Feeding birds in your backyard in the winter is a fun and easy way to add some color and interest to your home. Here are a few tips for the best birdfeeders, types of food and birds you might spot right here in the general Visalia area.
Winter birdwatching in Tulare County
Birdwatching draws a lot of people to our area, with the nearby wetlands, rivers, and mountains offering a wide variety of sighting possibilities. Here are some birds you might spot in your backyard during the winter here in Visalia and throughout the Tulare and Kings County area: Mourning Dove, White-throated Swift, Anna’s Hummingbird, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Loggerhead Shrike, Western Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Oak Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Western Bluebird, American Robin, Lark Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch and House Sparrow.
Best backyard birdfeeders for Visalia
If you want to attract a variety of birds to your backyard, you need to install a variety of birdfeeders. Think about the birds you enjoy watching the most and ask at the store which ones cater to those. You might want a few mesh socks for goldfinches, nectar feeders for hummingbirds, suet feeders for woodpeckers, and mealworm dishes for bluebirds.
No matter which ones you install, however, there are a couple things in common you must know:
Shelter: Winter can mean rain and winds here in California, so you’ll want to have some sort of protection for your feeder such as tree branches, under porches or overhangs, or built-in small covers that extend a few inches over each side.
Easy to clean: Proper cleaning minimizes mold, mildew and other unhealthy conditions that can spread disease among backyard birds. After heavy rains, check if food was affected and discard any that is soggy or smells bad. Be sure to wipe down perches, poles and other parts of the feeder as well.
Best bird food for backyard feeders
Most birds that visit backyards in the winter thrive on seeds since insects and fruit are harder to find. The best foods to offer birds in colder weather have a high fat or oil content that will provide abundant energy for winter survival. Nutritious winter foods for birds include:
- Black oil sunflower seed
- Hulled peanuts or peanut hearts
- Nyjer (thistle) seed
- Suet mixes with seeds or fruit
- Peanut butter
- White millet seed
When choosing birdseed and other foods for winter feeding, take into consideration which bird species you are trying to attract and use the foods they prefer. Most bird feeders that are made for certain types of birds will have recommendations on them when you buy them.
What to do when squirrels raid your birdfeeder
If you have birdfeeders, it almost inevitable that you’ll have a squirrel that tries to raid your birdfeeder. Discourage them by using cages or squirrel baffles to keep them off the feeders. You can also distract squirrels by providing them with food such as cobs of dried corn in different locations so they aren’t as tempted to raid your feeders.