Tips for Attracting Winter Birds to Your Yard

Use these tips for attracting winter birds to your yard, so you can enjoy bird watching year-round.

Can you believe old man winter is already on the horizon? I know you don’t want to think about it, but the truth is winter will be here before you know it. With winter comes a variety of wildlife scampering into your yard, looking for treats and eats to keep them satisfied during the winter months.

There are all sorts of winter birds you can look forward to seeing if you put the right food and provisions out for them. Winter birds are quite colorful and whimsical to watch, so why not be sure you have plenty of snacks on hand for them? Take a peek below at some helpful Tips for Attracting Winter Birds. It is a lot easier than you may think!

Tips for Attracting Winter Birds

The first thing you want to do is research which birds winter in your region. Then look at what those birds eat and where they like to nest. You can use that knowledge to tailor the suggestions below to the birds in your area.

1. Opt for food high in fat.

Birds are not watching their waistlines in the winter months. In fact, they want foods high in fat to fuel them and keep them warm. You can opt for basic suet cakes with a suet feeder as a feeding option, or find ways to incorporate peanut butter into their food. Roll a pine cone in peanut butter and dip it in seeds and hang, or just place peanut butter balls rolled in seeds at your feeders. In your actual feeders opt for sunflower seeds as they are full of oils that are beneficial to the birds. Leave these sorts of edibles out for your feathered friends and they are sure to flock.

2. Keep a bird bath filled with fresh water.

Birds love to drink water during the winter months just as they do during the summer. But just imagine in freezing temperatures how hard it must be for them to find it! Give them a hand and keep fresh water out for them in a bird bath or other easily accessible vessel. If your area does get freezing temperatures, you can place a heating element in your birdbath or buy a heated birdbath for winter use. Water is life for any creature, so when you offer it they are sure to come.

3. Offer your winter birds shelter.

Birds love a warm place to lay their heads just like we do. In the winter, that can be hard to find. Why not offer some free housing to your feather friends? Place birdhouses in your trees or hanging in another sheltered location. Consider the wind direction when hanging your birdhouse and ensure the opening is facing away from the wind, so wind, snow, and rain are not blown into the bird’s shelter. For a more permanent solution, plant thick evergreen trees for birds to nest in all winter long. When you give birds a place protected from the elements, they are sure to return year after year.

4. Provide a Safe Haven for Birds.

Once you have provided food, water, and shelter, do all you can to keep the yard safe for the birds. Avoid letting your animals out too much or allowing cats to roam. Keep trees trimmed and bird feeders and baths cleaned. When you offer safety, birds will not only want to visit but bring their families with them as well.

When you give these three basic tips for attracting winter birds a try, you are sure to get some special visitors this winter! You will be able to curl up with a cup of coffee and watch the birds for hours. Sounds pretty relaxing, doesn’t it?