Save The Song Birds - Winter Edition

As you are probably aware by now, recent reports have shown that birds in North America are seeing record declines in numbers from just a generation ago, in some case, as much as 70%! The catch-all reason for this steep decline is "habitat loss" which simply means that the natural habitats for birds are being affected by human activity including such as large scale agriculture and pesticide use, urban sprawl, climate change, and other such 'big' things.  However, we can still do much right in our own backyards to help support healthy environments for our backyard friends.

Today, we will focus on a couple things you can do at home to help "Save The Song Birds" during the colder, Winter months.

1.  Provide High Energy Foods - As temperatures drop, birds need more 'fuel' to burn to create body heat.  To accomplish this, provide high-fat foods such as suet, black-oil sunflower, and peanuts.  Consider adding Bark Butter (suet) Bits our No Mess Blend to provide easy access to these essential foods while expending less energy getting to them (no seed cracking).

2.  Provide Water - As basic as this sounds, this is an oft overlooked necessity during winter.  Bird baths should be kept clean and not allowed to freeze.  Birdbath heaters available at WBU will allow birds access to open water needed for drinking and bathing (critical to flight) even when other, natural water sources are frozen over.  

3.  Provide Shelter - Most birds do not use houses or nests during the winter like they do during nesting season, but they may roost someplace out of the wind and rain to stay warm.  We have inexpensive woven grass roosting pockets and wooden roosting shelves available to help them with this.  

For more professional advice from one of our Certified Bird Feeding Specialists, stop in and see us today!