Not all bird species migrate, but most do. Migration is defined as the seasonal movement of birds, north in the spring from the wintering grounds, and southward in the fall from the breeding grounds. If you enjoy the passage of the small feathered creatures among the trees in all seasons, here are some feeding tips to help make their sojourn to your yard in the north safer and more habitable.
Wild birds fall into three different groups of feeders.
The first ones are the carnivores, the flesh eaters of insects and small mammals. For instance, the common shrikes, kestrels and raptors. All groups usually depend on their preferred food being available in nature, such as fruit, seeds, insects, nuts and small mammals. But in winter when days are short birds have less time to find enough food to keep themselves warm and alive through long, cold winter nights. Many use mixed seed as their primary feeding supplement, but that type of seed attracts some birds that are less beneficial to the environment, more pestlike, or too lazy to hunt for their food in the wild.