The chill of November is here
to remind us the cold will soon settle in for a long stay. Most people have
started preparing in many ways: putting the storm windows on the house, storing
the hoes and tools, cutting back perennials, and so on. It seems there is just
as much work to end the growing season as starting it. There is one more task a
homeowner can do which reaps all sorts of rewards: winter bird feeding.
As plants die back or go
dormant, coupled with a snow cover, a bird’s food source is diminished. If you
provide a feeder and seed during the winter time, you sustain our feathered friends
which give you a productive task during the bleak months of winter. Consider
taking up bird watching as a winter hobby too.
Depending on the habitat and
neighborhood, you can see as many as thirty-five different species of birds.
This has an impact on the kind of food you need. Not all birds prefer one kind
of seed. At your local garden center, you can find as many as twenty different
kinds of bird food. The best all-purpose food is a black-oil sunflower seed. It
has a thin seed coat so it easy for smaller birds to crack open, but it does
cost more. Striped sunflower seed is popular with bigger birds, but one
disadvantage is the spent hulls left behind. Shelled or whole peanuts are a
good choice for blue jays, chickadees, and woodpeckers. Seed mixes work well,
but birds have been known to sort through the stuff they like and leave the
rest behind. Suet provides much-needed fat in the winter. For a family project,
“marvel meal” can be made at home.
The type of feeder you use will attract different
kinds of birds as well. A hopper
feeder looks like a house with plexiglass sides on top of a platform
where the seed is dispensed as birds eat it. The plexiglass makes it easy to
tell when more seed needs to be added. The seed is protected against the
weather, but not so well against squirrels. Tube feeders are hollow plexiglass cylinders with multiple feeding ports and perches.
These hanging feeders attract species that typically feed off the ground. You
can attach a tray to the bottom to catch scattered seeds and to allow larger
species to feed. Tray or platform feeders are simple, flat, raised surfaces on
which you spread seed. Easy to make, they are one of the most popular feeders.
Birds that typically feed on the ground are particularly attracted to this type
of feeder. A disadvantage of platform feeders is that they are not
squirrel-proof or weather resistant. They should have drainage holes for water
and need to be cleaned often to remove bird droppings. Only one day’s worth of
food should be put out at a time. Water becomes very scarce in the winter time.
Adding a water source will attract even more diversity. Birdbaths do not have
to be fancy. Terra cotta planter saucers work well, as do
trash can lids, turned upside with some stones placed inside to keep it from
blowing away.
Site
selection is the last thing to keep in mind. You can place the feeders close
enough to watch from a window. Birds in winter can be very entertaining. Keep
it about ten feet from trees and shrubs. Birds do not venture far from
protective cover. This gives them an opportunity to be close to shelter, gives
them a perch to rest, and protection from elements. Monitor for the presence of
cats and squirrels too. If you see signs of bear, remove the feeder at once. If
a bear knows there is a food source, he will keep coming back for more.
If you
would like more information on this topic, the Penn State master gardeners in
Lackawanna County have the free publication “Winter Bird Feeding” available.
Contact us at 570-963-6842 or email at LackawannaMG@psu.edu
to request a copy.
Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
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