Put out high-energy foods
Many of us prefer not to put out suet and other perishable foods during the warmer months. But in winter nothing beats a beakful of fat first thing in the morning -- especially for small birds. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and other favorite yard visitors will greatly appreciate all those calories after a long, cold night.
Besides suet, peanuts are another fatty favorite winter munch. Put them out unshelled as part of a premium birdseed mix, or on their own. Special feeders are available for this purpose: often they’re wire mesh cylinders with large holes. Bigger birds, like jays and crows, can handle them in-the-shell. I love watching woodpeckers zip in, snick a nut from the mix in our trusty Squirrel Buster Plus, and retreat to the trees.
Clean nest/roosting boxes
Boxes used for nesting in the breeding season can serve double duty as winter roost boxes for chickadees, nuthatches, and other species that huddle together -- some even enter a light torpor -- to keep from running out of energy and freezing to death on cold nights. If you haven’t already done so, it’s not too late to clean nest material and other debris from any nest boxes you’re caretaking. This is as simple as opening the box and scraping out the contents with a whisk brush or gloved hand. (Don’t use bare hands as boxes can contain fecal matter, mites, etc.) If you have a “convertible” roosting/nesting box, don’t forget to close the vents and open the lower hole so the birds can roost above the draft.
A clean box is much more inviting and roomy for winter guests. Don’t forget to check them again in the spring!
Install a heated bird bath
Not all species of birds eat from our feeders, but they all need fresh, clean water. In many areas the benefit to the birds (and hence the attractive power) of a heated water feature is absolutely huge! Today’s better models can run on a stingy 60 watts of power and are equipped with thermostats to improve their efficiency. If you want to increase the amount of activity at your winter feeding station, consider a heated bird bath -- it’ll work like nothing else, especially in colder climes.
Tips on bird baths: The best bird baths are shallow puddles, not swimming pools. 1/2-inch deep at the edges with a gradual slope to a 2-inch depth at the center is ideal. A diameter of two feet or so will allow two birds to bathe at the same time. Interestingly, studies have shown that birds prefer baths with dark colored bottoms; like natural puddles, they let the birds see reflections in the water (most likely this helps them locate the water). Place bird baths 10-20 feet from the cover of trees or shrubs, as birds don’t like to venture too far into the open yet are equally wary of bathing too close to cover that could conceal a Sharp-shinned Hawk, cat or other deadly predator.
Put out an owl nest box
If your yard is part of an appropriate habitat you might be able to entice an owl to nest nearby! Barred Owls, Screech-Owls, Northern Saw-whet Owls and many other species are cavity nesters. (Great Horned Owls use open nests.) A woodlot or forest edge near your home could be good habitat, and many of the larger owl species start prospecting for nest sites as early as January or February, even in the north.
Here’s a link to more info on the wonderful Owl Pages website: view link
Feed the finches
This winter is a good one for “irruptive” winter finches like Common Redpoll, Hoary Redpoll, and Pine Siskin. These little northern nomads love so-called thistle seed or nyjer seed. These tiny, black seeds require special feeders. Put one out and keep it stocked -- you might attract some new and very endearing species. Or you might only make your resident American Goldfinch or Lesser Goldfinch population that much happier.
Participate in Project FeederWatch
You don’t need to be a hotshot ornithologist to contribute to this citizen science project, sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: view link
This annual survey of winter feeder visitors is open to anyone who enjoys backyard birds. The data are used to help us understand the distributions and movements of our winter birds across the North American continent. Participation is as easy as counting the birds and sending in your data (online or on paper). There’s a minimal participant fee to cover some of the project costs, such as the website, database, data analysis, and Research Kit materials. Sign up, count ‘em up and have fun!
Peace and good birding,
Scott Cronenweth
www.naturalpathwalks.com
