Homegrown: Attracting birds

For many Iowans, gardening and bird-watching go hand-in-hand.

During the growing season, providing certain varieties of flowers will attract different types of birds.

Linn County Master Gardener, Lisa Slattery, notes that similar guidelines apply in the winter.

Here is more from Lisa on this time-honored hobby:

For me, attracting birds is an important part of my garden.  I try to attract a large variety of birds with different feeders, plants and shelters.  I hang a lot of suet in the winter months and have several types of Woodpeckers including Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers (which have red heads, not really red bellies.)  I also have Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, House Finch, and lots of House Sparrows.  But my favorites are the "little guys" as I call them, the Black-capped Chickadee, Nuthatches, Dark-eyed Juncos and the Tufted Titmouse. My 14-year-old son thought I made that name up - huh - then laughed hysterically.

You can enjoy birds all winter long by providing them space, food, shelter, and water.  Space can't be controlled as some species need more than others, so you'll attract the birds that are suited to your space whether it's an acreage or an apartment deck.  Shelter can be provided by plantings such as trees and shrubs and bird houses, but find out what types of birds are attracted to what types of houses since bird species are specific about where they live and nest.  Water can be provided by a garden water feature, bird bath or shallow dish of fresh water throughout the winter.  Food is the easiest factor to control when attracting different types of birds.

Food sources for birds include seeds, fruits, berries, and insects.  Birds actually have preferred foods (ones they like best) and persistent foods or food sources they'll eat after the preferred foods are depleted.  It's like a bird's version of broccoli and spinach...they'll eat it if they have to. I actually like those veggies -  my kids not so much. In winter you need to rely more on feeders than planting to attract birds.  But as with plantings, offering a variety of feeders is also key.  Use an assortment of feeder types mounted at various levels.  Food choices should change with the seasons since you'll want both resident birds and migrating birds.  Keep feeders clean and stocked.  In winter birds feed every day and will establish feeding 'routes.'

So what to feed birds in winter?  Provide suet feeders for insect eaters like Woodpeckers and Nuthatches.  Offer seed for others, but avoid seed mixes that contain Milo (sorghum) and wheat, fillers that no birds like.  It's best to provide the type of seed preferred by the bird species you  want to attract but generally a mix with the highest proportion of black (oil-type) sunflower seeds (the all black sunflower seed) is best.  I make my own mix.  Iowa State University suggests trying a mix of 50% percent black (oil-type) sunflower, 35% white proso millet, and 15% cracked corn.  This mix will attract a wide variety of birds.  Place this mix in a flat-based feeder.  ISU also suggests peanut kernels (not hearts) in a small tubular or globe feeder.  The American goldfinch will eat Niger thistle year-round in a tubular seed feeders as well.

With bird feeders, come squirrels. Provide ears of dried corn at another location to try to keep the squirrels from emptying ( or destroying) your feeders.  Or try metal cones on the pole below feeders or one of the various "squirrel-proof" feeders on the market. I like just trying to outwit the squirrels - oh and I have a big old dog who likes to chase them up the tree!