Prep Your Yard for Colder Months: Fatty Foods and Seeds

During the cold winter months, birds need protein-rich, hearty foods to help keep them warm and healthy. Feeding your backyard birds is a great way to help supplement their diets when other foods might be hard to come by, and now is a great time to start preparing.

If you want the greatest variety of birds, it’s important to put out the right types of foods. Seeds such as black-oil sunflower seed, Nyjer or thistle seed, and safflower will attract the widest range of birds. In addition, you can offer protein-rich options such as shelled peanuts and suet cakes, which will attract woodpeckers, nuthatches, blue jays, and chickadees, among others.

Get creative with how you present the food to the birds. Try different types of feeders and spread them out throughout your yard, or get creative and make a festive seed star right in your yard. Remember, local birds can become dependent on feeders, so make sure to keep them filled throughout the season.