As we get into chillier months, and as bears are getting ready to go into torpor or hibernation, it's time to start thinking about feeding local winter birds!
With food much harder to come by for our small, backyard feathered friends, your feeders are a great help for them to have a reliable food source to survive the cold winter months.
Food and feeders
It's best to know what kind of birds you have visiting you when it gets cold, so you know what is best to feed them. For instance, we know that most Northern BC birds love black oil sunflower seeds, especially if there are some nut bits mixed into them (this is especially true of chickadees, who may even take them from your hand in some parks in Prince George).
Seed mixtures are a great choice to feed a variety of birds - there is something in them for everyone. They are usually a mix of sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn, and sometimes nuts. It is best to avoid the seeds that come with oats and milo (a sorghum or grain) as birds tend to ignore them.
Suet is great food for birds as well! This is bird food in the shape of a square(ish) cake or a ball that is made out of animal fat and mixed with seeds, fruit, and/or nuts. It gives birds great energy, especially in cold months. Suet is usually hung in suet feeders (available from hardware, grocery, department, feed, and pet stores) for best access for birds.
Most birds, especially larger birds like our corvid friends, love peanuts. They will cheerfully take them away, whole in shells, to enjoy. If you feel whole peanuts, make sure they're unsalted - and maybe tell your neighbours as they have a habit of leaving shells in yards (where they may be a concern for dogs) and gutters.
You can even make your own feeders out of coconut shells and pine cones. Coconut shells can be filled with suet that is mixed with seeds and/or nuts and then hung (drill a hole in the coconut before filling it). Pine cones can be covered in suet or natural (no sugar added) peanut butter and rolled in seeds and/or nuts, and left out or hung. (These can be fun seasonal crafts for you and children in your life to enjoy!)
The best feeders for your yard are those that will have cover for seed (to protect them from snow) and are in a sheltered area so that birds can eat in peace. Depending on your bird population, a large feeder might be best, to allow for a big bird population to safely and comfortably enjoy food.
Cleanliness
It is very important to keep your feeding areas and bird feeders clean. This is especially important in hot and humid months, but it is no less important to be careful in the winter. It is recommended that you take time to completely empty a feeder and sterilize it as best as possible, rinse it, and then let it dry before replacing seeds and putting it back outside. This helps keep birds healthy as well as fed.
Birds and windows
Make sure to keep your feeders away from windows, and mark your windows so they are seen by birds, so that they don't fly into them. We have another article with more information about birds and windows as well.
A note on squirrels and bears
If you have a healthy squirrel population, you might want to look into feeders that are more challenging for squirrels, or add more peanuts and sunflower seeds so that they can all share - squirrels are crafty critters and also hungry in the cold winter months, they'll get birdseed whether you want them to or not, more times.
Be careful about the time of year you feed - bears do enjoy birdseed and will come to feeders if you put them out too early.
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