Although some methods of attracting birds to the feeder in the winter are similar to those used for attracting them in the summer, there are a few things that can be done to get the maximum number of visitors.

Winter weather is severe! If it isn’t bitterly cold then it might very well be windy, so locate the feeders in a sheltered spot. Trees and shrubs located to the north and west of the feeding area will protect it from most of the prevailing winds. If it is possible to locate the feeders so that they are both exposed to direct sunlight and sheltered from the north and west, the birds will be happy to bask in the sunshine while feeding.

As well as providing protection from winds, the vegetation provides birds with landing sites that they’ll use when approaching the feeders. It is not common to see birds fly directly to a feeder; they more often alight on a branch of a tree or shrub and scout for danger before finally landing on a feeder. They will also appreciate nearby vegetation into which they can fly when disturbed by any kind of perceived danger while feeding.

If thickets of shrubbery can be located near feeding areas, the environment will be more naturalistic and the birds will use it for protection as well as for feeding. It is not unusual to see them feeding on seeds or berries on shrubs such as cedars and cotoneaster or hopping around under shrubs (unless the snow is unusually deep) looking for food.

Providing a variety of food in separate feeders means more birds will use the area and there will be less competition for space at the feeders. Finch feeders will satisfy those birds that prefer canola or niger seed, while sunflower seeds will keep nuthatches, blue jays and chickadees happy. Mesh bags used by grocers to package onions and other produce can be used to hold pieces of suet, which is a favourite for woodpeckers, although chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays will feed on suet as well. Tie these bags onto tree branches high enough so that they are not accessible to roaming animals.

Red squirrels can be a nuisance at feeders on warm days during the winter; they scare away the birds and eat a lot of the food — mostly going after sunflower seeds — so a squirrel-proof feeder may be necessary.

Bags of suet and finch feeders do not suffer when it snows, but seeds in any platform feeders will soon get covered during any snowfalls, so should have roofs to prevent this. Although the roofs are necessary, the feeders must be open enough on the sides so the birds feel safe when entering them. Cautious birds are hesitant to enter a feeder that prevents them from seeing out to catch sight of approaching danger.

If the feeders are located near an area of the garden that contains perennials, the birds will have another source of food — a natural one — which will certainly help to entice more of them. Native plants often hang on to their seeds for the winter, so perennials like goldenrod and heliopsis, as well as annuals like ageratum, ornamental grasses and poppies can be left in the garden for the birds to enjoy. Most of these plants are tall and robust enough that they will remain upright even after heavy snowfalls, keeping their seed heads exposed.

Some avid birders even provide their feathered friends with water during the winter. Special heaters can be purchased that fit into bird baths to keep the water from freezing so that the birds can access the water to drink. They will not bath in the water if the air temperature is low, instinctively knowing that getting wet in frigid weather is not a good idea. They will, however, drink it. If no open water is provided, birds will either melt snow in their beaks or under their feathers to obtain water or from a natural source such as a fast-moving current in a river, but a heated bird bath will provide one more feature to attract them to your yard.

Feeding birds during the winter provides us with hours of enjoyment and also helps our feathered friends survive even the most severe weather. Be sure to erect feeders where you can see them from your windows. This way the birds will benefit from the food and you will get the pleasure of watching them from the comfort of your home.

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First, consider what species you want to attract. The best type of feed to attract a variety of birds is black oil sunflower seeds. These are a favourite of chickadees, nuthatches, blue jays, and purple and house finches, and are available at most pet stores, many department stores, or from a sunflower-growing farmer. Less common species such as crossbills, pine grosbeaks and evening grosbeaks are also sunflower fans. (Don’t buy the large confectionery sunflower seeds; these aren’t good for most birds.)

Black niger seed is a favourite of goldfinches, common redpolls and pine siskins. (Goldfinches sometimes overwinter in Manitoba, but you may not recognize them in their winter plumage; they are not the bright yellow and black of summer but a nondescript beige or olive green, with black wings and white wing bars.) Niger seed is usually available at pet stores; however, it has become very costly the last few years, causing some stores to stop bringing it in. A cheaper alternative might be crushed-up “sunflower minis.”

Other types of seeds can also be offered, such as safflower and white millet. However, I recommend you avoid buying the cheaper bags labelled “Wild Birdseed” as they often contain a lot of waste seeds of barley, wheat and milo, and will also tend to attract English (house) sparrows in greater numbers. It is better to buy specific kinds of seed, instead of the mixed one.

Suet will attract nuthatches and downy and hairy woodpeckers. My husband and I usually offer a suet mixture (melt suet with a little peanut butter, add sunflower seeds, ground-up peanuts, a little cornmeal and oatmeal). Shape the mixture into blocks and hang in a suet cage (or, let mixture cool and partially harden and spoon onto a log with holes or grooves in it). Commercial suet blocks can also be purchased. For the last two winters, we’ve even had a pair of pileated woodpeckers come to our suet.

If you want a variety of birds, you should consider a variety of feeder types. Platform feeders are good, preferably with a roof to keep off snow. Blocks of suet, suet logs, tube feeders and thistle socks are all useful. Or, for a cheap alternative, recycle a two- or four-litre plastic bottle. Corncobs — attractive to blue jays — and sunflower heads — for many types — can sometimes be gleaned from a harvested field before the snow covers them.

A protective cover over part of your feeding area will also be a welcome addition, especially to ground-feeding birds such as juncos and sparrows. We create a sheltered area with old plywood sheets, which makes it easier to feed these species, especially on snowy days. If your feeders attract squirrels, and you don’t want them, install a baffle on pole feeders to keep them away.

Another attraction for birds is water, and a few years ago we purchased a heated birdbath. It’s not used much for bathing in winter, but the birds appear to welcome the chance to drink water even on the coldest days. This may be partly because their winter diets tend to be drier than in summer.

We like to try at least one new attraction for the birds each winter. This year our new purchase is a whole peanut wreath feeder and the blue jays love it. If you have someone on your Christmas list who is a birder, consider giving them a new feeder, a heated birdbath or even a bag of black oil sunflower seeds!

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The Great Backyard Bird Count has been held throughout North America for the past 18 years. Organized by the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Bird Studies Canada, it has spread over the years to include more than 100 countries. In February 2015 a record 147,265 checklists were submitted and over 5,000 species were identified. In Manitoba alone, 768 checklists were submitted, with 68 species recorded.

To take part in the GBBC, you need access to the Internet, since all information is submitted that way. If you are interested in participating, check out the website before getting started, as directions are given for how to participate and how to identify various species.

Basically, you just tally up the numbers and kinds of birds you see on one or more of the four days. If this is your first time counting, you will need to register online. If you have participated previously, you can use your existing login, and type in the species and numbers of birds you have counted.

Most counts are made by watching backyard feeders, although the term “backyard” is somewhat of a misnomer, since participants can also check out other locations. Last year Canada geese were counted at one of the bridges in Winnipeg, and a grey jay was recorded on the Clearwater Lake Ski Trails. Reports are updated frequently as they are submitted, so ongoing results can be checked out each count day.

Those wanting a little help can go to the opening web page, click on “Get Started” and then scroll down to “Bird Lists.” If you click on the Canada/U.S. section and type in your town or postal code, a list of common birds from your area will appear. Click on a bird and a picture will appear.

The pages on “Tricky Bird IDs” is useful for such hard-to-distinguish species as the house finch and purple finch. Another feature of the GBBC website is photos taken by participants over the years. Be sure to check these out, as some of the pictures are amazing.

Information from the GBBC is used by scientists to help give an overall picture of changes in bird populations over the years, perhaps due to weather or other factors. For instance, the number of redpolls, pine siskins, purple finches, crossbills and pine grosbeaks at bird feeders in southern Manitoba can vary greatly, depending on the temperature, snow cover, and availability of seeds farther north in the boreal forest.

If you’d like to take part in the bird count, mark the weekend of February 12 to 15 on your calendar. It doesn’t take a lot of time. Even half an hour counting can be productive, especially in early morning or late afternoon — when the birds flock to feeders for their first and last feedings of the day. Then a little time on the computer — your own or one at your local library — can send your information on its way to help in this worthwhile project.

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FREELANCE CONTRIBUTOR

Those of us who enjoy feeding birds are always open to new ideas on feeding stations if they are effective especially against squirrels. While squirrels are entertaining they can be a nuisance, as they are astonishingly acrobatic and will catapult themselves onto feeders in locations one might think impossible, and keep the birds away.

One feeder I ve tried is simply an empty 45-gallon metal drum. It has plenty of flat surface area (two feet across) with a half-inch side lip (to keep seeds from blowing) and is about three feet in height. It is tall enough to frustrate both squirrels and cats if the only access is from ground level. Even if a cat is able to leap up and get its front feet over the edge, it doesn t find the back foot traction needed to draw itself up and over.

A usage limitation is that the bottom of the drum is also solid, and if set on grass will smother anything alive underneath, limiting use to on a gravel base unless grass damage is not an issue.

A second new feeder is set on a two-inch metal post clad in aluminum dryer pipe, designed to frustrate squirrel foot traction. (A squirrel can actually climb a corroded steel pipe.)

I used drill stem pipe eight feet in length, solidly top filled with six inches of wood and pre-drilled to accept a three-inch lag screw. The front-end loader made short work of installation leaving five feet above ground. I then slipped used dryer pipe over the top and down. The feeder was pre-drilled on centre and installation was simply a matter of lining up the screw and tightening.

I ve found small birds don t like recessed feeders that impede their view of potential enemies. Accordingly, I built the feeder with a recessed centre tray for larger birds and wing additions on each side for chickadees, woodpeckers and finches. I also added small risers on each of the upper shelves to keep seeds from drifting in the wind.

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Smaller birds like to feed from the side wings rather than the recessed centre, so they can watch for approaching enemies.PHOTO: STAN HARDER

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Red River Basin Commission

Fall is a dynamic season of change and adaptation for birds, providing you the opportunity to attract migratory birds in addition to the permanent residents that visit your bird feeders year round.

Food habits change as seasonal food supplies change. The high-protein insect diet characteristic of many birds in summer changes in the fall to fruits like mountain ash. The best way to feed birds is to adjust the foods and the feeders with each changing season.

Fall is also an excellent time to trim shrubs and trees. Use the trimmings to create a temporary brush pile that will provide perches and hiding places for migrating songbirds between visits to your bird bath and feeders. The size of the brush pile should be three to four feet high and four to eight feet in diameter, and it should be located about 10 feet from your feeders. Any closer and it may provide a hiding place for cats to ambush the birds.

Create your brush pile when you see the first fall migrants arriving at your feeders, then dispose of it in late November to early December when migration is complete.

One of the best ways to enhance a backyard is to provide a water source in the vicinity of the feeders. A quiet pool or bird bath is acceptable, but any type of moving, splashing or misting water in very shallow pools will generate considerable attention from birds.

The presence of juncos in fall requires a greater amount of millet mix or cracked corn than is appropriate for summer or winter use when house sparrows and grackles primarily benefit from these foods. About 30 per cent of the bird food in the fall should be white proso millet or millet mixes scattered on the ground-feeding sites. Red proso millet and milo (grain sorghum) are used much less than white proso millet, and are generally unnecessary as an ingredient of fall birdseed mixes.

Peanuts, peanut butter, commercial suet cakes and suet from the meat market are all beneficial fall foods that are high-energy sources that benefit birds as they go into the winter season. They are popular with chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and jays.

Peanuts can be fed in quarter-inch mesh hardware cloth feeders. Suet can be suspended in wire mesh cages or mesh string bags. Peanut butter and suet mixes can be smeared onto tree bark or pressed into holes drilled in small tree branch sections that can be hung as bird feeders. Although most birds will readily use suspended suet, pileated woodpeckers seem to prefer suet firmly attached on top of a solid feeder platform.

The Red River Basin Commission is a grassroots organization that is a chartered not-for-profit corporation under the provisions of Manitoba, North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota law. Our office in Winnipeg can be reached at 204-982-7254, or check out www.redriverbasincommission.org.

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A favourite is the chickadee. Even on the coldest of mornings chickadees faithfully arrive at the feeders, and their cheerful “Hi sweetie” calls brighten the day.

One species that I came to dislike when cattle ranching was the magpie. They would savagely attack unattended newborn calves on any soft body parts (including eyes), and this same aggressive behaviour comes out at bird feeders when fat has been set out. Magpies crowd out all other species and even lower ranks of their own. For years I’ve tried various methods of foiling them since they won’t just eat what they need, they will totally strip the supply and hide it, leaving little or nothing for anything else including the beloved chickadees.

Through trial and error I devised a plan that meets the goal of feeding chickadees and woodpeckers while locking out magpies. I used to hang out a log drilled with holes, each of which was filled with lard. This worked well until magpies showed up. In a matter of minutes one after the other would load up until the log was an empty shell. Repeated refills did not change anything – only encouraging them to keep hanging around. I tried enclosing the logs in wire cages but they learned to cling to the dividers and reach through the spaces or fly in from the open bottom.

And then by accident I discovered something that helped to discourage them. I had filled the holes as usual, and finding a few ounces of fat left over, smeared this randomly over the outside of the log, somewhat like buttering toast.

Magpies came and went. The holes were licked clean but the wall of the log was untouched. There wasn’t the fat depth needed for a meaningful grip. Chickadees and woodpeckers however, clung to the rough, ribbed walls and cleaned up over a period of days with frustrated magpies taking only empty aerial runs until they were finally persuaded there was nothing to be gained and disappeared.

I no longer fill the log holes and this is working very well.

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He would, however, need some nesting material to ward off the chill of that cold concrete. I looked out one day and saw him pulling and tugging at the cloth cover I had made for our snow blower. I had to give him an “E” for effort, but there was no way one red squirrel was going to get a piece of material that size into his den. I was quilting at the time, so I began putting out small scraps of material and batting. They kept disappearing, but I was not absolutely certain “Peter,” (as I had named him) was availing himself of my offerings until the day I looked out and saw him sitting on a branch of the apple tree, his mouth stuffed with quilt batting. And then he disappeared under the sidewalk. By the time snow fell, I imagine Peter had made himself a cosy and colourful bed.

More snow fell, and Peter made tunnels all over our front yard, with holes at strategic points where he would pop up like a gopher to check whether he’d have to put a run on those pesky sparrows who were always stealing “his” birdseed. And Woody the woodpecker was another nuisance. Just when Peter would be all snugged up underground beneath his patchwork quilt, that woodpecker would start tapping on the suet cake hanging just above Peter’s den. And if there was anything more annoying to Peter than sparrows, it was that woodpecker who kept chiselling away at that suet cake – the one Peter had claimed long before Woody came around. Every time he heard the telltale knocking, Peter would bound out of a hole in the snow, race up the apple tree, and put a run on Woody. Then Peter would hang by his hind feet and feed on the suet himself.

As yet, Peter has not had time to even think about a short hibernation, what with his “gopher holes” to maintain, the sparrows to chase and Woody to scold. In the meantime we are enjoying his antics, and every time I quilt, I wonder what kind of “pattern” Peter made with the patches I gave him. – Alma Barkman writes from Winnipeg

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Mourning doves are birds that normally migrate, although occasionally a few do stay the winter. For example, in the Christmas Bird Count of 2009, seven mourning doves were reported in Manitoba, including five doves in Brandon and one each in Dauphin and The Pas. However, later in the winter, in the Great Backyard Bird Count held in February, 2010, “our” dove was the only one reported. (Statistics collected for the 2010 Christmas count are not yet finalized, and do not include ours, but so far show one mourning dove in Winnipeg.)

The first winter, we didn’t expect the bird would survive, despite having a food source, for frostbitten toes are a danger for doves that overwinter. When we went away for a couple of weeks, we created a covered area beside the house to keep away the snow, and asked a neighbour to put out food. We were delighted, upon our return, to find Lonesome still coming regularly to our backyard. He/she stayed all winter.

With the arrival of warmer weather, and with other doves now around, we didn’t know if any of them were “our” dove. Most were in pairs, and we hoped Lonesome had found a mate and would migrate come fall. We didn’t expect the bird to reappear the next winter, but it did – alone, as before. The third winter it stayed again. That year we bought a heated bird bath, so now it had a place to drink water, which it seemed to appreciate.

This fall it seemed that our lonesome friend had not stayed. For several weeks we hadn’t seen any sign of a dove. Then, the morning after the first major snowfall, there it was! We watched as it checked out the several places where we normally put out bird food, so we assumed it was the same bird. Apparently, doves are a bird with a long lifespan. The record holder, according to bird expert Rob Parsons of Winnipeg, is 31 years, although wild birds would not be expected to live nearly that long.

This winter, Lonesome has come more frequently and stays longer. It usually drinks from the bird bath and feeds regularly. We now have a couple of teepee-shaped, covered feeders to help keep the snow off the seeds we put out – a mixture of small black-oil sunflower seeds, white millet and canola. Sometimes, when the sun is shining, the bird sits there quietly sunning itself.

On December 20 we had an exciting experience. As we sat eating lunch and watching Lonesome out our large window, asecond dove suddenly flew in. It landed on the ground beside Lonesome and immediately started eating. The newcomer was somewhat smaller with more definite white edges on its tail, so we could tell them apart. Otherwise, the plumage was similar. Lonesome seemed excited by the newcomer. We assumed, because it was smaller, that it was a female and Lonesome was a male. (The smaller one could, of course, be a young one, but we decided to assume it was female and our resident bird a male.) Lonesome watched as the newcomer began to eat. Soon he flew to the heated bird bath for a drink and the newcomer followed. Then he flew to a second feeder nearby, one which is several feet above the ground. The newcomer immediately followed again. It was definitely as if Lonesome was showing the newcomer what was available and offering to share the place. The two fed there for 10 minutes or so, and eventually they flew away together.

Late in the afternoon, both doves appeared again for more food and drink. The newcomer ate voraciously and stayed eating even after Lonesome disappeared. Obviously it was hungry. When it was almost too dark to see it from our window, the newcomer also flew off.

Since thenbothdoves appear regularly, several times a day, to eat and drink. Often they come together, sometimes separately. We have tentatively named the newcomer “Notso” (as in “not so lonesome”) but perhaps we should change Lonesome’s name, too. We are certainly enjoying the drama of having two doves. Will both stay here all winter? Will they form a mating pair, come spring? The tale (or tail) continues to unfold. – Donna Gamache writes from MacGregor, Manitoba

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There are about a dozen birds in Manitoba that can be enticed to a feeder during the winter, and watching them out a kitchen or living room window can become a daily event if you provide the right types of birdfeed. Although mixed-seed birdfeed is available at many stores – and it’s cheaper – this type of feed has a lot of waste in it, for many birds will pick out only the kind they prefer, ignoring wheat, milo and barley. It’s better to purchase specific kinds of seed.

Black-capped chickadees are one of the easiest varieties to attract. They are particularly fond of the small black-oil type of sunflower seeds, which you can buy separately. Nuthatches – both the white-breasted and red-breasted varieties – also prefer these sunflower seeds. Like chickadees, they soon adapt to people being near and can often be enticed to a feeder set close to a window.

Blue jays are more timid of people but will come to a feeder set farther away from windows. They eat sunflower seeds as well as corn, and they really love peanuts. I save a few corncobs each fall and they will pick the kernels off the cob. I also try to find a sunflower field after it has been harvested, to pick up a few missed heads.

Woodpeckers are another favourite at birdfeeders. The small downy woodpecker and its larger cousin the hairy woodpecker are attracted by sunflowers and suet. Again, commercial suet blocks are available, but many birds don’t particularly like these, preferring homemade suet blocks. I buy suet, melt it and add some peanut butter, shelled sunflower seeds, cornmeal and oatmeal to make my own blocks. I also use a log with holes or grooves dug into it and fill those with the mixture. This is the woodpeckers’ favourite.

Another bird that may be attracted to feeders is the American goldfinch. In recent years a fair number have stayed all winter, though they normally migrate. I’ve had them for the last two or three years – perhaps an indication of the effect of warmer winters. Goldfinches are not so easily recognized in the winter, since they have their much duller winter plumage. Their favourite treat is niger seed. It’s expensive, but worthwhile if you want to attract these birds. If you do buy the seed and don’t have goldfinches over winter, use it in the spring to attract the returning birds. A tube feeder or a thistle sock is best for niger seed, although the smaller birds are also ground feeders.

The pine siskin and common redpoll also enjoy niger seed. These often appear for a few weeks over the winter. Other seed-eating birds that may come to feeders – not every year but on occasion – are purple finches, house finches, evening grosbeaks, pine grosbeaks and cross-bills – all of which love sunflower seeds. Of course the English (house) sparrow also frequents feeders in winter, sometimes in larger numbers than you want, since the presence of too many may keep other birds away.

One way to attract birds is to offer a source of water. Last winter I bought an electric heated bird bath. At first the birds seemed a little leery of it, but before long they were using it to get a drink and – on warmer days – to bathe. I kept it going all winter long.

If you watch your yard and feeders carefully you never know what you might see. For the last couple of years, besides the goldfinches which stayed all winter, a mourning dove overwintered here. (It doesn’t appear to have stayed this fall.) A couple of juncos stayed last year, too. I also occasionally see a Cooper’s hawk swoop through searching for a live meal, and last winter a boreal owl spent a couple of hours dozing in the backyard.

Another frequent visitor to my feeders – one that some people don’t want – is a red squirrel. A baffle can be used on a pole feeder to help keep squirrels away, but personally I’m happy to see one to add to my daily list of sightings – even if it does steal the birdfeed!

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1. When starting to feed birds, black oil-type sunflower seeds or a mixture containing a good percentage of sunflower and/or safflower seeds is good to use. The protein, carbohydrates, fats and oils provided by seeds are needed by birds, especially in winter, to keep warm. For some birds, suet can also provide for some of these needs. When starting with sunflower seeds, additional types of seed may be added as you learn which birds feed at your station.

2. Position the feeder out of the wind and near trees and shrubs. A 10-foot distance from overhanging trees or buildings is recommended to discourage squirrels. When possible, choose plants in the landscape that provide seed, nectar or cover for birds. Mass plantings, thickets and dense growth are desirable for bird habitat.

3. After setting up the feeder, it is important to provide an uninterrupted daily supply of food. The birds depend on it. Also, inspect the feeder weekly for cleanliness.

4. Birds need grit to digest their food and, in winter, birds have difficulty finding enough of it. Grit is small, hard objects the birds take in to help them grind up their food; small pebbles, eggshells and coarse sand can all serve this purpose. Add an extra-fine grit to the feeder in the winter, when snow covers their natural sources of grit.

5. You may want to add more feeders to attract more birds. Space these feeders to accommodate the various flight paths of the birds. Consider adding a thistle feeder, a window feeder or an additional basic feeder.

6. If squirrels can become or are a problem, then consider using a squirrel-resistant feeder. Another alternative is to provide squirrels with a feeding area on the ground and away from the bird-feeding station.

7. Hummingbird and oriole feeders should always be taken down by mid-September. This encourages the birds to migrate, which is essential for their survival, since they cannot tolerate our cold winters.

8. Providing a source of water will attract the largest number of species. Birds will be best attracted

to a source of dripping water. Birds need water in the winter for bathing (to keep clean and warm) and to drink. Specially designed bird bath heaters are available to keep the bath free of ice.

Put some bird feeders up today and let the beauty of nature entertain you during those dreary, cold winter days!

– The RRBC is a grassroots organization that is a chartered not-for-profit corporation.

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