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Nothing can cheer up a drab winter day as looking out of your window and seeing a parade of brightly colored songbirds at your feeder. I’ll be discussing how to attract them to your yard and more importantly keeping them coming back
Why does my neighbor get all of the “really cool” birds in his feeders and I can only get sparrows, starlings and the like?This has been puzzling me for several years so I decided to find out why. I went to an expert.
I paid a visit to Gary Phillips owner of Backyard Birds in Plymouth, MI. I got educated on winter bird feeding in a hurry.
Gary pointed out that most import thing before food during winter month’s is a FRESH supply of water. Ponds are frozen and if there’s no snow cover the birds absolutely have no source for water.
Fresh water is a must for birds during winter
There are heaters available to install in your bird bath that keeps water from freezing. You can also buy bird baths with built in heating coils. Change the water on a daily basis to keep it fresh.
While walking through his store I was amazed at the vast choices of bird seeds; the universal, can’t-go-wrong seed is called "Black and White". It’s a mixture of sunflower seeds. Black oiler, black and white stripers, and white safflower seeds. This mixture will attract a wider variety of birds than any other seed on the market.
Sunflower seeds attract many different birds
To attract specific birds here are some guidelines to follow:
Cardinals:sunflower, safflower, raisins, and peanuts. (Cardinals prefer to eat from a tray rather than a regular feeder. Feeders are available that have a tray attached below the feeder.)
Purple Finch:sunflower, safflower, suet mixtures, and thistle seed.
Blue jays:whole corn, striped sunflower, suet mixtures.
Woodpeckers:suet in a hanging log feeder, cracked corn, suet mixtures
As you can see sunflowers and suet are a real staple for most of the birds.
Suet comes in many differt flavors Suet Feeder
If you have a problem with squirrels and raccoons raiding your feeder there are squirrel proof feeders available.
Squirrel proof feeder
Keep your feeders free of seed hulls and bird droppings.
Don’t let the seed in the feeders get wet; if it does discard it and refill with fresh seeds.
Spread your feeders throughout your yard. Closely spaced feeder make easy pickings for predators such as hawks and owls.
Evergreen trees provide excellent shelter and hiding spots for songbirds. A couple of nesting boxes is also a good way to provide shelter form the winter winds.
Nesting Boxes
Here are some recipes that you can make your own bird treats.
Woodpecker Stick Recipe
1 cup peanut butter 1 cup lard - any animal fat will do 1 cup flour 3 cups corn meal Mix well. You can add peanut hearts or seed to the mixture. Form into a log or stick.
Pinecone Raisin Mix
4 1/2 cups rendered suet 1 cup dried and crumbled whole wheat bread 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds 1/4 cup millet 1/4 cup raisins or chopped dried apples
1. Melt suet in a saucepan over low heat. 2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a large bowl. 3. Allow the suet to cool until slightly thickened, and then stir it into the mixture in the bowl. Mix thoroughly. 4. Stuff the mixture in-between the "petals" of a pinecone. Hang onto a tree and watch your birds devour it!
Fruit Suet
1 lb lard (not Crisco or shortening)* 1/2 - 1 Cup peanut butter Approx 1/2 loaf of bread, or equivalent bread products such as donuts, plain cake, buns, rolls etc. 1/2 Cup flour 1/2 Cup cornmeal 1 Cup sugar 1 finely diced apple, or other fruit ** (raisins, blueberries, etc) 1/2 Cup pecans (optional
*beef fat can also be used, of course, but us hard to find in my area. Also the lard doesn't smell up the kitchen so badly. **I gather wild cherries and elderberries in season, freeze and use in the recipe later.
Melt the lard and peanut butter over low heat. Mix flour, cornmeal and sugar and stir in. Add enough bread crumbs to absorb all liquid. Add fruit and nuts as desired.
Pour into a 9 x 5" bread pan and keep refrigerated.
Recipes courtesy U-M Dearborn EIC
About Paul Rodman
Paul Rodman has been gardening for over 40 years. He is an Advanced Master Gardener, and American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian. He is currently president of the Western Wayne County Master Gardener Association in Wayne County, Michigan.
Rodman is the garden columnist for The News Herald newspaper, in Southgate, Michigan. He has also written for the OrganicGardening.com web site.
He has lectured on various gardening topics throughout southeastern Michigan.
His favorite pastime is teaching children about gardening. For the past several years he has conducted classes for second grade students teaching them about subjects ranging from vermi-composting to propagation.
Posted by Buzzdog (from Sevierville, TN) on January 2, 2008 at 10:28 AM:
I have enjoyed the articles on attracting and feeding backyard birds, but have a question regarding bluebird feeders. These are used for mealworm/waxworms during the nesting season, and for "bluebird pellets" during the winter months. I have found many bluebird feeders online, but my husband and I plan to build one. Has anyone had experience with bluebird feeders? I'd like to hear from you.
Happy New Year and Happy Birding! (:o)
This message was edited Jan 2, 2008 9:31 AM
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on January 2, 2008 at 1:38 PM:
Couldn't find anything on blue bird feeder but a lot on blue bird houses.
Paul
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Subject: excellent
Posted by vhbt (from Hampton Bays, NY) on December 31, 2007 at 10:10 AM:
very nice! I've made some of these recipes and they are wonderful and not expensive to make! The birds are SO HAPPY with these treats!
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Subject: Thanks
Posted by Fitsy (from Hayesville, NC) on December 31, 2007 at 9:02 AM:
Thanks for recipes, and idea of collecting wild
fruits in summer, and saving for winter feeding!
Fitsy
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Posted by tonileland (from Nashport, OH) on December 31, 2007 at 10:00 AM:
Paul, great article. I love my birds and I'm always looking for ways to attract more! I guess a heated waterer is in my future. :o)
Toni
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Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on December 31, 2007 at 11:00 AM:
The water works! Last winter I added a heater to one bowl of my fountain, what a difference that made. This year I've kept the fountain running with the heated water. Someone is always visiting. This is one time I don't mind the squirrels, I figure they have to drink, too. It's a great treat to watch and is closer to the patio door. c4
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Posted by paulgrow (from Allen Park, MI) on December 31, 2007 at 11:41 AM:
We have our heated bird bath right outside the kitchen window.
It's amazing it can be 10-15 degrees and they're in the water splashing around.
Paul
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Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on December 31, 2007 at 3:59 PM:
I would like to get a heater, but our squirrels like to chew through wiring here in the woods. Is there any way around that?
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Posted by tabasco (from Cincinnati (Anderson, OH) on December 31, 2007 at 5:49 PM:
Great summary for bird feeding basics! We have lots of fun feeding the birds in winter, too.
And don't forget that a great bird feeding experience can be enhanced by some good plantings in the yarden--both for food and cover for the birds!
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on December 31, 2007 at 6:20 PM:
We put our bird feeders amongst the shrubs that encourage them, but will have to say that the ceramic heater for the bird bath is the big, big attraction in the winter.
Thanks Paul for a great read!
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Posted by CapeCodGardener (from Mid-Cape, MA) on January 1, 2008 at 12:41 AM:
Thanks for great article and some wonderful suggestions for feeding winter birds.
The folks at Cornell Ornithology Lab have set up a site for counting the birds at your winter feeders:
[HYPERLINK@www.birds.cornell.edu]
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Posted by DonnaBee (from Commodore, PA) on January 1, 2008 at 2:10 AM:
What a wonderful article! This is the first year I made suet rather than buy it. I never thought of gathering wild fruits for use in the suet recipes. I did gather some black walnuts this fall. Would the walnuts (rather than peanuts) mixed into the suet attract birds, or would it be harmful to the birds?
