Winter

Food & Seed

• Prioritize sunflower seed, suet, and peanutsBirds burn calories fast in cold weather to maintain body temperature. High-fat, high-calorie foods — especially black oil sunflower, suet, and peanuts — are the most important things to keep stocked from December through February.
• Check and refill suet every 2–3 days in cold snapsWoodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees rely heavily on suet in winter. An empty suet cage in a cold snap leaves birds without a critical food source — check it regularly, not just when you think it might be low.
• Scatter white millet on the ground or a low platformDark-eyed Juncos, sparrows, and Mourning Doves feed primarily on the ground. Broadcasting millet under elevated feeders — or on a low tray — serves birds that seed tubes and hoppers never reach.
• Keep an extra bag of sunflower seed before major stormsBirds flock to feeders when snow buries natural food. Running out during a blizzard means birds go hungry when it matters most and may not return to your feeder quickly once they've moved on.
• Offer safflower to deter starlings and House SparrowsMost resident songbirds — cardinals, chickadees, finches — readily eat safflower. Starlings and House Sparrows largely ignore it, which reduces feeder competition for the birds you want.

Feeders & Cleaning

• Clean feeders once a month in winterCold slows bacteria growth, so monthly cleaning is sufficient in dry winter weather. However, any feeder with wet, clumped, or moldy seed after rain or snow needs immediate attention regardless of schedule.
• Check feeder ports for ice after freezing rainPorts freeze shut after ice storms and birds can't access food. Use warm water to thaw blocked ports — never force frozen plastic, which breaks under pressure.
• Use a hopper or covered feeder to keep seed drySnow and freezing rain wet open-tray seed in minutes. A roofed hopper feeder keeps seed dry and birds feeding even in bad weather.
• Brush snow off platform feeders after every snowfallGround-feeding birds like juncos and doves can't reach buried feeders. A quick brush after each storm keeps them fed — it takes ten seconds and makes a significant difference in storm conditions.
• Hang feeders close to windbreaksWinter winds make exposed feeders uncomfortable. A feeder sheltered by an evergreen, fence, or wall is far more attractive to birds in cold, windy weather than one in the open.

Water

• Use a birdbath heater or heated birdbathLiquid water in freezing temperatures is the scarcest resource birds face in winter. A heater is the single most effective winter upgrade you can make — birds that find unfrozen water will return reliably all season.
• Never add antifreeze or salt to prevent freezingBoth are toxic to birds. Heat is the only safe way to prevent freezing. Even small amounts of antifreeze or road salt runoff in a birdbath can be lethal.
• Check the water daily even with a heaterHeaters can fail or partially ice over around the edges. A frozen bath can go unnoticed for days. Birds that have come to rely on it will struggle to find water elsewhere in a freeze.
• Position the bath out of the windWind accelerates evaporation and makes the water colder despite a heater. A sheltered spot near a wall, fence, or evergreen helps the heater work more efficiently and reduces ice formation at the edges.

Birds to Watch

Winter is the quietest season for new arrivals but the most important for supporting the birds already in your yard. Consistent feeding in January and February — when natural food is lowest — matters more than any other time of year. A reliable feeder and unfrozen water in a cold snap can be lifesaving.

• Watch for Dark-eyed Junco flocks under feeders on snowy daysFlocks of 10–20 juncos under feeders are common during and after snowstorms. White millet scattered on the ground is their top food — elevate feeders with a ground tray or scatter directly on cleared snow.
• Watch for Black-capped Chickadee daily visitsBold, reliable, and year-round — chickadees are the most consistent winter feeder visitor. They cache seeds nearby for backup food on the coldest days, a vital survival behavior. If they stop visiting, check your seed quality.
• Watch for Downy Woodpecker at the suet cageThe smallest and most common winter woodpecker at backyard feeders. A pair visiting daily is a good sign your winter setup is working. If suet disappears quickly, a Hairy Woodpecker may also be visiting.