We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
Forum Center,
2680 NE Hwy. 20, Ste. 310
Bend, OR 97701
Phone: (541) 617-8840
Fax: (541) 617-8840
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Sat: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Just as we rely on coats, hats and mittens to keep us warm in the face of winter's icy grip, birds employ a number of methods to survive the adversity of winter. And you can help!
Food is the most essential element, providing birds with the energy, stamina and nutrition they need. To stay warm, birds will expend energy very quickly, some losing up to 10% of their body weight on extremely cold nights. An ample supply of high-calorie foods such as black oil sunflower, suet, bark butter, and mealworms can be crucial to a bird’s survival. We can play a vital role, as feeding the birds becomes critical when extremely cold conditions occur.
Not only is food important, but so is access to liquid water. Birds need water to drink, but they also need to bathe even during the coldest winter temperatures. Birds must remove the dirt and oil that accumulate on their feathers because clean feathers are better insulators.
Most birds will adjust their feathers to create air pockets that will help them keep warm. You will often notice the birds look fatter or "puffed up" during cold weather. This is because the birds are fluffing up their feathers to trap more air and thereby have better insulation.
Providing sheltered places where birds can escape from some of the harsh winter conditions can also be of benefit during this stressful time of year. Create shelter by planting an area densely with trees and shrubs, or use trimmings to create a brush pile. Consider adding a roosting box to shelter cavity nesting species such as Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Bluebirds. These boxes lack ventilation and have the entrance hole located low on the box so that heat will rise and be retained in the box. They also have multiple perches to accomodate many birds sharing body heat in the box. In the spring these shelters can easily be converted into nesting boxes.
Staying warm is not all about food, feathers, and cover though. Some birds perch on one leg at a time, drawing the free leg to their breast for warmth. Most birds will shiver for short term adjustments to the cold. Shivering converts muscular energy into heat for the short term, but the energy must be replenished shortly thereafter.
While birds are equipped to withstand most winter weather, survival can be made easier by providing food, a heated, open source of water and protection from the elements with natural plant cover or a roosting box.
