Many people will only feed the birds in the winter months. It is reasonable to think that natural foods become abundant as the temperatures warm, but March and April can be the most stressful months for birds. Food supplies in the wild are almost exhausted, new crops are not yet ripened and insects still are dormant. A dependable source of supplemental food can be quite important to the birds. September and October are also good months to re-organize and enlarge your feeding station for the coming winter months.
People wonder whether bird feeding causes birds to change their migratory behavior.
The cue that most birds use to migrate is the change in day length rather than the availability of food. Also, peak migration time is late summer and fall, a time when natural foods are readily available anyway. Experts feel that it is very unlikely that backyard feeding of birds has any negative effect on their migratory patterns. If you feed birds, you re in good company. Birding as a hobby currently stands second only to gardening as America s favorite pastime.