Winterizing for Wildlife

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As fall becomes winter and temperatures drop, make your backyard more inviting to wildlife. 

Provide songbirds with suet and other high-calorie foods such as peanutbutter and chopped nuts.

Make sure local wildlife has a reliable source of water, not just to drink, butalso to bathe in order to keep their insulating feathers clean.

Shelter is particularly important in winter, as wildlife needs cover from both predators and cold weather. Collect fallen branches, twigs and leaves to add to your brush pile, to increase shelter for small animals.  (See Our Feathered Friends from March 2016 for more info)

 

WINTER FINCH FORECAST

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Expect typical movement of the following species into their normal winter ranges (i.e. no irruption).

Pine Siskin  These opportunistic nomads prefer Nyjer and sunflower chips.

Red-breasted Nuthatch  Watch for them at feeders. They prefer seed blends with sunflower, peanuts and tree nuts and they like suet products.

Pine Grosbeak  Not a typical feeder bird. When they visit feeders they prefer seed blends with sunflower.

Red Crossbill   Not a typical feeder bird. Usually feeds on conifer seeds.

Bohemian Waxwing  Not a typical feeder bird. When they visit feeders they prefer seed blends with fruits and sunflower.

White-winged Crossbill  Not a typical feeder bird. Usually feeds on conifer seeds.

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Birds that may irrupt in small numbers in localized areas include the following:

Purple Finch Watch for them at feeders. They prefer Nyjer and sunflower seed.

Common Redpoll  and Hoary Redpoll  Look for Hoary’s mixed in with flocks of Commons.  Watch for them at feeders. They prefer Nyjer and sunflower.

Evening Grosbeak  Watch for them at feeders. They prefer sunflower seeds.

Blue Jay  Watch for them at feeders. They prefer peanuts, tree nuts and sunflower seeds.

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Content credit

Southeastern Vermont Audubon Society:  http://sevtaudubonbirdnotes.blogspot.com/