Not all the birds in your area migrate (move away) for the winter. Some stick around all year. And others move in from other places. Birds can get hungry in fall and winter. Plants and seeds are harder to find and snow and ice can bury foods when birds need more calories to stay warm and hunt for food.
Let’s Get Started
Here’s a simple gift you can give the birds to help them get through to spring.
- Go outside and look for pine cones under pine trees.
(If you don’t have a pine cone, you can use a bagel or make a hole in a piece of toast.) - Attach wire or string to the top of a pine cone to make a hanger.
- Spread the peanut butter between the scales of the pine cone.
- Decorate the pine cone with birdseed, bits of dried fruit, and sunflower seeds.
- Chill the pine cone in the refrigerator to harden.
- Hang your bird feeder in a tree or shrub, and watch the birds enjoy the tasty and nutritious treat you made for them.
Document Your Discoveries
- Describe or draw the birds that you observe at your feeder in your Nature Notebook and add to your Bird Life List.
- Check out more ways you can feed birds and help other wildlife prepare and thrive this winter.
- Bonus: Report the types of birds you see at your feeder to Project FeederWatch. Their scientists will use your information to learn more about bird populations.