Trail Mix

Attracting Winter Birds

As your garden rests this winter, it can still be a hot bed of activity. Try attracting winter birds to your yard. They ask little of you and in return provide months of entertainment, beauty and song.

Different species of birds enjoy different types of food. Black oil sunflower seed is favored by a diverse group of birds and provides an excellent source of much needed nutrition. If squirrels are a problem, try millet instead. It is also enjoyed by many bird species and squirrels are almost always uninterested. It is best to offer one type of food per feeder. Mixed birdseeds are often wasteful as different birds dig out what they want, discarding the rest. Never feed birds salty or sugary foods, or anything spoiled.

Place the food in a feeder and scatter on the ground. Ground feeders such as juncos, sparrows and mourning doves will appreciate the spilled seed. Place the feeder out of strong winds and a few feet from protective cover such as shrubbery. This gives the birds a place to escape to if threatened.

For a fun “Bird Seed for Humans” recipe, please see below.