When the days shorten and winter access its rights, everyone looks for a warm home. But what do our friends in the world of small animals when they can no longer accommodate the dense treetops or bushes in our garden? Many of them hibernate at this time, but others must find food and a suitable hiding place.
So why not make life easier for squirrels and birds in winter? There are a few simple and not complicated methods to do this. Hanging containers to feed the birds and creating wooden nesting helps many birds not to migrate and to survive more easily in winter. Opinions about wooden bird nests vary greatly. Winter is considered a method of natural selection. Feeble and sickly creatures would normally die so that human intervention can lead to overpopulation of species. Thus, these species would have a competitive advantage over migratory birds and in the spring they will contest their right to habitat. However, the amount of solid food has been reduced in recent years, as the use of pesticides has resulted in a smaller number of insects to feed on. For this reason, it is recommended moderate feeding during winter, as a contribution to the maintenance of diversity of species.
The right place for a wooden nest
If you decide to feed birds in winter, a few questions come to my mind. For example, what is the best location for a wooden nest? There are several options: You can locate the nest in the garden, you can fix a tree or attach to a wall of the house. If you want to put the nest in a tree, you must ensure that there is on the windward so as to be protected from bad weather and rain. Because birds are not disturbed by human contact, as long you leave them alone, a wood nest can be fixed on a wall of the house facing the terrace. For those who have cats: If you have a platform for birds and want to place it on the lawn, make sure you place it next to the bushes or shrubs so that in the event of a feline attack, birds can flee quickly between branches.
What is the best food?
Not all food is suitable for birds on winter. Naturally, only adequate food should be provided to those species to provide all necessary nutrients. Different birds prefer different types of food, depending on the type of beak. Differentiate birds which prefer eating soft food from those which prefer seeds. However, if you must satisfy the needs of all songbirds, you must provide both types of food. Birds will eat proper food for each bill.
The food consists mainly of soft berries, pieces of fruit, oats and raisins. When it comes to seeds, sunflower seeds can provide millet, nuts or pumpkin seeds. It is recommended adding food for fatter. On this form you can purchase suet balls or rings, or you can prepare yourself, adding lard or oil to grain. It is best to put food early morning or late afternoon for animals to offset energy consumption during the night. If there is snow and a permanent layer of ice on the ground, you have to feed the birds until the end of March. In order for the birds not to transmit a disease to each other, they should not be able to sit on the feeding surface. You can ensure this by installing a perch, for example. This will allow them to take food without hopping on it. Food dispensers are particularly useful.
The wooden nest must be always hygienic. That means a very important role plays regular cleaning. There is no absolutely necessary to ensure a source of water as they can satisfy their need of water from snow, if any. However, if you want, it is important that the water container not to be large so the birds can’t bathe in it. Especially younger and inexperienced birds will soar to wallow and their body temperature will drop too much.
If you mount the wooden nests in trees or vertical meals for birds, you may find that squirrel takes advantage of your hospitality If you want to give food to these rodents leave handy nuts and pieces of apple in order to provide them important nutrients. If you follow all these rules, nothing will stop you to enjoy a wonderful winter, along with other creatures.
