For the birds: How to feed our feathered friends this winter

Now that winter's icy grip has taken hold, food can be scarce for our feathered friends. Urban development and loss of habitat have decreased winter food supplies, so they can use some help.

Easy to do
Fortunately, feeding birds is easy to do. Bird feeders don't have to be expensive. Inexpensive feeders can be purchased at farm supply and similar stores, or, you can make your own from recycled materials. If you have a lot of visitors to your yard, you may want to purchase one of the more elaborate feeders, which can hold many pounds of bird seed and feature numerous feeding stations.

Depends on the feather
The type of feed that you want depends on the species of birds you want to feed. A good quality mixed seed attracts many species of birds including Blue Jays, Black-capped Chickadees, and Northern Cardinals. Mourning Doves and Wild Turkeys will clean up spilt seed on the ground below the feeder. For this reason, it's a good idea to regularly stamp down the snow below the feeder to assist ground-feeding birds.

Bird feed
Sunflower seeds also attract many kinds of birds but also squirrels (who don't like to share). You may need to invest in a squirrel-proof feeder. Be sure to remove any leftover seeds before adding new seeds.

Wire baskets that hold suet cakes can also be hung for birds such as woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches but only offer suet during cold weather as it spoils quickly during warmer weather.

Location, location, location
Feeders are best set away from the house so that birds will be less likely to fly into windows. The feeder should also be located in an area that offers protection from the wind as well as from cats, birds of prey or any other animals. If plenty of cats frequent the area, then don't put out feeders.

Maintenance
It is important to keep feeders clean and well-maintained so that birds do not become ill and avian diseases are not spread. Check the feeders regularly for any sharp edges or points and make sure that seeds are kept dry and free of mould.

Cleaning
Wooden feeders can be difficult to clean thoroughly, so you might want to opt for plastic or metal.

You can clean the feeder with soapy water. The feeder can then be thoroughly rinsed in water before immersing it in a solution of vinegar and water for several minutes, rinsing it again and allowing it to dry. Wash your hands thoroughly after cleaning the feeder and adding bird seed.

Consistency
If you start feeding birds in late fall it's a good idea to keep feeding them until late spring when natural food supplies become more abundant. When late spring arrives, don't stop putting seed out all at once, but gradually reduce the seed you put out and allow the feeders to remain empty for short periods.

The rewards
Feeding the birds is easy to do and you will be able to start identifying the various species visiting your backyard. With a set of binoculars and some bird books you can become an amateur bird watcher. Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song and the Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America can provide you with considerable, interesting information about your feathered neighbours.

Glenn Perrett has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and is a regular contributor to Green Living Online.