Feeding the birds over the winter months is a great way to add living colour and song to the backyard.
The winter months can be hard for over-wintering birds as their natural food supplies become harder to find. The snow will soon cover seeds found on grasses and plants, the berries are being eaten and many of the insects are inactive or gone.
This is a good time of year to take out the bird feeders and fill them with birdseed to help the birds make it through the winter months.
Bird feeders should be placed in an area that is sheltered from the wind and receives the sun. A southeastern location works well. You want to keep the birds safe from predators so place the bird feeders high enough from cats and dogs.
At home, we place the feeders a few metres away from the evergreen trees, which provides shelter for the birds when they are not feeding.
There are different types of feeders available that attract different types of birds.
Hopper feeders have built-in storage. The birdseed is in stored in a covered container that protects it from the elements and there are small openings at the bottom of the container that release a small amount of seed into the feeding tray as it empties, keeping the seed fresh.
Platform feeders or fly-through feeders come in an assortment of sizes and styles. They are basically a large covered tray that is either hung or placed on a pole. All the seed is placed in the tray and the birds are able to perch on the edge of the feeder, or in the feeder, to help themselves. These are good for larger-sized seeds such as sunflower seeds.
Silo feeders are long plastic or metal tubes with feeding stations and perches along the length of the tube. Tube feeders are good for small-sized seeds and smaller birds.
Having an assortment of feeders filled with different seeds will attract many different types of birds. When purchasing bird feeders, look for good quality feeders that are easy to clean, as feeders should be cleaned regularly to prevent disease. Also choose feeders that protect the seed from the elements. If the seed gets wet, it could become mouldy and will need to be thrown out as it could be unhealthy for the birds.
Always buy a good quality birdseed. Some of the cheaper quality birdseed blends contain a lot of fillers which the birds won't eat.
Black oiled sunflower seeds are a favourite. They are high in protein, fat and oil, and contain twice the amount of calories than the striped sunflower seeds (which are also good). Sunflower seeds can be purchased as kernels or seed. The kernels are less messy because they have already been shelled.
Other types of birdseed include peanuts, nuts, corn and mixed blends. Another feeding option is suet. Suet is made up of fat and provides high amounts of energy, which is important for birds going through a cold winter.
When you start feeding the birds, the birds will come to rely on you for food, so don't stop half way through the winter. Continue to keep the feeders filled, and keep them clean. We usually feed the birds until the snow has melted in the spring. By then there is enough natural food for them.
