Community Chat

[GoneButNotForgotten]

It think it's a bad idea to leave out birdfeeders in the winter. Why? because it can seriously disrupt migration patterns. Birds that would normally fly south (or somewhere) will hang around if they have a food source in the winter. Some will freeze to death and others will not go to their usual mating grounds and therefore, not reproduce.

[Krimpette]

I always heard that winter was the more important time to feed the birds, since not all birds head south.

[Anonymous032819]

There are some birds that don't migrate and hang around all winter.

Cardinals, come to mind.

[HLP]

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@GoneButNotForgotten wrote:

It think it's a bad idea to leave out birdfeeders in the winter. Why? because it can seriously disrupt migration patterns. Birds that would normally fly south (or somewhere) will hang around if they have a food source in the winter. Some will freeze to death and others will not go to their usual mating grounds and therefore, not reproduce.

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I don't know of any birds that hang around after it's time to leave. My hummingbirds left the second week of October, as they do here every year.The robins are gone, and all I have are winter birds, same as every year. We feed here all winter, with food for woodpeckers and squirrel and all the regulars.

[KingstonsMom]

I'm in the deep south and I feed all year round, especially in winter when bugs, berries, etc. aren't as readily available for them.

We raise bluebirds, at least 15 babies every year, but all of our birds enjoy having food available in winter.

[Anonymous032819]

I live in an area where Canadian Geese spend their winters.

They start arriving in early fall, and stay until late spring.

Such beautiful birds.

[HLP]

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@Anonymous032819 wrote:

There are some birds that don't migrate and hang around all winter.

Cardinals, come to mind.

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They are here all summer and have their babies, I see them all the time. Don't know what the above is talking about.

[happycat]

I have been feeding the birds for years, here the robins always leave and the snow birds always come. And there are bluejays and cardinals all year long. Right now all the birds seem to be eating acorns and bugs. They aren't very interested in bird seed.  

[GoneButNotForgotten]

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@Anonymous032819 wrote:

I live in an area where Canadian Geese spend their winters.

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I'm sorry but I hate Canadian Geese. In the NW they're nothing but pests: they eat all your grass and leave nothing but tremendous piles of poop. They are often referred to as Canadian Rats.

[Icegoddess]

I have never had migratory birds hang around.  I keep my hummingbird feeder out until late October.  It's out now, and when I can determine that the water level is no longer declining I'll bring it in for winter.  In the spring, we have grosbeaks come through.  While there wouldn't be a chance of them freezing to death if they stayed, they don't.  They'll hang around about a week and move on.  It's just built into their nature.  I don't think birds have the capacity to override that by such a rational thought process that just because there is food it would be a good place the hang.