Are you on the hunt for easy winter nature connections? Making your backyard and balcony inviting to local birds is such a simple way to bring more nature into your family’s life. And remember to get your kids involved in attracting winter birds because backyard birding is a great backyard activity!
(This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase through my link I receive a small commission at no added cost to you. See my policy page for more information)
(This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you make a purchase through my link I receive a small commission at no added cost to you. See my policy page for more information)
Tips to attract birds to your yard in the winter
1. Hang a bird feeder
One of the simplest ways to attract winter birds is to make sure you have winter appropriate bird foods in your yard.
Some people recommend putting bird feeders out in the fall so that the birds have an opportunity to find the feeder before the snow arrives. You may also try sprinkling the seeds on the snowy ground to help birds find the feeders. (But this might attract other critters like squirrels and mice.)
It’s important to feed birds proper bird foods – no bread please! This post outlines the most common types of seed for North American backyard birds.
This is a tutorial for a simple wire mesh bird feeder with supplies you might already have in the garage.
2. Access to fresh water
Fresh water can be hard for winter birds. Consider adding a heated birdbath to your yard or adding a heating attachment to your current birdbath.
Super popular heated birdbath for winter birds
3. Shelter to attract winter birds
Some of these tips will need more long-term planning than others.
Simple tips for providing foraging and shelter in your yard for the birds in the winter:
- Plant some evergreens and dense bushes for shelter
- Grow local fruit or berry trees for birds to peck away at over the winter
- Leave an area of your yard wild with tall grasses and fallen debris for shelter, nesting material, and scavenging
- Don’t pull all your garden or flowers out in the fall. Let them overwinter in your yard providing homes for bugs and food for the birds.
Easy Tip: Grow a patch of Sunflowers in the summer. Come winter, leave the sunflowers standing and the birds will eat those seeds throughout the winter, and sun themselves on the tall stalks. Or, if you’re having trouble with them falling over you can cut the flower heads off the stalks and nail those to the fence, tie them in the trees, or place them in sheltered spots in the yard.
Another Tip: Pay close attention to where the birds like to hang out in your area in the winter. Take a walk and note which trees and shrubs birds are in. If you can plant those into your own yard, there’s a good change they’ll also come to them in your yard.
5. Consider putting up a bird house
Lastly, you might want to consider winterizing a bird house or providing birds with a roosting box. A quality winter roosting house will offer birds a safe place to gather and stay warm over the winter.
What to feed birds in the winter
Birds benefit from a higher fat diet in the colder season. You’ll often see suet offered as a winter food because of its high calorie content.
Good foods to feed birds in the winter are:
- black oil sunflower seeds
- peanuts
- nyjer seed
- peanut butter
- suets
You’ll notice many DIY feeders use suet. You can either purchase bird suet blocks or you can render your own suet from fat purchased in the meat department of the grocery store.
I haven’t tried rendering my own suet. And to be honest, I’m not really interested in trying it either. But, if you are, here’s a tutorial on rendering your own bird suet from animal fat. Really, there are so many bird suet options available that I plan to just go purchase a few of those when we get around to making our own winter feeders.
DIY Pinecones with Peanut Butter Feeders:
- First, tie string onto your pinecones for hanging
- Use ‘natural’ peanut butter, no additives, just peanuts
- Spread the peanut butter onto the pinecones
- Sprinkle birdseed onto the peanut butter or press the coated cones into a plate of seed
- And tie these into the trees in a sheltered spot
Or, you could get crafty and use gelatin to make these super sweet cookie cutter shape birdseed cakes.
Where to hang your bird feeders to attract birds to your yard in the winter?
1. Shelter
Put your bird feeders in a sheltered location. The feeder will be less likely to get covered in snow if it is protected overhead by large tree branches or a wide roof overhang.
2. Visibility
Also, if the intention is to enjoy the birds, you’ll want to be able to see this feeder from your window. Consider which windows you can see easily out of or have seats nearby such as the couch or dinning table. Or, consider making yourself an inviting nature sit spot close to that window.
3. Placement and fall of seeds
Depending on the type of seeds you’ll be using, consider what is underneath the feeder. Will the birds be leaving piles of shells on your sidewalk or for your toddler to play with in her sandbox? And, remember, seeds aren’t the only things that drop from birds!
4. Safety
Prevent birds from hitting your windows by using decals, decreasing reflections, and either placing feeders very close or far away from the window.
READ More: The Spruce has a very detailed article on keeping bird-window collisions at a minimum.
How to get your kids excited about backyard birding
Making bird feeders with kids is just one activity idea in a whole process of learning about, helping, and observing birds in your backyard.
First, you and your children could do some local bird watching:
- What birds are frequenting your neighborhood?
- Are they eating any particular seeds or hanging out in certain areas?
- What are your neighbors feeding the birds?
- Can you identify any of the birds you see around your backyard?
You could do some research into the types of birds found in your area and their preferred foods. For example, are your kids interested in blue jays, hummingbirds, or maybe pigeons? This research might involve some internet searches, using bird field guides, or even a trip to the local natural history museum if you’re really in need of some indoor wintertime diversions.
For any of you living in Canada, here’s a list of the top 10 most common winter birds.
You and your kids will need to spend some time looking around and deciding what ingredients and style of winter bird feeder would be best for your children’s skills (if you’re going to craft your own), the local birds, and your winter weather (for example, suet will melt if it’s overly warm where you live).
Lastly, try setting up an indoor birdwatching station. If you’re really wanting to encourage the learning, you could show them how to identify the birds and record their birding in a nature journal.
READ MORE: How to introduce your kids to birding
You don’t have to wait until the winter to start inviting birds to your yard. Plan your planting in the spring with winter foraging and shelter in mind. But, come winter when you’re all looking for some nature time, try some of these easy tips above.
P.S. If you have any other tips on how to attract birds to your yard in winter, please feel free to share them in the comments below.
<
I think it’s helpful that you mentioned how planting evergreens and providing birds with a winterized birdhouse can help give them the shelter they need. My wife and I enjoy photographing robins during the winter and want to find a way to attract them to our patio when it is snowing. We’ll think about getting a birdhouse that can keep them safe.