Winter Birds Brighten the Winter Landscape

Watching our backyard birds is one of the joys of our long, cold winters!

Cardinals at the sunflower seeder

Even though the landscape may look bleak in February, the birds add lots of color and life to our gardens.

Bluejay

Birds flock to yards and gardens when they have what they need:  

• shelter
• food and 
• water.  

And we think that's the order of importance to birds, too.

If you've put out food and water, but don't have a place for birds to perch or hide from predators or take shelter from the weather, then you may not have many birds visiting your feeders.

The photo below shows food that we've scattered on the ground next to a large Spruce tree.  We watch the birds dart in and out of the tree to hide and to rest between feedings.  A mix of trees and shrubs is great for attracting birds -- especially if the shrubs also have fruit that the birds eat.  At least one conifer is great for offering shelter to birds in the winter.

Bluejays stopping by for breakfast on a cold winter morning

Water is really important for birds in the winter. We keep a small pond running all winter by placing a small heater in the bottom. This really brings in the birds!

Water brings in the birds!  A Red-bellied Woodpecker shares the pond with a Cardinal and a Goldfinch

After shelter and water, food obviously brings in the birds. Here's a mixed flock eating sunflower seeds:

Bluejays, Cardinals, Juncos and a squirrel share sunflower seeds at a feeder in winter.

A mix of food helps to attract a variety of birds.  Black-oil sunflower seeds will bring in the most seed-eating birds.  Goldfinches and Juncos really like thistle seed.  And Woodpeckers can't resist suet!

A Redbellied Woodpecker shares a feeder with a Bluejay

Watching your birds will teach you alot about their behavior. Some are aggressive, some are meek. Some are almost tame and will let you approach if they're used to you.  Bluejays may be bullies, but they also warn other birds about any dangers with their alarm calls.

A Nuthatch and a Goldfinch

The winter makes great opportunities to watch our birds and to take some pretty photos of them in the snow.

Bluejay in snow

Cardinal in the snow

If you enjoy watching your backyard birds and would like to learn more, visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Backyard Bird Web site.  They have information on all of our backyard birds, and you can sign up to participate in Citizen Science project to help learn more about our birds to help protect them.

Be sure to visit our Web site to learn more about Plants for Birds that we offer. These plants are great for attracting fruit-eating birds like Orioles, Cedar Waxwings and a variety of other birds.

A beautiful male Cardinal in winter.

A cute little Junco