Tips for Feeding Your Fine Feathered Friends for the Winter

Many of the local birds do not fly South for the winter for those birds it's a marvelous idea to provide, food , shelter and water while they try to survive winter's cold weather. It also will provide you with hours of wonderful bird watching.

Ideally, it's good to start in the Fall by loading up your bird feeders with high fat seeds. It gets the birds used to the fact that you are going to be a provider. Once you start feeding them , it's important that you continue. They become dependant on your source of food. Keep your feeders full to entice them to keep coming back. Once the birds start migration they will appreciate the foods you provide them, it will be fuel they will need during the migration.

Another good idea is to consider leaving your plants unpruned and letting them go to seed. These seeds provide food for the birds. Downed trees, old tree trunks and branches become places for bugs to hide thus providing insects for the birds as well as giving them lichen for their nests and giving them some shelter. Leave your old leaves and branches. You don't have to let your entire yard look like a wild place you can create areas where you pile the leaves and branches.

You can use your leafless trees and decorate them with suet balls, bits of fruit, like apples and oranges and pine cones covered in peanut butter and seed. If you've grown sunflowers over the summer the seeded centers are wonderful for the birds. These can be hung here and there on the branches for them to nibble on. You can also do this to your evergreens, decorate your little Christmas trees with food for the birds.When the snow falls make it a project with the children to create a bird feeder snowman. You can make corn cob lips, suet ball eyes and buttons and put those Sunflower centers on the end of branches for arms and hands. Millet makes great hair and is a real treat for birds. Sunflower centers could also be earmuffs. IF you have not Sunflower centers you can buy Black Sunflower seed.

You can set out tube feeders to attract Chickadees and Goldfinches. They like Black Millet , Niger and Thistle as well as those pieces of orange. Hopper feeders work for Blue Jays, Grackles and Starlings not everyones favorite birds but they have needs. There are Cardinal blends if you want to attract those beautiful red birds, Safflower is also a favorite of theirs. Put out an Oatmeal-raisin mix to bring Quail, Junco, Groskins, Pheasant, Towhees, Woodpeckers, Bluebirds, Flickers and Doves.They will also come for dried corn cob. Woodpeckers and Flickers like peanuts. Buy a Wildbird Seed mix and attract many different varieties of birds. Safflower will also draw Titmice, Sparrows , Wrens, and Nuthatches.Pine Siskins, Sparrow, Jncos ans FInches are partial to NIger (Thistle). You can also take those green garden stakes and hang orange sections on them. Prioles love oranges as do Mockingbirsa, ROBins, Grosbeak, Thrushes and FInches.They like Grapes and apple as well. I strongly suggest keeping most of this close to the house so you don't have to trudge through the snow to put out refills.

Suet alone or blended with seeds and fruit will draw Jays, Chickadees and Woodpeckers. Try to secure your suet holder well since Raccoons will love this as will.I've had a few holders taken this way.

You can purchase heated birdbaths to keep water available for the feeding birds.

You should always use good quality seed along with putting out seed and suet cakes. High fat content is important for the birds. Another attractive idea is to make a wreath covered with cranberries strung along with popcorn. It's pretty and a good food source. WHen you go t purchase a seed blend try and find one that is blended with a mix that appeals to the birds in your region.

On a regular basis you should remove any wet seed so it doesn't grow bacteria and sicken the birds. Make sure to clean the feeders with 1/4 bleach to two gallons of water before putitng them away for the season if you plan on storing them or starting the Spring filling.

So, you can have an adorable yard while making it bird friendly. It's a bit of a commitment but if you do commit to this you will have never ending entertainment and great photo ops this winter.