Winter Bird Feeding Tips
Winters can be long here in Northern Michigan, but if you love being outdoors our area has so much to offer. Summers boast camping, boating, swimming and many more activities. Winters here bring snowshoeing, skiing, hiking, snowmobiling and more outdoor excitement.
Bird watching can also be a great winter activity. Whether you love bird watching from the cozy interior of your home or while enjoying the outside, winter is a great time to watch your favorite feathered friends. If you’ve ever stopped into Grandpa Shorter’s, you know how much we love birds. We carry a huge variety of birdhouses that are as pretty to look at as they are to feed the birds throughout the year.
Several of our smaller Birdie Cottage Birdhouses to our online store. Not only are the birdhouses edible, they also feature a real wooden house structure for birds to nest and roost. The cottages can be hung from tree limbs or placed near windows, preferably protected from squirrels and moisture.
Birdie Cottages attract chickadees, cardinals, titmice, finches, sparrows, doves, jays, and many other seed-eating birds.
- Don’t put out too much bird food. Just like us, birds appreciate fresh food. Food that has sat out in the elements too long will become stale and even develop harmful bacteria.
- Provide fresh water. Birds like keeping their feathers clean and they need fresh water to keep them in good condition. Also, make sure their freshwater is kept ice-free.
- Foods to avoid: white bread, peanuts, spicy foods, and vegetable oils.
- Watch from a distance. After hanging your birdhouse, watch to see what type of birds come in and how many. Depending on the amount of bird traffic you may want to adjust your feeder’s location.
Our Birdie Cottage birdhouses are the perfect way to feed the birds around your house or cottage year-round. Birdie Cottages are made of spray millet, fruit pieces, juniper berries, and red raffia. Each cottage is individually clear-wrapped and great for gift giving.
