Feed birds when the ground freezes, biologist says

Bird feeding should begin when the ground freezes or is covered with snow, and continue until the ground is bare and thawed, biologist and bird researcher Vesa Hyyryläinen told Yle.

Hyyryläinen, who lives in Paltamo, began feeding birds in his yard in October. The right time to start depends on the weather, but once feeding begins it should continue through the spring. Birds may die in severe frost if food disappears before they find another feeding place, he said.

Offer unsalted food and shelter

Hyyryläinen recommends sunflower seeds, oats and fat, all without salt. He also buys oats and barley from a nearby farmer.

His feeding shelter stands at the edge of a forest, where dense spruce trees give birds cover. He has built 70 nest boxes around the property. The feeding spot is about 20 metres from the house windows, a distance intended to reduce collisions.

Seeds that fall to the ground also attract squirrels, voles and hares. Voles, in turn, can draw owls to the yard. In densely populated areas, Hyyryläinen advises preventing food from falling to the ground because it may attract rats. BirdLife Finland recommends cleaning the ground beneath feeding stations regularly.

Feeding may benefit birds and people

Feeding can help individual birds survive a cold, harsh winter. Hyyryläinen also believes long-term feeding may affect which species visit gardens and how well they fare locally.

He said blue tits were relatively uncommon in the Kainuu region in the 1970s but have since become a familiar sight. He considers winter feeding one reason for their increase.

Hyyryläinen has watched birds since childhood and says even familiar species such as great tits can still delight him. “You always learn something new,” he said.