Providing Shelter for the Winter Birds in Your Landscaping
Providing Shelter for the Winter Birds in Your Landscaping
Depending on where you reside, you may have noticed that your landscaping has some birds that have stuck around for the winter season. How can you make their stay more pleasant?
If you are interested in providing a shelter to the feathered friends that have stuck around for the cold season, here are some easy tips and tricks to get you started.
Should You Give the Birds Somewhere to Stay?
If you are not really interested in providing birds with additional shelter this winter, they do have their own ways of keeping warm in cold weather. However, if you live in an area with a lot of wind chill, snow, and low temperatures, they may need a little assistance with finding a place to stay.
As the winter begins, most trees are losing their leaves, meaning that there is a lot less protection from the natural elements and predators. Because of this, creating shelters in your yard for the local birds is a great way to keep them safe.
What Shelter Options Are Appropriate?
So how should you build bird shelters? There are actually a lot of different options depending on what you are willing to do and what you want it to look like.
One quick and easy option to protect your local birds is by creating a brush pile for them. You should just make sure to collect both small and large branches to create the bulk of the pile, while also making sure there are plenty of air spaces for the birds to roost. Also make sure to include some evergreen boughs for extra warmth and protection. If you are aren’t sure where to put this shelter, try and make sure its in a sheltered area safe from strong winds.
Another great option is simply by making sure your landscaping is filled with a variety of evergreen trees . These trees keep their covers throughout the entire year, making them perfect for birds to stay in during the cold, wet seasons. On top of providing shelter, these trees often provide natural food to birds with their nuts, seeds, or berries.
You can also create roost boxes for your local birds. These specialized boxes are a fantastic way to provide secure shelter for different types of smaller birds. Because they are so small, they are able to hold heat more effectively, and can typically hold a few tiny birds at once. These can be purchased at many bird supply stores or made from scratch .
Last but not least, winter bird houses are a viable option for roosting birds in the winter. These aren’t quite as effective as a specialized box, but it’s a better choice than not having anything up at all. You can also winterize your regular birdhouses to make it more comfortable and safe.
How to Make Your Shelter More Appealing
Once you decide on what you are going to do for bird shelters in your landscaping, we have a few tips for making sure they are safe, warm, and comfortable as well.
Make sure to position any shelters you are making so that they face south. This ensures that they will get the most out of the winter sun and stay warmer.
When choosing an area to position your bird shelter, try to ensure that they are in isolated, safe areas that are sheltered from the wind and snow as possible. Along a shed, in the corner of a fence, or under trees are good options.
For birdhouses and roost boxes, consider painting them darker colors to absorb the most heat. If you stick to dark grays, greens, browns, etc. this will assist the house in staying hidden by camouflaging it.
Last but not least, make sure to provide the birds with insulating material for the shelter. This can include, wood chips, straw, grass, and other nesting materials that the birds can use to retain body heat more efficiently.
Final Thoughts on Bird Shelters
We wish you luck on creating the best bird shelters for your local wildlife. The birds you have in your area that stay for the winter will definitely be grateful for your effort.
If you do have questions about what shelter will look best with your landscaping, and how to make it more friendly for wildlife, contact your local trusted landscaping company for assistance.
