How To Attract Breeding Birds In The Fall - Pt 1.

When it comes to attracting breeding pairs into your backyard, Spring is usually the time. But what if you want to attract those that will breed in the fall and stay throughout the winter while their babies hatch and grow? Can it be done? Of course it can, if you simply know what to do.

Many people don't start feeding birds until severe or cold weather breaks out, and they are missing out on some prime time to lure new birds to their yards. Fall is the real season to begin feeding birds, even if there are natural foods that are abundant around your yard, or around the area. And, since some of these natural foods are readily available, you may not see a massive influx of birds into your yard just yet. Instead they are out gathering up those natural goodies that they love.

The birds that will visit your feeders however are mainly scouting out food sources that will be available when the natural foods they love dry up for the winter. For example, the red-bellied woodpecker and the tufted titmouse will always scout out feeders, food sources, and safe places to nest during the winter months well in advance of the bad weather setting in.

Keep this in mind: cold will increase the calorie requirements that

birds have and it will happen right at the time that normal food becomes harder to get. The insects stop flying and wiggling around, tree buds are suddenly iced over, wild fruits are no longer growing, and so on. So, birds have to be ready for the weather, which is why they take plenty of time to figure out where the food supply will be when they will really need it. They note where food will be available, they locate alternatives when it comes to natural food sources, and they take inventory of contingent provisions.

It's always a good thing to have your yard included in their inventories of where food will be. If birds discover that your yard is worth visiting, they will remember that. And, when they first snow storm hits that kills off their natural food sources, they'll be in your yard right away. Chirping, hungry, and calling to their friends that they found food.

To attract these birds to your yard, you want to make sure that you offer a variety of the following foods:

1. Black oil sunflowers

2. White millet

3. Niger

4. Safflower

5. Cracked corn

6. Broken nuts

7. Suet (in hanging baskets for woodpeckers)

8. Chopped up fruits (for birds of all types)

You can buy these seeds and feed at most major discount stores, and at specialty pet or animal stores. If you are interested in buying fruits for the birds, make sure that you read up on the particular fruits that are native to your area, such as apples, peaches, strawberries, and more. These are the fruits that will attract birds that will stay throughout the winter.

In the next part of this "how to" blog, we'll show you other tricks that you can use to ensure that birds are constantly visiting your yard throughout the winter months as well as breeding there.