Many garden owners wonder whether it is necessary to feed birds in winter. In the following lines we will look at this question, answer it and add lots of other interesting facts. When and what to feed and what to avoid. If you want to attract birds to your garden to give them something to look at (especially if you have young children), a bird feeder is obviously the number one choice at the start of every winter.
To feed or not to feed?
Winter is a difficult time for garden birds, especially when it’s really cold. It’s hard for them to find something to eat because everything is under snow. Searching in the cold uses up valuable energy. In a garden covered with a blanket of snow, we often find sparrows, titmice, wrens, ravens, blackbirds and others like them. Many birds cannot survive the harsh winter conditions. If you choose to feed them, make sure you do so regularly!
When to start feeding?
You can only start feeding your birds when snow cover prevents them from feeding naturally. During a winter without snow, birds should be able to fend for themselves without human help. At first, spread only a small amount of food so that it does not spoil. When the birds learn to come to you, you can add a little more. You should finish feeding when spring arrives, around the end of April.
What to feed?
Always and only use natural products that have not been industrially processed when feeding birds! You can easily find everything you need and tasty to give them in the stores and if you have leftovers, you can give that too. If you choose lard or suet as an attractant, it shouldn’t hang out too long. Certainly no longer than two to three weeks. Once it starts to turn yellow, put it away. Otherwise, you can choose:
- grits, cereals, oatmeal, sunflower seeds,
- hemp, pumpkin, nuts, dried fruit,
The ingredients used will appeal to different species of birds. Pigeons and ravens like coarse meal, wheat and stale sliced white bread. Blackbirds will enjoy sliced apples, apricots, currants and blueberries. Don’t give them dried fruit, though, as this could harm them.