What's that redder-than-red bird?

Q: A friend who's a birdwatcher pointed out a scarlet tanager to me, and boy, do they live up to their name. Are they common in our state?

A: I'm not surprised you were amazed by a scarlet tanager, one of the most brilliant birds in the forest. Where cardinals are a bright red, male scarlet tanagers are a red-hot, almost electric red, accented by their black wings and tail. (Females are a less noticeable yellow-green color.) I checked "The Breeding Birds of Minnesota" and learned that these tanagers prefer to nest in mature upland forests and are most abundant in the north central part of our state, although they sometimes can be found in residential areas with tall trees. There simply aren't a large number of tanagers, and they're tough to spot, as they tend to spend time high in tall oak trees. Their buzzy, chirrupy song can help pinpoint their location. Hear it here: allaboutbirds.org/guide/Scarlet_Tanager/sounds

Who's mudding up the bath?

Q: Why is my birdbath suddenly so muddy? I used to hose it out every couple of days but lately it's needed it every day, and maybe twice a day.

A: I'm betting you have a robin pair building their nest nearby. These thrushes start their nests using dead grasses and twigs, then reinforce it by gathering mud to pack around the bottom and sides. They use their own bodies to smooth out the mud, and this is a messy business for the birds. So, they take a bath in the closest available source, in this case your birdbath. You're doing a good deed for robins (and other birds that want to drink or bathe) by keeping the basin filled with fresh water.

Watch the osprey

Q: You mentioned in a previous column that the DNR's Eagle Cam isn't focused on the eagles' new nest. Are your readers aware of the Landscape Arboretum's Osprey Cam, where they can watch a pair of osprey parents raise their young?

A: Good tip; the Arboretum's camera is recording a pair of these hawks as they raise their family. The handsome "fishing hawks" can be viewed at arb.umn.edu/osprey-cam.

What makes oriole nests so strong?

Q: Looking at last year's oriole nests, I realized I've never seen orioles building their nest. What material do they use to make these long-lasting structures?

A: Most birds are fairly secretive as they build their nests, to avoid being spotted by a predator that might return later on a raiding visit. So, it's not surprising that you haven't seen orioles at work on a nest out on the end of a tree branch. The female Baltimore oriole gathers grasses, wool, bark from vines, twine, fishing line and other materials, then pokes them into an elaborate knot and tangle shape. Their nests are very strong, often visible even a year later, and orioles will sometimes visit an old nest to recycle its materials.

Shoreline cackle

Q: There's a bird about the size of a crow that flies along our lakeshore, and gives an odd song or call. It's gray and white and I can't find it in my field guide. Any ideas?

A: That sounds like a belted kingfisher, a handsome blue-gray bird that haunts lakeshores and stream sides in its search for small fish and amphibians. Before swallowing its catch, a kingfisher will first beat it to a pulp, especially if it's feeding its youngsters. This species is fun to watch hovering over the water, almost like a hummingbird, before plunging down to snatch up a fish or frog. They make an amazingly loud rattling, cackling call, as you described. (Hear it here: allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher/sounds.)

Staying together

Q: Do cardinals mate for life?

A: Interesting question, but it might be more accurate to answer the question along the lines of "do they remain together all year?" The answer is generally yes, a practice that's fairly unusual in the songbird world. Most cardinal pairs don't break up after nesting season, instead staying together throughout the year. In winter, they may join a flock of other cardinals, but they remain bonded. This makes sense because they have such an intensive parenting season, raising two broods each summer in our climate (and three in warmer places), and they don't need to spend valuable time finding a mate each time.

Females do most of the nest-building and egg-sitting, although the male brings in nesting materials and food to his mate on the nest. If something happens to one of the pair, the remaining cardinal will seek a new mate.

Hummingbirds and heights

Q: I used to have hummingbird feeders on a ground-level deck, but now live in a third-floor apartment, facing some trees and a pond. Would it be worth the effort to put out a hummingbird feeder attached to a window — will they come up this high?

A: This is an interesting question, and I think it would be worth a try to have a third-floor feeder. Some time ago a reader who lived on a fifth floor set out a nectar feeder and had occasional hummingbird visitors. The fact that you have good habitat nearby should help. Please let me know how this works out.

Avoiding the flu

Q: I know that avian flu has not been seen much in songbirds, but just to err on the side of caution, what can I do to keep the infection out of my birdbath? I scrub it and wash it out with the hose, but can't find any information about additives for the water to keep the virus at bay.

A: You're doing all the right things to maintain a healthy birdbath. I checked online, too, and found nothing about birdbath additives, probably because this disease primarily affects poultry and ducks and geese (and some raptors). I'd avoid adding anything to the water, but keep doing what you're doing on a daily basis to keep the water clean and fresh.

St. Paul resident Val Cunningham, who volunteers with bird organizations and writes about nature for local, regional and national newspapers and magazines, can be reached at valwrites@comcast.net.