Helping Birds in Winter
BY THE WILD BIRD CENTER, WEATHERFORD, TX
Did you know that February is National Bird-Feeding
Month? In 1994, Illinois Congressman John Porter intro-
duced a resolution into the Congressional Record which
began: “Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize February,
one of the most challenging months in the United States
for wild birds, as National Bird-Feeding Month. During
this month, individuals are encouraged to provide food,
water and shelter to help wild birds survive. This assis-
tance benefits the environment by supplementing wild
birds’ natural diet seeds and insects.”
Millions of wild bird enthusiasts now traditionally make
special efforts in February to feed, watch and protect
wild birds. Nothing beats the winter blues more than
seeing a flash of color at a feeder, a newly molted cardi-
nal, or a shy migrant lurking under your hedges. Now
Chickadee
is the time to think about what
you can do to help your birds
through the winter. Here are
some ideas:
#1: Protect the migrants:
Although migrating birds will not
necessarily come to your feed-
ers (they are after all, migrating
through and might not know
of your desire to help them),
there could be some migrants
that will stopover in your back-
yard. One thing to consider is
your window. Could a migrating
bird mistake that clean picture
window as a fly-through? There
are many decals available to
place on your clean windows,
or you can place branches
in the way of reflective glass.
“Feather-Guard” – feathers
attached to a string that you
attach to a window – detracts
birds. Copper wind spinners
are attractive and effective as
are decorative “cut-glass” sun
catchers.
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Goldfinches
#2: Continue to offer all the
elements of a safe backyard
habitat – food, water and shel-
ter: Consider starting a brush
pile. Our brush pile hides
bunnies and chipmunks, as
well as wrens and ever-curious
chickadees. Flattened grass