In much of North America, winter can be a difficult time for birds. The days are short, and nights are often cold and long. The natural food supply has been consumed or is hidden by snow and most insects are dead or dormant. Water can be hard to find, and food needed to provide the energy to keep birds warm might be scarce, and finding shelter may not be easy. You can play an important role in helping birds survive winter with three easy steps.
As winter approaches, you may need to change some of the foods you offer to birds. Providing high calorie and high fat foods can help keeps birds warm. The birds visiting winter feeders may be arriving in flocks or may come to the feeders as individuals, so you may need to provide different options for the birds.
Birds do need a source for water in the winter. Bird baths can provide a water source and should be heated to help prevent the whole bath from freezing. In areas where the weather can turn cold and possibly freeze the water in bird baths, a heater or heated birdbath is a great option.
Roosting boxes or natural plant covers can also help birds seeking protection from cold weather and natural predators. Be sure to clean out old nests from houses to help reduce the possibility of parasitic bugs surviving the winter.
Looking for more ways to help birds this winter? Stop by your local WBU for more tips and advice.
Keeping Birds Warm
Here are some tips for backyard birdwatchers to welcome winter birds into your yard throughout the polar vortex and maintain gorgeous bursts of color that only birds can provide.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are frequent visitors to suet feeders in the winter
Selecting seeds, suet, nuts, peanut butter, scraps, and other high-fat, high-calorie items will help provide the best winter bird foods, allowing birds to burn off more calories and produce more body heat.
To maintain the happiness of our feathered friends, we at intoBirds use a combination of different bird foods.
We offer the National Audubon Society Signature Harvest Woodpecker Cake (available at Lowe’s $6) to our suet-loving birds. 98) and C and S Peanut Suet Nuggets. (Six 27-ounce bags on Amazon $26. 94).
These products provide enjoyment to the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Northern Flickers, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, encouraging them to visit the feeders throughout the day.
So do Carolina Wrens, Dark-eyed Juncos and other backyard birds.
Our primary choice of bird food is Harvest Seed & Supply’s wild bird food sold exclusively through Walmart.
The business produces a fantastic No Waste Blend that keeps your feeding area tidy.
We just started utilizing Harvest Seed.
Suet Crunch (draws nuthatches, cardinals, chickadees, titmice, woodpeckers, and more) and Orchard Blend (draws kinglets, buntings, chickadees, nuthatches, towhees, and more).
Both products have been a hit with our backyard birds.
Birds that spend long, cold nights must have ready access to food in the morning to refuel.
This takes dedication on the backyard birder’s part.
It also entails ensuring that bird feeders are always stocked with wholesome seed, regardless of the weather, so the birds always know where to find a high-energy meal.
In snowstorms and torrential rain, we venture outdoors multiple times daily to ensure our feathered companions are adequately nourished.
Birds can melt snow to drink if necessary.
However, doing so consumes the valuable energy that birds need to keep their bodies warm.
If you provide birds with a heated bird bath to drink from during freezing temperatures, their chances of surviving are significantly increased.
Plant coniferous trees and evergreen shrubs that will give adequate cover throughout the winter.
To provide birds with a secure, covered area to roost, think about creating a brush pile.
We enjoy having a pair of Carolina Wrens as part of our backyard flock. They have taken up residence in our brush pile.
Adding a roost box to your yard is also helpful.
Bird’s Adaption Secret: Thermoregulation
One of the amazing skills that birds possess to withstand harsh environments is the ability to regulate their body temperature, or thermoregulation.
By sitting, thermoregulation helps birds reduce 50% to 60% of their heat loss.
Birds can die in extremely cold temperatures even though they have evolved to retain heat and stay warm.
Birds mortality can be quite high during severe winter.
Therefore, providing your backyard’s feathered friends with some knowledge about keeping them warm can help them survive the harsh weather.
You might need to switch up some of the foods you give birds as winter draws near. Providing foods high in fat and calories can aid in keeping birds warm. You may need to provide the birds different options because they may arrive at the feeders in flocks or as individuals during the winter.
Birds do need a source for water in the winter. Water can be obtained from bird baths, which should be heated to help keep the entire bath from freezing. A heater or heated birdbath is an excellent choice in regions where the weather can get chilly and possibly cause the water in bird baths to freeze.
Birds looking for shelter from the cold and natural predators can also benefit from roosting boxes or natural plant covers. Make sure to remove outdated nests from homes to lessen the chance that parasitic insects will survive the winter.
Visit your local WBU for more information if you’re looking for additional ways to support birds this winter.
Winter can be hard on birds in a lot of North America. The nights are frequently long and chilly, and the days are brief. The majority of insects are dormant or dead, and the natural food source has either been eaten or is concealed by snow. Finding water can be difficult, and finding food—which gives birds energy to stay warm—can be difficult. It can also be difficult for birds to find shelter. There are three simple steps you can take to help birds survive the winter.