It’s getting colder and soon the leaves will turn. Fall is almost upon us, and that means it’s time for you to think about how you’ll be feeding wild birds from now right through into the winter. If you make a few simple changes the backyard birds will keep coming. We can divide these into five basic tips:

Clean Up Your Backyard Bird Feeding Sites

First off, give your feeders and the surrounding area a thorough cleaning. Start with the feeders. Get rid of dirt, wild bird food that’s gone bad and insects. Birds prefer clean feeding spaces. Not only do they have an instinctive sense of hygiene, but a clean area doesn’t look like it’s too crowded for new birds to come visit. Wild birds that already go to your feeder will still do so. Consider getting a winter-proof feeder like our All Weather Bird Feeder.

Encourage Winter Wild Bird Feeding Now

By the time autumn rolls around, wild birds are scouting out feeding spots for the winter. That means you should start putting out high energy bird food (see below) and food that wintering species prefer. See our Bird Feeding Chart and read the rest of this blog for bird food preferences by species.

Use High Energy Wild Bird Foods

Wintering and migrating wild birds both need extra energy to stay healthy. As we mentioned in the last point, both types of birds are already looking for good feeding spots. Like other animals (including us) birds want two kinds of energy out of their food: sugars and carbohydrates that translate into quick energy and proteins, and fats (for birds, usually seed oils) to provide long term fuel. Most birds try to put on a little fat over the cold months. Fruit provides an immediate energy boost; you can find it in our Nuts and Berry Suet and Fruit and Berry blend. To help birds gain weight for the months ahead, our Suet Cakes, Superior Seeds and Super Sunflower formulas are ideal. All of these keep birds healthy over the cold months. Suet is an especially good idea - in many ways, fall and winter are "Suet Seasons."

Keep Fresh Water for Your Wild Birds

Now is the time to set up a reliable supply of fresh, liquid water for your wild birds. Once winter comes good water is hard to find; birds have to rely on snow melts that trap local grime. Consider getting a heater for your bird bath or just keep fresh water near a warm spot on your property. Fresh, easy to drink water is one of the biggest attractors of birds during cold weather. Prepare early, since as we said, the birds are already looking for good spots.

Get Your Backyard Ready for Winter Birds

Lastly, make sure your property will be appealing to backyard birds right through to spring. Plant new shrubs for cardinals now, while it’s warm enough to get them in the ground. The key to success is to provide a clean environment, but not one that’s mostly open, flat ground. Let your grass grow out too. Ground feeders will appreciate it right through to the first heavy snow, both for cover and to keep their feet from getting muddy.