Songbirds add brightness to even the dullest and grayest of winter days. Backyard feeding stations can draw a huge variety of birds that can be observed without even leaving the house! So next time you aren't busy working or running errands, take an hour, sit back with a cup of hot chocolate, grab your binoculars and enjoy the show!

 

Many colorful birds like Cardinals, Blue Jays and Towhees molt their feathers in the winter, so their colors are vivid now! Perky little Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches and Kinglets entertain us with their chatter and constant movements. Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and Downy Woodpeckers visit suet feeders. Juncos, Song and White-throated Sparrows scurry about for seeds on the ground. Goldfinches and Pine Siskins descend upon our thistle socks and tube feeders in large numbers.

Even on the coldest days, Robins and Mourning Doves love to visit our birdbaths. Flocks of whistling Cedar Waxwings gorge on holly berries. Bluebirds and Wrens come in to feed on Mealworms and Suet Kibbles. You might be lucky and spot a Brown Creeper, Hermit Thrush or Fox Sparrow if you keep an eye out! Bare trees make birds much more visible. And if we happen to see any snow, make sure your feeders are stocked - your birds will visit in droves! See, winter's not so bad after all!