Who is here? Look for these common birds this winter in the woods and at your backyard feeder. Have you seen any that are not on this list?
Blue Jay
Winter Birds How birds survive
Great Grey Owl
Many birds that make the northwoods their home during the summer flee when temperatures turn cold. But a few hardy birds stay all year. You will see them flittering about on even the most frigid of days. Here is how they survive: First, birds have to fly, so they can’t simply “fatten up” for the winter or they wouldn’t be able to take off. Instead, they have downy coats. The layer of feathers closest to their skin is especially warm and many birds grow an extra layer in the winter. Yes, humans have copied this and it’s why many of us wear down coats in the winter—those feathers are really warm. Along with this, the feathers must stay dry. A wet feather is useless to a bird, if not harmful. Birds produce an oil that repels water so that the feathers stay dry even in the event of rain or snow. Birds often shiver in the cold. This micro-movement of the muscles keeps circulation of blood going and keeps the bird warm. Birds can adjust their wings to cover most of their body. You may sometimes see a bird tuck its head into its wing, which is usually for warmth. Sometimes a bird may rest on one foot and then switch to the other—drawing the cold foot up towards its body where it can warm up. And as the saying goes, “birds of a feather, must flock together…” Birds that sleep in a tight huddle stay warm.
Chickadee
The Genuine. The Original.
Pileated Woodpecker
Feed the birds Try putting out some food for the birds in your yard. They will appreciate the extra source of calories. Even better, the bears are all sleeping and won’t get into your feeders. Here is a recipe for making your own bird suet—a ball of bird food with fat as its base that you can add to with your own special ingredients: Start with some kind of fat—save up your bacon fat, or use lard or vegetable shortening. The easiest way to deal with the fat is to heat it up to a liquid and then
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• Downy, hairy, and red-bellied woodpeckers are all happy habitants of the northwoods, and are often seen at feeders. • The dark-eyed junco, blackcapped chickadee and whitebreasted nuthatch are some of the smaller birds you will see. • Blue jays and gray jays round out the most common birds. • Keep your eyes out for the elusive pileated woodpecker, great gray owl, and more.
pour into containers—ideally about one or two cups at a time. You can add corn meal or peanut butter to the fat while it’s in liquid form. Try adding sunflower seeds, peanuts (chopped), bits of dried fruit, honey and even kitchen scraps— such as bits of cheese, bread, cereal, chips or crackers. Place the containers in the fridge to cool and when cold, the suet should pop out in a molded form, ready for placement in a suet feeder outside your window.
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