Bird Feeders - odds and ends

by Karin Bolcshazy

We are 5 days into Spring - the first day of spring 2025 was on Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 5:01 a.m. EDT (2:01 a.m. Pacific). For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this is marked by the arrival of the spring equinox. The early signs are all about us – hellebores are blooming, snow drops are adorable, and green beginnings are poking through the soil.

I was greatly entertained through the winter months by watching my bird feeders – from squirrel proof tube feeders, hopper feeder, and suet. What is scattered on the ground, is picked up by squirrels – greys, red and lately and albino.

For birds that stay over the winter, feathers are the first line of defense against cold. Soft and fluffy down feathers located closest to the bird's body are the most effective insulation. Birds raise and lower the down layer as needed, trapping pockets of air around their bodies. The secret to maintaining these layers of air lies in having clean, dry and flexible feathers. While all birds produce a special oil from a gland near the base of their tails, some cold-tolerant birds use this oil to weatherproof their feathers. Other birds like egrets, herons and mourning doves grow special feathers that disintegrate into a powder that they use to waterproof their feathers. Regardless of what weatherproofing method they use; preening helps birds keep a water-resistant top layer and a toasty warm inner layer and allows them to tuck in those body parts most vulnerable to cold – beaks and alternating legs - in warm feathers to conserve heat. Chickadees are able to lower their body temperature during a cold night down to 50 degrees and sink into a hibernation like torpor.  Overnight birds seek out tree cavities or dense vegetation and cuddle together for warmth.

You'll notice that birds fuel up just before dusk at your feeder. Small birds loose up to 10 percent of their body weight each night year-round while at rest. The tiniest North American species, the golden-crowned kinglet, known for its distinguished golden-yellow crown outlined by black stripe, weighs all of 0.2 ounces, but can withstand temperatures down to minus 40 degrees F. It requires about 8 calories daily – in comparison that would be 27 large pizzas for a 100 lb. human! Some birds, such as the Canada Jay do stay all year long in the forests of Northern Canada and Alaska.  They collect food all summer long and hide it high up in tree bark crevices in anticipation of winter.  

Want to help birds make it through the winter? Consider providing high energy foods like suet, peanuts and black oil sunflower seeds. Water is essential year-round, so adding a heated bird bath can help keep birds hydrated - just remember to keep the water clean! You can provide shelter for many species by installing roosting boxes or leaving dead trees that may be suitable for birds that depend on tree cavities. Planting fruit-bearing trees and shrubs can help attract species like cedar waxwings - just remember to make sure you're planting native species. If fruit-bearing trees aren't for you, consider planting an evergreen!

From: Farmers' Almanac; US Fish and Wildlife Service; Audubon