Fall and Winter Bird Feeding Tips

Male Downy Woodpecker

As predicted, Winter is making an early appearance this year.  You can prepare now to help see your feathered friends through the upcoming season.  Here are some of my favorite Fall/Winter feeding tips to help you get the maximum enjoyment from your bird feeding efforts:

SUET -  Suet is a great way to give your birds a little boost during the cold weather months. This is a favorite food source for woodpeckers, and Fall\Winter is an ideal time to put out a suet feeder to attract them.  In periods of intense cold, look for “high-energy” suets.

SEED – When selecting a seed blend, remember that you get what you pay for.  A quality mix of seed will have a high concentration of black oil sunflower, which is a favorite of most birds.  Inexpensive blends are mostly filler (white millet and red milo).  These seeds are kicked out of the feeders and attract undesirable birds like English Sparrows and Starlings.

  

FRUITS & NUTS – Dried fruits and nuts will attract a large variety of species and supplement their winter diet.  Look for quality bird mixes and suet cakes, which include fruits and nuts.  Nuts are a favorite for attracting both woodpeckers and nuthatches.

SQUIRREL ISSUES - If you are experiencing trouble with squirrels, try offering safflower seed.  It is a favorite of cardinals, chickadees and nuthatches, but squirrels avoid it.  If you don’t want to use safflower, try a “Squirrel-Proof” feeder or add a pole or squirrel baffle.  The extra investment will more than make up for itself in seed savings!

Cardinal in heated birdbath

WATER - Along with making sure that your birds have plenty of seed for the winter, you might want to think about getting a heated birdbath.  Water is vital to all living creatures, as well as birds.  During extended sub-zero weather, there is often no open water to be found and providing it will make your backyard very desirable.  My heated birdbath was a very popular spot last season, and it was visited regularly by all my favorites, including the Cardinal (right) who enjoyed a drink of water at minus 13 degrees below zero!

American Robin

TREES, SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS - Fall is a great time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials.  Select varieties that can provide birds with fruits, nuts and seeds. Last year, I witnessed two American Robins making a meal out of the berries from my Red Cedar tree (left) during a particularly chilly visit by the "Polar Vortex".

NESTING BOXES – It’s never too early to prepare.  Place your nesting boxes in the Fall, and you won’t be too late for any “Early Birds” that show up next Spring.  Nesting boxes can also provide a shelter for birds against the elements.

SHELTER - Make sure that the placement of your feeders is within close proximity to trees and/or shrubs for shelter.  Not only do the birds need protection from the snow and cold, but from predators like raptors and feral cats.  

I am available for backyard birding presentations to your club, business or organization.  For more information, send me an email at: wabendshein@wi.rr.com or visit my website at Belinda Abendschein.

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