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South Carolina

Simple Plan to Help Birds in Winter

December 10, 2006 : 12:00 AM
Help the Birds.

Please follow this simple seven-point plan to help your garden birds win the battle against the cold winter months:

1. Introduce a bird table and high-energy seed mixes. You can also use the table to put out kitchen scraps such as grated cheese and soaked dried fruit.

2. Put out hanging feeders for black sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, sunflower-rich mixes or unsalted peanuts.

3. Ensure a supply of fresh water every day. If it is very cold temps, use tepid water but do not add anything to the water to prevent it from freezing.

4. Food bars or fat hung up or rubbed into the bark of trees will help the more shy garden visitors, such as treecreepers, wrens, and goldcrests.

5. Put up nest boxes to provide roost sites for the smaller birds. They might then be used for breeding later in the year.

6. Plant berry-bearing plants in your garden, such as hawthorn, holly, cotoneaster and berberis to help birds in the coming years.

7. Make sure you keep your feeders and bird tables clean - using small amounts of mild disinfectant or specialized cleaner and warm water.

More Great Info To Help Birds Through Cold Weather
http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa121300a.htm


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Comments
  
December 11, 2006 at 12:39 PM
posted by: rmlamasney25
Thank you, I didn't think about a food table. I have a feeder that's very popular with chickadees & nuthatches & even a big woodpecker.
But the cardinals are too shy for the feeder.

Can anyone suggest something that will attract the cardinals even more than seed?
  
December 10, 2006 at 6:19 PM
posted by: marla
Good info I feed the birds year round. Winter is definately the most important. they eat about four suet bars every couple of days plus the seed I put out. I will definately get more sunflower seeds for them.
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