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Attracting Birds in the Winter

attracting birds in the winter
  • What happens to birds in the winter?
  • How can I attract birds to my garden in the winter?
  • How do they stay warm?

These are great questions and I have some tips on how to create an inviting area for the birds in your
yard.

What happens to birds in the winter? 

Some birds migrate to an area while some birds migrate away from the area. Then, there are some species that stay in your area year-round. For those birds that stay in your area, you have a great opportunity to create an inviting place for the birds to come and you get some great colorful entertainment.

How can I attract birds to my garden in the winter?  

Three things will attract birds: food, water, and shelter. Winter is cold and birds need food to stay warm. If you feed the birds in the winter be prepared to commit to the season. Once birds find a
reliable source of food they continue to come back. I feed my birds seed and suet.  If you live in
areas where ponds, lakes, or bird baths freeze put out fresh clean water that
mimics a puddle. Birds also need shelter. The shelter can be thick bushes and trees. Also, consider a roosting box. Or make your own. I have birdhouses and plenty of thick evergreens that the birds live in.

Bird watching in the winter.

I have nine different varieties of birds that come to my deck. I also have squirrels. I love the squirrels and I feed them as well. I know a lot of people try to keep the squirrels out of their bird food but it is a losing
battle so just embrace the little furballs. They are playful and fun to watch! I mix squirrel food with my bird food and serve it up and they eat together in harmony. Plus the Blue Jays love peanuts.

Instead of bird feeders, I line my deck railing with food. This allows multiple birds to visit my feeding area at once. I have had at most 12 birds at one time. Blue Jays, Cardinals, Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Wrens, Juncos, and Titmouse all hang out feeding together.

I put out seeds twice a day; morning and early evening.  If I see them out there midday looking for
food I will put out more food. I have ground feeders like Dark Eyed Juncos, Wrens, and squirrels cleaning up the seeds that fall from the railing.

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