Attracting birds to your winter landscape is not only a rewarding experience but will also provide you with numerous opportunities to observe wild birds at close range.

Natural Food and Habitat:

Nothing beats natural, native vegetation to feed the birds of your area. Providing natural food and habitat is the ideal way to attract a wide variety of birds to your garden during the winter. Natural habitat and natural food sources have the advantage of not only providing food and shelter for birds, but will also attract bees, butterflies and other critters into your yard. Habitat can be provided at the edge of your property by planting shrubs native to your area. In addition to providing an abundant natural food source, habitat plantings also provide shelter from predators and will encourage wild bird nesting, increasing the varieties of bird that visit your yard year after year. The table below illustrates vegetation types and the birds that each attract.

To bring winter birds in closer for viewing, provide a food source adjacent to your home in the form of perennials planted in your garden that produce seed heads supplemented by bird seed in feeders. Providing a natural source of bird food is easy no matter what size yard you have. During the summer you can keep deadheading flowers to promote repeating blooms and sturdy stems, but once fall has arrived leave them alone so the maturing flower heads can produce seeds. The seed-heads of perennials are nature's bird feeders for seed-eating birds like sparrows, chickadees and grosbeaks, while the black seed of the purple coneflower serve as food for goldfinches. This fall forget about deadheading flowers, and hauling off all the garden trimmings. Let your garden clean-up duties wait until spring and the birds that don’t migrate to warmer climes for the winter will be thankful.

Browse the table below for the Hardy Gardening top 12 recommended cold hardy perennials that you can grow easily in your garden to attract and provide a natural food source for birds.

Using Bird Feeders:

If you already have a wide variety of bird friendly plants in your landscape that attract and feed birds you may still want to supplement feeding winter birds throughout the cold months with bird feeders and seed when birds typically require greater caloric intake.

When to Feed Birds:

Feed birds at regular intervals, increasing at times of peak energy demand, such as during temperature extremes, nesting season, migration, and in late winter or early spring, when natural seed sources are depleted. Keep your feeding schedule consistent, but don't worry if you must stop feeding briefly while traveling, for example. Wild birds will find other food in your absence, especially in suburban areas, where other bird feeders are just a short flight away. If you live in a rural or isolated area, however, try to arrange to have a neighbor maintain the feeders in your absence, just as you would have someone look after your pets or houseplants. Providing food for wild birds will help the winter pass more comfortably for them, while adding interest and activity to your winter days. Come spring, as the nesting season unfolds, you'll have the added pleasure of recognizing many of the birds as individuals

Where to Feed Birds:

Place your feeder in a quiet area where it is easy to see and convenient to refill. To attract a variety of birds, the feeder should be close to natural cover (shelter) such as trees or shrubs, which offer refuge to birds as they wait their turn to feed. Evergreens are ideal, as they provide thick foliage that hides birds from predators and buffers winter winds. If the seed in the feeder is blowing out or getting wet, your birds are probably getting the same treatment. Try moving the feeder to a calmer, more sheltered spot. Be careful not to place feeders too close to cover, however, as nearby branches can provide good jump-off points for squirrels that may be eyeing the seeds and for cats that may be eyeing the birds. A distance of about 10 feet seems to be a good compromise, but try experimenting.

Ground level: mourning doves, sparrows, towhees, juncos

Table level: cardinals, finches, and jays Hanging feeders: titmice, goldfinches, chickadees

Tree trunks: woodpeckers, nuthatches, wrens

Types of Bird Feeders:

In general, seed-feeders fall into four categories: tray feeders, hopper feeders, pressed seed feeders and tube feeders. Additional specialty feeders include suet and hummingbird feeders. Each type attracts different kinds of birds, and has advantages and disadvantages.

Plastic, steel, or glass feeders are best because they are easy to clean. Feeders with porous surfaces, such as wood or clay, can be difficult to clean and may grow dangerous algae and fungi. Smaller feeders empty out more quickly, so there's less chance of wet, spoiled seeds. Rain can be a problem, so make sure the feeder has drainage holes, and consider placing a plastic dome on top.

Proper Maintenance of Bird Feeders: Regular upkeep is necessary to keep your feeder free from contamination by disease-causing bacteria.

Choose feeders that have no sharp edges or points. To help keep food cleaner, use feeders that allow birds to perch away from the food. Keep seed dry, free of mold, and safe from squirrels by storing it in a metal can with a tight-fitting lid, such as a clean garbage can. In wet weather, put out only enough seed to last several hours.

Don’t Forget the Water: Birds need water year-round for drinking and bathing. Set up at least one birdbath. The surface should be easy to clean, and there should be a gently sloping shallow end. Place the birdbath away from the feeders to keep the water from being contaminated. Rinse the birdbath daily before refilling it, and clean it once a week, using a 5–10 percent solution of chlorine bleach. You can use a birdbath heater that has a built-in thermostat to warm up the water just enough to keep it from freezing. Never add antifreeze or other chemicals to the water.

By adding a few well placed habitat plants on your property, forsaking the annual fall garden clean-up and placing a few strategic bird feeders around you home you can now have a winter filled with entertainment in watching your own flock of feathered friends around your property. Enjoy!