Beautiful flowers, delicate foliage and lush plantings are all keys for exceptional birdscaping, but they don't always help birds in winter. When deep snow, sharp icicles and wind chills take over, however, birders can still have bird-friendly landscaping that will attract and protect winter backyard birds.

Why Landscape for Winter

Backyard birding is not just a spring and summer hobby, and dedicated backyard birders can work to ensure their yard is a bird sanctuary in any season.


There are many backyard birds that visit in winter, and appropriate landscaping will attract them during the coldest months just as surely as it does during the warmest months. In fact, winter bird landscaping can be even more effective because resources are less abundant in winter and birds will be eager to take advantage of a bird-friendly backyard. A thoughtfully designed backyard that caters to winter wildlife will also help birds overcome winter threats and hazards, increasing the numbers of birds that survive to the following spring and making backyard birding even more productive throughout the year.

Meet Birds' Needs With Winter Landscaping

No matter what the season, a good backyard will meet birds' needs for food, water, shelter and nesting sites, and winter backyards must offer appropriate resources for birds to stay safe and healthy.

• Food: Calorie-rich foods are best for winter birds, and there are many natural foods that winter birds seek. Seed-bearing flowers and grasses should be left in backyards through the winter, and as seeds fall, sparrows, quail, grouse, doves and other ground-feeding birds will enjoy the bounty. Berry bushes that keep their fruit through the winter are another premium choice for natural winter bird foods, and are favorites of thrushes and waxwings. Many finches will pry seeds out of pine cones, while jays favor nuts from bushes and trees. Even fruit trees such as apples or pears that retain fruit through the winter will be a great food source for woodpeckers and other birds.
   

• Water: Birds need water in every season, and fresh, liquid water is best. While birds can and will eat snow to meet their water needs, doing so requires more calories just at a time when food sources may be at their lowest. A heated bird bath should be a key feature of winter bird landscaping, and it should be kept clean and filled even on the coldest, stormiest days. Allowing icicles to drip will help attract birds with splashing noises, alerting them that water is available. In milder climates, placing a regular bird bath in a sunny area or using a dark plate at the bottom of the basin can help keep water liquid without external heaters or more expensive baths, or a bath might be brought inside during cold nights but put back out for birds' use each morning.
   
• Shelter: Adequate shelter is critical for winter birds, and coniferous and evergreen trees and shrubs are ideal options. Bare backyards can still have a brush pile or recycled Christmas tree to offer as interim shelter, and if dead trees are available, leaving them as snags can provide cavities for winter birds to roost. Backyard birders should avoid pruning in late fall so birds have extra shelter available, or if pruning is essential for plant health, trimmings should be added to a brush pile for the winter. Even a rock pile or wood pile can provide minimal shelter for birds, and adding roost boxes or leaving winterized bird houses available for roosting birds can be helpful.
   
• Nesting Sites: Few birds are nesting in winter, though many urban owls begin claiming territories or seeking mates in late winter. Savvy backyard birders will still be sure their winter backyard is ready for nesting birds, however, by allowing unused bird houses to remain available as shelter and be ready for early nesting birds and by saving a range of nesting materials to attract birds as they return to their breeding range, such as collecting bits of yarn from winter craft projects to fill a suet cage nester. For birds that nest in bird houses, it is never too early to put up houses to serve as nesting sites.

Making Winter Landscaping Appealing

Even though flowers may not bloom in winter and foliage may be dead or buried under snow, winter bird landscaping does not have to be drab. When choosing bird-friendly landscaping, keep these ideas in mind for winter landscaping that is both functional and beautiful:

• Choose plants that will provide bursts of winter color with colorful bark or bright berries.
• Opt for plants that retain foliage in winter to add shape and texture to the landscaping.
• Consider the shapes plants will have when buried under recent snowfall.
• Don't neglect garden accents such as arbors, boulders, benches or other accessories that can withstand harsh winter weather and add variety to the landscaping.

No matter how cold the season may get or how much snow may fall, winter bird landscaping can be a great choice for both birds and backyard birders by creating a bird-friendly sanctuary that is as appealing in the deepest winter months as it is during summer's bounty.

Photo – Winter American Robin © Rich Hoeg