Winter Bird Feeding Advice

If you’re looking for some winter bird feeding advice, then this guide has the information you’re looking for. Here are some crucial winter bird feeding advice that will help to ensure the birds choose your backyard for a visit - as well as how to ensure they’re safe at all times during their stay!

Winter Bird Feeding

To start with winter bird feeding, it’s important to remember that the eating habits of birds tend to change in the winter. Insects and bugs are plentiful in the warm summer months. In the cold winter months, their quantity declines.  Most winter birds will begin to focus on berries and other treats to support their nutrition.

They will be on the lookout for a regular source of berries, seeds, and similar food sources. This gives you the perfect opportunity to supply the food they need. Of course, if you provide their chosen food source, for winter bird feeding - you’ll quickly be rewarded with frequent visit from these wonderful winter birds.

The best kinds of food to focus on during these months will be the dense, high calorie options. Perfect for fueling birds during the short days and long nights of winter. As warm-blooded creatures in a cold environment, they need all of the help they can get. Providing safe accommodation that’s away from any natural predators will also be greatly appreciated by visiting birds.

With this in mind, it’s important to be wary of where you place your feeder. Keeping it out of high winds is a must, so placing it alongside a house or shed is usually a wise decision. Equally, you need to keep it away from bushes or other hideouts for cats, who may be on the prowl for these winter birds.

One of the best types of food to provide a bird in winter will be oil sunflower seeds, because they have a fantastic ratio of fat and protein, giving the birds all of the energy they need. In addition to this, many birds will greatly appreciate peanuts in the winter - again, because of the high calorie content. What’s more, many birds will enjoy suet - and this is a great way to supply them another high calorie option.

Of course, your winter birds will need water in addition to their food source, and a quality water supply can be difficult to come by in those cold winter months. The best solution is to leave a plastic dish with a heater inside, or even invest in a dedicated heated birdbath. The main thing to avoid is those ceramic birdbaths which can quickly fill with rainwater, and perhaps become a cold, watery hazard for many smaller species of bird.

Ice is always an issue on a particularly cold day, and if the water source becomes frozen, they may be forced to travel further afield and leave the safe haven of your backyard. With this in mind, it’s important to keep an eye on their water supply, as well as their food source, throughout the winter months.