Fall Tips to Prepare for Winter Birdfeeding Success

Start Now to Ready Your Yard for Winter's Arrival! 

• Provide more food now 

• Remember crucial water 

• Shelter -- the easy way 

• Fall birdfeeding clean up 

• Increase the variety and number of feeders in your yard.

With colder weather on its way, provide an array of foods and feeders to attract as many birds as possible. Locate several seed feeders of different types (tube, hopper, platform) in different spots in the yard, and put out suet to offer a concentrated energy boost. Berries you have picked and stored will be welcome, too, for birds such as thrushes who usually don't eat seeds. Tube feeders cater mostly to small songbirds, feeders with roomier perching will welcome the larger birds such as cardinals and jays. Caged feeders while protecting the foods inside also provide lots of perching -- more birds to enjoy as they wait their turn to feed!

Water is as essential now as in the rest of the year.

Birds require water not just for quenching their thirst but to keep their feathers in top flight condition. Investing in a water heater for a birdbath is a gift to the birds -- and you will enjoy seeing birds flock on an icy day and knowing how you've helped.

Create natural shelter.

Birds need to find shelter when the weather turns icy, snowy and sleety. As you clean up the yard this fall you can create a natural shelter by piling up boughs and twigs at the edge of your property. Inexpensive! And appreciated!

Fall clean-up tips.

Make sure feeders are in good shape and safe for the birds. Clean out bird houses -- in winter some birds take shelter in nesting boxes. Place feeders so you'll have easy access for refilling if there's a lot of snow! Plan an area in your yard that you'll dedicate to ground feeding this winter -- find a location that is easy to walk to and easy to keep clear of snow.