Happy stick season everyone!
Let's face it, winter in Vermont can sometimes be a little hard to endure. At least I used to think that before I discovered the fun of feeding birds. While not the frenzy of color brought by a spring warbler migration, or the ensemble of song on a June morning, the birds that stay with us all winter give more than their share of energy and exuberance when we need it the most.
On some days there may be fewer species than we have fingers on one hand to count (that's okay, you'll probably want to keep them inside your mitten anyway) but instead of counting species, I turn to watching individuals and getting to know "some of the locals". "Hey there's that cardinal with the two wives again," or "that blue jay with the rusty-gate call is back on the suet feeder" are some of the comments that might be heard around our kitchen table on a winter morning.
Whats on the Menu?
What food for birds you want to offer depends on how much money you want to spend and what types of birds you want to attract. Here are some of the more popular types of winter bird food:
Sunflower - Considered the #1 choice to feed and attract the greatest variety of birds to your feeders. Sunflower seeds come as black oil, striped, hulled or chips. Black oil sunflower seeds give birds the energy they need to live. The thin shell makes it an easy bird seed to open, even for the smaller birds such as chickadees and tufted titmice. The large striped seeds are popular with larger birds such as cardinals and blue jays. Personally, I make a mix of about 1/3 Striped to 2/3 Black Oil and fill all of my feeders with that. The only exception is feeders that are placed in a garden. Because sunflower hulls contain a chemical that kills plants, I prefer to use the shelled sunflower seed for these feeders. Be sure to periodically rake up the shelled seeds that land at the base of any feeder -- not just to stop the spread of disease to the birds, but also to keep from killing the grass!
Thistle or Nyger - Is very expensive and requires a special feeder -- but if you are partial to birds like Goldfinches and Pine Siskins, this is the way to attract them.
Peanuts - Blue jays, cardinals and nuthatches are some of the birds that enjoy peanuts.
Suet - This high-energy food is a big draw for birds that mostly eat insects. Suet is a fatty substance that is favored by downy and hairy woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and blue jays. Putting this out all winter can be expensive, but it's really appreciated on those sub-zero January days!
Corn - This inexpensive feed is an excellent source of energy for birds during very cold weather and attracts most birds. The drawback is that it can attract less desirable birds such as house sparrows,and starlings.
Millet - Also a relatively inexpensive grain, millet attracts many species, including cardinals, mourning doves, juncos, house sparrows and brown-headed cowbirds.
Rutland County Audubon's annual bird seed sale is a great opportunity to stock up on bird feed for the winter ahead. The real advantage of buying seed from us, however, is that its a chance to get free advice on what types of bird food work best in our area. We're also happy to give advice on our favorite bird feeders and almost anything else related to birds in Rutland County! And you'll be doing your part by supporting RCAS. If you're not a member, we would love to have you join!
Related Links:
Project Feederwatch
A Banquet for Birds
Birdfeeding 101