Shelter for Winter Birds and Wildlife: 6 Easy Ways
Winter is a tough season for all of us, including winter birds and wildlife. Check out these easy ways to provide them with a safe and comfortable shelter.
Quick Reference: Shelter for Winter Birds and Wildlife
- Why it matters: good shelter blocks wind, keeps animals dry, saves the energy they need to stay warm, and lets birds and small mammals share body heat.
- 6 easy shelters: evergreen landscaping, a brush pile, a wood pile, fallen logs and snags, roost boxes, and a discarded holiday tree.
- Best time to build: late fall through early winter, before the first hard freeze settles in.
- Where to put it: a sheltered corner out of the prevailing wind, close to a food and water source.
- Cost: most options are free, using yard trimmings, seasoned wood, or a tree you were going to toss anyway.
Winter can be a cruel, deadly season for all types of wildlife. While many birds migrate to warmer climates and other critters hunker down and hibernate through the season, plenty of them tough it out, and those are the ones that need our help. Providing shelter for winter birds and wildlife is one of the simplest ways to help them survive the coldest months, and most of the options below cost nothing but an afternoon in the yard.
How Shelter Can Make a Difference
A well-built shelter protects against drafts and harsh winds, and it keeps birds and wildlife dry. That lowers the risk of hypothermia and frostbite, and it lets animals conserve energy at a time of year when food is scarce. Shelter also offers safety from predators, and it lets birds and small mammals huddle together to share body heat, creating a warm and secure space to retreat to when they feel threatened.
The math is simple. A small songbird can lose a large share of its body weight on a single frigid night just keeping warm. Cut the wind and the wet, and you cut how hard that little furnace has to work. The National Wildlife Federation counts cover, the kind of dense, layered spaces we describe below, as one of the four basic things every backyard needs to support wildlife, right alongside food, water, and places to raise young. You can read their guidance on providing cover for wildlife before you start.
When to Build Winter Shelters
The best time to set up winter shelter is late fall through early winter, before the first hard freeze. Building early gives birds and wildlife time to find the shelter and start using it, so it is a familiar refuge by the time the mercury drops. In the North, that often means having your brush piles and roost boxes in place by late October or early November. Farther south, you have until December in many years. If you are timing evergreen planting or other yard work by the moon, our Gardening by the Moon Calendar can help you pick a good day.
6 Best Shelters for Winter Birds and Wildlife
There are several different shelters that birds, small mammals, snoozing reptiles, overwintering insects, and other critters may take advantage of during the winter months. Providing a variety of shelter options in your yard will help protect all wildlife and keep them safe until spring. Mix and match the six below to cover as many creatures as you can.
1. Evergreen Landscaping
The same evergreen trees, shrubs, and ground covers you enjoy year-round can also provide shelter for wildlife. Plant evergreen landscaping, such as junipers, hollies, pines, and arborvitaes, in dense layers to create thicker cover and sturdier shelter. Avoid pruning these plants in late summer or autumn to give wildlife more space to seek refuge. Consider planting other varieties that produce seeds, nuts, or berries, too, so you offer a food source alongside the cover.
Placement matters as much as the plants. A row of evergreens on the north or west side of the yard doubles as a windbreak, cutting the coldest gusts before they reach the rest of your shelters. Even a single dense shrub tucked against a fence gives chickadees and sparrows a quick place to duck out of a squall.
2. Brush Pile
A brush pile offers shelter for different types of wildlife. Create a pyramidal shape using larger branches or tree trunks to provide interior space for resting. Layer branches, boughs, and leaves on top for insulation. This also provides a food source for foraging. Adding fallen leaves on top helps seal drafts and gaps.
Start with a base of the thickest logs you have, spaced a few inches apart so there are tunnels and hideaways underneath. Rabbits, chipmunks, and ground-feeding birds like juncos and towhees will move right in. A brush pile is also the easiest way to put fall cleanup to work, since the branches and boughs you would otherwise haul away become a refuge instead.
3. Wood Piles
If you have seasoned wood, arranging the woodpile in a slightly haphazard manner can create a cozy winter shelter for wildlife. Leave gaps in the stack, especially near the ground where animals can easily access it and feel secure. Consider covering the pile with a tarp to protect it from excessive rainfall and provide a windbreak, so any wildlife guests stay comfortable and safe.
One caution worth knowing. If you burn the wood, check the stack gently before you pull logs for the stove, since mice, salamanders, and hibernating insects may be tucked inside. Keeping a separate, undisturbed pile for wildlife solves the problem and spares you the surprise.
4. Fallen Logs and Snags
If you have fallen logs or dead trees on your property that are not threatening any structures, leaving them intact and undisturbed through the winter can provide easy, natural shelter for many creatures. As logs and snags (the name for dead trees that are left upright to decompose naturally) decay, they will harbor a wide variety of insects and fungi that will be nourishment for other woodland wildlife.
A standing snag is prime real estate for woodpeckers, nuthatches, and owls, which use old cavities as roosts on bitter nights. On the ground, a hollow log shelters everything from salamanders to a resting fox. If a dead tree is safely away from the house, driveway, and power lines, the kindest thing you can do is leave it be.
5. Roost Boxes
It is easy to add supplemental roost boxes to your yard to provide instant shelter for winter birds. Roost boxes are a bit larger than birdhouses and have less ventilation to preserve heat. The entrance is lower so rising heat is conserved. Interior perches also provide more space for multiple birds with less risk of smothering. If roost boxes are not available, convertible birdhouses are another option, or regular birdhouses could be left up all winter with some extra insulation added to the sides and roof to help protect them better.
Mount a roost box six to ten feet up, facing away from the prevailing wind, usually toward the south or east. Cornell Lab’s NestWatch notes that the features of a good box, tight construction and the right dimensions, are what keep birds safe and dry, and you can review their birdhouse guidelines before you hang one. Clean it out in fall so it is ready, and a small handful of wood shavings inside adds a little extra insulation.
6. Discarded Holiday Trees
A used Christmas tree can become an instant shelter for winter birds and wildlife. Remove all decorations and simply toss the tree into a sheltered corner of your yard for chilly guests to use. Piling several trees together will create an even bigger pile, so ask neighbors to add their trees to the stack to help winter wildlife.
You can stretch the tree’s usefulness even further. Prop it near your feeders and the birds gain a safe staging spot between trips, and if you tuck a few pine cones smeared with suet into the branches, the old tree turns into a feeding station too. Come spring, the dried needles and small branches make fine mulch for the garden beds.
Where to Place Winter Shelters in Your Yard
A good shelter in the wrong spot does little good. Put your shelters where they break the wind and stay dry, and place them near the food and water that keep animals coming back. A few placement rules go a long way.
- Out of the wind: tuck shelters against a fence, wall, or evergreen row on the north or west side, where the coldest gusts hit first.
- Near cover, not in the open: birds want a shrub or brush pile within a short hop, so they are never far from safety when a hawk passes over.
- Close to food and water: a shelter near your feeders and a heated bird bath saves animals precious energy on the coldest days.
- A little sun: a spot that catches the low winter sun in the morning helps animals warm up after a long night.
- Spread them out: a few smaller shelters around the yard serve more animals, and more kinds of animals, than one large pile.
Winter Shelter Needs by Region
What your local birds and wildlife need most depends on the winter you get. Deep snow calls for different shelter than freezing rain. Use the table below as a starting point, then match it to your own yard and the long-range forecast.
| Region | Biggest winter threat | Shelter to prioritize |
|---|---|---|
| Northeast and Upper Midwest | Deep snow, sub-zero nights | Roost boxes, dense evergreens, layered brush piles |
| Southeast | Cold rain and ice storms | Tarp-topped wood piles, evergreen cover that sheds water |
| Great Plains | Wind chill over open ground | Evergreen windbreaks, big layered brush piles |
| Mountain West | Heavy snow load, dry cold | Standing snags, fallen logs, thick conifer stands |
| Pacific Northwest | Persistent damp, freezing rain | Covered wood piles, dense evergreen thickets |
| Southwest | Cold desert nights | Brush piles, roost boxes with low ventilation |
The more winter shelters you add to your yard, the more of a sanctuary it will be for birds and wildlife, and the healthier and more diverse your local habitat will be year-round.
Shelter for Winter Birds and Wildlife: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best shelter for winter birds and wildlife?
There is no single best shelter, since different animals need different cover. Dense evergreens and roost boxes suit birds, while brush piles, wood piles, and fallen logs shelter small mammals, insects, and amphibians. The strongest approach is to offer a variety, so your yard protects as many creatures as possible through the coldest months.
When should I set up winter shelter for wildlife?
Aim for late fall through early winter, before the first hard freeze. In northern states that usually means late October or early November, and farther south you often have until December. Building early lets animals find and settle into the shelter before they truly need it.
Do brush piles really help wildlife in winter?
Yes. A well-built brush pile, with thick logs on the bottom and branches and leaves layered on top, gives rabbits, chipmunks, and ground-feeding birds a place to hide from wind and predators. It also puts your fall yard cleanup to good use instead of the curb.
What is the difference between a roost box and a birdhouse?
A roost box is built for warmth, not nesting. It is larger than a birdhouse, has less ventilation to hold heat, and places the entrance low so rising warmth stays inside. Interior perches let several birds share the space and their body heat. A regular birdhouse can be left up all winter with extra insulation added to help.
Can I use my old Christmas tree as winter shelter?
Absolutely. Once you remove every decoration, lay the tree in a sheltered corner of the yard and birds and small mammals will use it right away. Pile several trees together for a bigger refuge, and prop one near your feeders as a safe staging spot between trips.
Will providing winter shelter attract unwanted pests?
Any shelter can draw mice or other small animals, so keep wildlife piles a sensible distance from the house and away from the foundation. If you burn firewood, keep a separate undisturbed pile for wildlife so you are not clearing out sheltering creatures every time you fill the stove. Do what is best for your own yard and family.
How severe will winter be in your neck of the woods? Check our extended forecast!
Melissa Mayntz
Melissa Mayntz is a writer who specializes in birds and birding, though her work spans a wide range—from folklore to healthy living. Her first book, Migration: Exploring the Remarkable Journeys of Birds was published in 2020. Mayntz also writes for National Wildlife Magazine and The Spruce. Find her at MelissaMayntz.com.
- Melissa Mayntz
- Melissa Mayntz
- Melissa Mayntz
- Melissa Mayntz
can I use an artificial Christmas tree as a bird shelter
Living in town makes it legally difficult to keep brush piles, fallen logs, and used Christmas tree piles on personal property. Evergreen landscaping and roost boxes are probably OK. Wood piles as pictured in this article might or might not be OK. My impression is that most towns and cities like to have neighborhoods with neat and orderly yards. Having said that, I do like reading the articles, and I appreciate being able to comment on them. Thanks for the info!
Thank you!
You’re welcome, glad you enjoyed the article.