As the weather begins to cool, it's time once again to turn our thoughts to the upcoming winter season.

Winter is a harsh time for many animal species and surviving until spring isn't always easy. Finding enough food, water, and shelter becomes especially critical when temperatures plummet and the cold winter winds begin to blow. Many people at this time of the year like to do a little something extra for at least some species of wildlife. One of the easiest things to do is to feed the birds that frequent our yards during the winter months.

Winter bird feeding has become a rapidly growing hobby for an estimated 60 million Americans each year. By feeding birds, you not only provide a most important and needed food source but you lure many interesting and beautiful species of birds for close observation. This can be quite enjoyable during those months when most of our activities are inside the house. By carefully placing your feeder where you can observe it through a window, you can do most of your birding this winter indoors!

Seasoned bird feeding enthusiasts probably know exactly how and what they'll offer the birds this season and why, but newcomers to feeding wild birds might be a bit perplexed at the variety of seeds, feeders, and other paraphernalia on the market. What kind of seed do you need? What kind of feeder? Don't worry, the answers are not that complex. However there are a few simple things to keep in mind when feeding wild birds if you want to do it right and get the most out of your endeavors.

When To Begin
If possible, begin feeding your birds before the onset of truly cold weather. September and October are ideal times to get started. This gives birds time to become accustomed to your feeders and they'll know where to go for food when the weather turns really bitter later. Once you begin feeding the birds, don't stop until spring. Some birds may become somewhat dependent on your feeder for food, especially some migrants that might have traveled farther on to a more dependable food supply. By feeding birds, you are also concentrating many of them in a small area. If you suddenly stop feeding, the birds will have to look for natural food sources which may result in overtaxing the available supplies in that area. Hungry birds will move on in search of food and it may take some time to lure other birds to your feeder. Keep your feeder filled at all times.

Choosing a Feeder
A bird feeder doesn't need to be an elaborate affair to attract birds. By simply scattering seed or other food on the ground you will attract birds. But by using some kind of a feeder, you will protect your food supply from waste and damage from moisture. A feeder can be as simple as a wooden or metal tray tacked to a upright post or hung from a tree branch, but a better choice would be to make or buy a feeder that has a roof and dispenses a steady supply of seed or other appropriate bird food. To attract the most birds and to reduce competition at a feeder, it is wise to erect two or more feeders a few yards or more apart. By erecting more than one feeder and by offering more than one type of food, you'll not only reduce competition between birds for food, but you'll also attract more varieties.

Choosing The Proper Food
Here is where many people go wrong. If you're not careful, it's easy to choose an improper food for the birds that they won't like and you'll waste money buying. Choosing the proper food depends on what kinds of birds you want to attract.

When most of us think about feeding birds, we think mostly about buying some type of wild bird seed. Seed eating birds are the most commonly attracted birds to feeders. To attract them, you want to buy the best seed possible. Unfortunately, many of the wild bird seed commercial mixes on the market are composed of cheap filler seeds that many birds don't like and only a few in the mix that they do. Birds will pick through the mix to get the "good stuff' and leave the rest. What the birds usually do like in these seed mixtures are the sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds come in several different types but the best one to buy is the black oil sunflower seed. Studies with many different birds show that black oil sunflower seeds are the overall favorite of most seed eating birds. These seeds are smaller than other sunflower seed types and are attractive to the smaller birds as well as the larger ones. Thistle seed (also known as niger) are tiny seeds that are attractive primarily to goldfinches. They are however, very expensive. Black oil sunflower seeds are utilized by goldfinches just as readily and are much cheaper. Larger sunflower seed types are good mostly just for the larger varieties of birds. Remember, you can't go wrong if you use black oil sunflower seeds.

Also attractive to doves and some other species of birds such as sparrows is proso white millet. Cracked corn is also good for feeding larger birds, especially ground feeders such as doves. These can be offered in a conventional seed feeder or on a platform style feeder placed close to the ground.

To attract insect eating birds such as woodpeckers, nuthatches, etc. you should have some type of suet feeder. These usually consist of a wire or fabric basket through which birds can peck out pieces of food. Suet (beef fat) is available at the meat departments of many grocery stores or in pre-packaged cakes often with seeds mixed in, from bird food suppliers. Some of the suet eating birds, especially chickadees and nuthatches will also visit your seed feeders.

Other foods for feeding the birds include fruit slices such as apples, whole raisins, breadcrumbs, and even peanut butter. Fruit and bread are best offered in an open, platform style or suet feeder. Peanut butter can be offered in special feeders that have holes drilled in them for holding the sticky peanut butter mixture or even smeared onto the bark of a tree.

Location Of The Feeder
The best location for feeders is where they receive some warmth from the sun but will be sheltered somewhat from prevailing winds. Also try to place the feeder where birds can first fly from a nearby sheltered perch to the feeder and back again. Birds are often nervous when first approaching a feeder and need a place like this to feel secure. Choose a feeder location where you can easily see and enjoy your feathered visitors. If you want to attract the birds up close-to-a window for viewing, you may find that birds are reluctant at first to use a feeder if it is placed to close to the house to begin with. If this happens, try placing the feeder farther away and gradually move it over a period of weeks in closer once the birds have begun using it. Remember not to place your feeders too close to each other, birds need "elbow room" just like people.

Other Considerations
When feeding winter birds, don't forget that they need more than just a good food supply. There are other things we can do to make our yards more attractive and liveable to birds during the winter as well as during the summer months too.

A dependable source of water that doesn't freeze is very important for your winter bird visitors. Water alone will often attract a lot of birds to your yard. Heaters are available for birdbaths or you might want to leave a hose slowly dripping into a shallow container in a sunny spot where birds will notice it. Small recirculating pumps will also keep water from freezing.

Thick cover, especially in the form of evergreen trees and shrubs. will provide warm perching sites in winter and good nesting locations later. If you have erected nesting boxes for birds in your yard, you might want to leave them in place even in the winter. Some birds, especially bluebirds, often will seek shelter in empty nest boxes during cold weather. You can also plant fruit producing trees, shrubs, and other plants in order to provide a natural food source for your resident birds.

As the weather warms in the spring, be sure not to stop feeding the birds too soon. Late winter and early spring are times when natural food sources are at their lowest and your feeders will still be used heavily. Gradually many of the birds will begin to lose interest as natural food sources become available and you can stop feeding entirely at this point if you wish. However, some people have actually begun feeding birds year round these days and have found that they can lure in additional varieties of birds during the warmer weather. With a constant food supply in your backyard, you may find more birds deciding to nest nearby. Suet and other perishable types of foods should not be offered in warm weather because they spoil too quickly.

Those Pesky Squirrels...
Many folks get upset when they feed birds and suddenly begin to get visits from hungry squirrels. Just about anything you put out for birds to eat, squirrels will like also. The problem with squirrels at your feeder is that they eat large quantities of food and often gnaw at the feeder when it is almost empty to get at the last remaining portions. People often go to extreme lengths to discourage squirrels from their feeders. Inverted metal cones are often placed above or below a feeder to try to foil a squirrel from gaining access. Some feeders are even designed to be "squirrel proof," the feeding ports closing automatically when a heavy squirrel tries to get at the seed.

Some people, myself included, actually enjoy having squirrels at the feeder. Squirrels are very entertaining animals to watch and are just as worthy of a helping hand as are the birds. But the best way to enjoy the squirrels and the birds both is to try to lure the squirrels away to a feeder that is designed just for them. Squirrels love all the regular bird foods as well as whole, dried corn-on-the-cob and loose dried corn. Offer these on an open, platform style feeder and hopefully squirrels will be less of a problem at your bird feeding station.

Hopefully these tips will help you to enjoy and get the most out of the approaching bird feeding season. For all your winter bird feeding needs, be sure to check out The Possum's Pouch gift shop at the Nature Center. This year, we have begun to offer a variety of quality birdseed. Remember that all proceeds from the gift shop help fund Nature Center activities, programs, and exhibits.