Feed the Birdies and Give them Unfrozen Water

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It is time to fill bird water sources and feeders with stuff to get our feathered friends through the coldest parts of the year.

The more kinds of food put out, the more types of birds you can attract and keep going.
Sunflower seed bring cardinals, blue jays, finches, woodpeckers and nuthatches.
Black sunflower or oil seeds are better food for birds.

Nyger seed feeds goldfinches. It is tiny, expensive seed. Get a special feeder with small holes on the sides and hang it near a window for easy viewing.

Safflower seed is for chickadees, titmice and downy woodpeckers. Squirrels, grackles, blue jays and starlings won't eat it so it saves you some money.

Millet is cheap eats for sparrows, juncos and mourning doves. Sprinkle it on the ground for them.

Beef suet is important for songbirds and woodpeckers to make it through the winter. Buy the cakes and hang them in trees. If you can find suet in another form, poke holes in a grapefruit skin and put strings through the holes. Stuff the half grapefruit skin with suet, peanuts, and chopped apple. Hang in in the trees.

Thanks to bird watching enthusiast, Tom Wilberding for sending the photos from his recent birding trip in Colorado.

Comments

Sally said…
Thanks for those details on feeding birds. We leave thistle out in a feeder hanging out on our back porch. The seeds spill all over, but attract a few finches. Suet is even more popular. We have to hang it where the squirrels can't get to it.
December 21, 2008 at 12:50 PM
Anonymous said…
What's so cool about the bird feeding is that many of them stick around and eat bugs in the spring and summer.

Good birdies.
December 21, 2008 at 4:36 PM
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