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Welcoming Birds for the Winter

If you don’t already have a stocked bird feeder in your yard, now is the perfect time to prepare one. In warmer months, bird feeders are not frequented as often as during winter when natural food sources such as seeds, berries, and insects are unavailable to birds. But this doesn’t mean you should wait until the ground is blanketed in snow to put out the bird feed.

Birds plan ahead. During autumn, our feathered friends begin scouting food sources for the winter. A stocked bird feeder in the fall is an invitation for resident species to visit you in the winter.

Some people believe bird feeders should not be stocked in autumn, thinking it will give migratory species a false sense of security and thus discourage them from flying south for the winter. This, however, is only a myth. The natural instinct of birds to migrate is a dominant force in their behavior. When it is time to migrate, you can rest assured they will go. Withholding food from birds during this time of year will only leave them ill prepared for the long journey ahead. Birds need extra stores of body fat to fuel their migratory flight, and they depend on backyard bird feeders to supplement the waning natural food supply as cooler weather approaches. In addition, autumn feeders provide food for birds in the middle of their migration journey, allowing you the unique opportunity to see bird species you wouldn’t normally see in your region.

So go ahead – hang and stock those bird feeders. Great winter bird watching begins now!