Instructions
Keep your bird feeder full. Wild birds need a particularly high caloric intake to stay warm during the winter, and food can be harder to come by in colder months. Fill your bird feeder with energy-rich foods such as sunflower oil, suet and peanuts.
Install a heated birdbath. Fresh water for bathing and drinking can be hard to find in snow-covered environments. Install a small heater for your birdbath, and your feathered friends will be ever so grateful for the fresh drinking water and chance to heat up their body temperature.
Provide shelter. Clean out your birdhouses and hang them in an area with sufficient cover. Under the awnings and eaves of your house is a safe place for birdhouses and nest boxes. It protects birds from high winds and heavy rains. Face it south for prime access to sunshine and warmth.
Plant winter-friendly shrubs. The Washington hawthorn berry is a hardy plant that provides berries and coverage for birds. The common juniper and Japanese yew are also winter-resistant plants that birds love to congregate in on cold nights.
Plant evergreens. Evergreen trees will bring all types of birds to your yard. Their dense foliage protects from harsh winds, and their recurrent fruit and seeds provide hardy meals to winter-worn birds.
How to Keep Wild Birds Warm in Winter
Many birds migrate during the winter to warmer, sunnier climates. Wild birds that depend on insects to survive are the first to fly the coop when temperatures drop. But birds that eat mostly seeds and nuts often stay in their local habitat. These wild birds need help keeping warm in the winter months. Food is often scarce, the weather is harsh and competition is fierce. If you want to help keep wild birds warm in the winter, there are a few things you can do.