds, like many species of wildlife, undergo population cycles. It may simply be a difficult year for hummingbirds. Area development will also alter habitat, so that key feeding or nesting areas may have been eliminated. Finally, free-roaming cats definitely catch and kill a lot of birds and other wildlife. The domestic cat is an introduced predator in the U.S. and they still take the time to catch prey even if given cat food. Our best advice, both for the cat's health and safety as well as the well-being of native wildlife, is to keep all domestic cats indoors.