Although some of the birds in Connecticut fly south for the winter, plenty of other species stick around and hunker down for the coldest months of the year. Look out your window and you might spot cardinals, finches and even woodpeckers foraging for food around your home. This time of year is hard for the birds in our area, but you can make their lives a little easier by offering them food and shelter in your yard!
Block Wind With Native Trees and Shrubs
Establishing an attractive border of trees and shrubs around your yard can not only improve your home’s curb appeal, but also provide an ideal winter habitat for birds. These plantings can give birds shelter from harsh winter winds. Fruit and berry-producing shrubs can also give hungry birds a welcome snack when food is scarce.
Establish a Brush Pile
Never got around to removing that pile of fallen branches and logs left over from the fall? No problem! This brush pile might not being doing your landscaping any favors, but birds will love it! During the winter, brush piles can give birds protection from predators and comfortable places to roost at night.
Hang Feeders Near Shelters
You can also supplement your berry-producing shrubs with bird feeders strategically placed around the bird shelters you’ve established in your yard. Soft foods like suet and peanut butter tend to be particularly attractive to the bird species that stick around for the winter. You can also mix the peanut butter with bird seed to attract a greater variety of species to your yard. Just be sure to maintain these feeders, and hang them in places that won’t leave birds exposed to predators.
Offer Clean Water
Clean, fresh water can be hard to come by when temperatures stay below freezing for weeks at a time. A heated bird bath can give birds a safe place to drink, preen and bathe even on the coldest days of year. If you don’t want to spring for a heated bird bath, you can also keep a normal, dark-colored basin of water in an area that gets plenty of direct sunlight to prevent it from freezing.
For more information about winter yard maintenance and tree information, contact Brother Tree Lawn at 203-767-2915 today or visit us online!