By Adria L. Henderson

and Lisa N. Peterson

Sales of wild birdseed, feeders and other backyard bird supplies have doubled over the past few years as people have become more and more fascinated with the care and feeding of our wild bird population.

The wild bird enthusiast’s tasks can be as simple as keeping a backyard feeder filled or super-extravagant, with the hobbyist spending thousands of dollars on sophisticated equipment to attract and observe the behavior of the northeast’s extensive bird population. But it takes more than just a beautiful, expensive habitat and fancy equipment to keep the birds healthy and returning to your back yard, especially during this harsh, cold winter.

The dark-eyed juncos or “snowbirds” that gaily flit about in large groups in the coldest cold and the deepest snow carefully choose their winter food source in the fall. Once this food source is selected, the beautiful little birds “set up shop” and build their winter quarters near that supply. If that source happens to be your bird feeder and you fail to keep it filled, these little birds will not survive the winter.

Juncos are not the only birds that suffer in extreme winter weather. All ground-feeding wild birds lose their ability to access food when the ground is heavily snow-covered. They have to rely on alternate or artificial sources of food. If they find a feeder, they will come to depend on that seed to take them through the coldest spells.

If you continue to fill your bird feeder through the fall season it is imperative that you continue a reliable and adequate food source throughout the year. Seeds and suet should not be provided just in the warmer months when the most beautiful, songbirds are around. You must keep your feeders filled through December, January, February and March when wild birds may lose their own food supplies.

Our over-wintering birds such as cardinals, juncos, titmice, black-capped chickadees, wrens, house finches, sparrows, nuthatches and the woodpecker groups such as the downy, yellow bellied sap-suckers and northern flickers will continue to liven your yard with their vibrant colors and happy antics as long as the food source continues.

Keeping your feeders filled with the proper seed for each bird will ensure that a variety of birds winter in your yard. This will also guarantee an adequate diet for the birds to survive. Choose feeders and diet based on the types of birds you’d like to attract. If you want to keep the larger, louder birds such as jays and crows away from your yard, choose feeders that prevent access by large birds. A feeder that has a wire cage around the outside of the feeding tube with the wire holes small enough for only the tiniest birds to get through, is perfect for this purpose. A flat tray type feeder may be the easiest to fill but it will attract all size birds. The larger birds may and will keep the smaller birds away. Using just a thistle seed feeder will also keep most of the larger birds away.

Birds select their seed based on size, ease of access, (to shell or not to shell) taste and finally nutritional needs. Cardinals for example will return to feeders that are filled with black and white oil sunflower seeds and safflower seeds (their ultimate favorite) for the high heat/energy content needed by these active birds. The smaller birds look for feeders that contain smaller size seeds such as thistle, millet and safflower. If you keep your suet feeders filled with either prepackaged or home-prepared suet (raw beef fat), you will continue to enjoy the acrobatics of all the woodpecker varieties as well as frequent visits by the exquisite black-capped chickadees and nuthatches. Check with your local wild-bird seed supplier for special blends to attract specific birds.

Do not cut back your perennials in the fall. The twigs, large dried leaves and bushy mounds make excellent cover for birds from the weather and predators. Many wintering birds will nest in long-forgotten dead bushes. Old Christmas trees make great shelters for winter birds! Ultimately the best way to attract birds to your yard is to provide natural shelter by planting bushes and trees. Placing feeders near low-growing evergreens (but below squirrel baffles) where birds can hide to eat will also keep the birds safe from attack by the family cat or other predators.

Providing accessible water during the coldest days is essential as all natural water sources may be frozen. Electric de-icers made specifically for bird bowls or baths work well, especially if you can’t go out two or three times a day to change frozen water.

Squirrels seem to be the bane of every backyard bird-feeding enthusiast. Theories abound about how to keep them away from your feeders. Will feeding squirrels with their own food keep them away from your feeders? Or will using diversion feeders just attract the little hellions to your yard? My personal theory is that whether or not you feed the squirrels, they will be there. If you enter into this hobby with this in mind you will be less frustrated. Squirrels are part of the backyard habitat. A tall, pole feeder with a large, movable squirrel baffle on the pole placed far enough away from a tree, bush or structure will prevent squirrels from reaching your feeder. I have watched squirrels try over and over again to climb onto moving baffles only to fall to the ground unsuccessful in their attempts. Enough seed usually falls from the feeder to keep my squirrels content on the ground where they happily feast with ground feeding birds such as mourning doves. Weight sensitive feeders that close with the weight of a squirrel sometimes work. But I have seen these little acrobats learn to hang upside down from the top of the feeder to avoid the weight sensitive perch.

Remember to keep your feeders clean, especially feeder trays without drainage holes. Moldy seed can cause disease that may kill the birds you are trying to keep alive and may be transmitted to wild animals or household pets. Birds will not usually return to a dirty, moldy feeder. A thorough brushing with hot, soapy water and rinsing well will do the job. There are long-handled brushes made especially for tube feeders.

Buying seed in large 50-pound bags may be less expensive, but you will not be able to check for seed moths already established in the bag. If you buy loose seed look closely around the edges of the barrels or bins for tiny moth cocoons or tiny brown moths flying above the shelves. Stay away from these supplies as the moths will infest your food and are extremely difficult to eradicate. In smaller see-through plastic bags you will be able to check for the tiny cottony cocoons at the tops and bottom corners of the plastic. Once purchased, and if the bags are small enough, freezing them will keep them free of moths. Keep your birdseed in the garage in airtight, clipped-down metal containers. I once made the mistake of keeping my seed in a plastic container on my screened porch. My squirrel friends ate through the screens and then right through the plastic container to get to the seed! Mice have been known to follow suit.

Bird watching is such a gratifying and inexpensive hobby. It’s the perfect hobby for the perennially lazy. Sitting on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and watching a brilliant red cardinal proudly announce his presence against a pure white, snowy background is one of winter’s little joys. And it’s so easy to them happy and healthy. Just keep their feeders filled and clean.

Adria L. Henderson and Lisa Peterson, owners of Safe at Home, a Newtown- based Pet Sitting business, contribute Animal Lifestyles. Write to us at PO Box 427 Botsford, Ct. 06404 or e-mail us at animallifestyles@usa.net. We welcome our reader’s response.