Here’s what you need to know about feeding birds in winter
Red-bellied Woodpeckers love to visit bird feeders.
Movement. Color, drama and song — see it all at your backyard bird feeder! Choosing the right seeds and feeder location (and providing water) will make viewing winter birds much easier. Here’s your guide!
In winter, the lush, berry-laden vegetation of summer and fall is less abundant, and insects have either died or become dormant.
Birds may find it especially challenging to find food on days of extreme cold.
To survive, nonmigratory songbirds shift their diets to fruits and seeds. Most birds that stay in the area during the winter are seed eaters. So winter is when it is particularly important to fill feeders and keep them filled.
To maximize the number of species that visit your feeders, you’ll want to offer a variety of seed. Specific feeders are designed for specific seeds so be sure you have the correct seed for your feeders.
Bird Seed Choices
Birds need extra energy and fat reserves to keep warm and sustain life during the winter’s cold and food-scarce conditions.
During the day, birds spend their time eating continuously so they’ll have enough calories to keep them warm at night. Fat provides an excellent source of energy for birds. Suet and seeds high in fat such as sunflower seeds and nut blends are excellent choices to offer at your feeder.
The seeds that attract the greatest number of species are black-oil sunflower. These seeds have a high meat-to shell ratio, they are nutritious and high in fat, and their small size and thin shells make them easy for small birds to handle and crack.
Safflower seeds are another good choice, and a bonus is that squirrels and grackles, blue jays and starlings don’t like them. Or choose a mixed seed like Lyric Supreme which is a premium, all-around bird seed mix to attract the greatest variety of birds including cardinals, finches, woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, juncos, and Pine Siskins.
The circulating “magic fountain” at the Milford Point Coastal Center attracts birds year round. It is the only fresh water on Milford Point. But a simple bird bath can also be an important water source.
Water
In the winter it is particularly difficult for birds to find unfrozen water. Birds need water not only to drink but also to bathe in — clean feathers provide the best insulation. Providing a dependable supply of fresh water will even attract birds to your yard that wouldn’t ordinarily come to your feeders.
If you want to keep your bird bath free of ice, you can buy a bird bath heater or heated bird bath that you plug in. Another option is to paint the inside of your bird bath flat black (with a toxic-free/food-safe paint) and place it in a sunny place out of the wind. You’ll be surprised how long it stays ice free.
Where to Place Your Feeder
The best place to put your feeder for the winter is anywhere that has some shield from gusty winter winds.
Feeders should be placed in a sunny area about 8 – 10 feet from shrubs or evergreens where birds can find shelter from inclement weather and easily see predators.
Birds have distinct preferences for heights and types of feeders, so place your feeders in different locations around your yard to reduce overcrowding. If all your feeders are in one area, a dominant species will keep the others away.
Remember that windows are a particular hazard to birds. Information on how to make your windows bird-safe can be found here.
When starting up a feeding program, be patient. It may take as long as several weeks before the birds discover your feeders.
