Bird activity has likely been a little slow at your feeders since October, but they normally begin winging back to our region in mid- to late-November. You’ll need fresh birdseed to welcome them back, and for the best in town I wholeheartedly urge that you get yours at any of the six Wild Birds Unlimited stores in the area.
It’s important to note that not all birds eat seed, but they all need water for drinking and bathing, especially in wintertime. Finding water can be stressful for birds, especially in periods when we don’t get a lot of rain. So, providing it may be the most effective way to attract the greatest variety to your yard.
The experts at Wild Birds Unlimited emphasize that providing moving water, is the best way to attract bird attention. Moving water also prevents mosquitoes from laying eggs in a birdbath.
If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, you might fashion a homemade tool to keep water moving in your birdbath. Also, if temperatures drop below freezing, finding open water can be especially difficult for birds. So, providing warm water with a stick spanning it can give them access without needing to wade in and get wet.
I recently learned that feather maintenance is critical for birds’ cold insulation and protection from winter rain. They fluff up to trap warm air between their body and the outer feather layer. And, to keep up with that, they need a good water source to bathe in.
Wild Birds Unlimited has some of the most ingenious water-moving systems out there … from drippers to Water Wigglers. Visit your closest store for more advice and the right tools to provide water and keep it moving.