Winter bird feeding

Outdoor
Tips for nourishing our feathered friends

Editor’s note: The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension provides weekly gardening columns in which staff members offer tips and answer questions from local gardeners.

Feeding the birds during winter is a very satisfying activity, which may be why approximately 43 percent of U.S. households feed our wild bird population. Watching these birds is a great pastime to enjoy with your loved ones.

Tips for success
Make sure the feeders are clean. You can reuse feeders from last year or purchase new ones. Give them a good wash with plain soap and water and a good rinse and dry before filling with new seed. It has been recommended to give the feeders a quick dip in a one-part bleach to nine-parts water solution and then a good rinse and dry. This will help kill any potential bacteria that birds may bring in with them and pass it along to other birds.

The recommended cleaning time for bird feeders is every two weeks. Some people prefer to keep two of each kind of feeder on hand and switch to allow for one in use and one being cleaned, ensuring that our feathered friends always have a fresh supply of seed.

As many know, the reason for winter feeding of birds is to supply their food/nutritional needs when their usual spring, summer, and fall foods are not available. Birds like insects and spiders as well as many small fruits. These small animals need high-fat, high-protein foods to maintain their feathers, sight, and warming capabilities.

So what do you offer on the menu? Seeds of all kinds, including black-oil sunflower seeds, white proso millet, as well as suet and peanut butter. Most birds like a variety of seeds and fruits such as raisins, dates, currants, etc. You’ll see a wide range of seed products in the stores where you shop, and you can find recipes online to make your own birdseed and suet cakes. You can collect pinecones and smear those with peanut butter and roll them in small seeds or oatmeal and hang on a tree. I’ve seen some homes that purchase a Christmas tree and put it in a bucket of water that eventually freezes, holding the tree steady, and they “decorate” the trees with the peanut-butter pinecones. This idea works in a two-fold way in that the tree acts as a feeder while providing places to rest and hide if they feel the need for protection.

Lastly, a source of fresh, clean water is just as important as food. Even in winter, birds still need access to unfrozen water for drinking and bathing. You can invest in a heated birdbath that you plug into an outlet. Otherwise, emptying frozen water and refilling water frequently will help supplement natural sources. Moving water is wonderful, and many catalogs offer water wigglers and fountains of different sizes, etc., that will keep the birds’ interest.

New Hampshire Fish and Game recommends that you finish your bird-feeding activities by April 1 each year. Don’t begin feeding the birds again prior to Dec. 1 or the onset of prolonged winter weather (the birds will do just fine).

Have fun this winter feeding our feathered friends! You’ll enjoy the beauty of nature at the same time you’re feeding these beautiful birds!

UNH Cooperative Extension’s Education Center answers questions about gardening and more at [email protected], or by calling 877-398-4769, Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.