When the temps start dropping, I start getting questions about what foods birds eat during the winter.
Winter can be tough for birds. Nights are long, temperatures are brutal, and natural food sources become limited and can disappear under the snow.
So, what’s the best food to offer birds in the cold months? Spoiler: It’s not bread (please, no). Birds need calories that actually fuel them. Let’s dig into the top foods that will help your feathered visitors make it through winter.
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1. Sunflower Seed
If you only put out one type of bird food in winter, make it this. Black oil sunflower seed is high in fat and protein. You can find it at any birding store, major home retailer, or on Amazon. It’s affordable and also draws in a huge variety of birds to your feeders. It’s my staple bird seed and what I tell beginners to start with.
Sunflower seeds is like the pizza of the bird feeding world: Universally loved, found almost everywhere, and filling.
2. Suet
Suet is mostly fat…pure and simple. And birds love it during the winter. It’s perfect for Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Chickadees, and other bird feeder visitors looking for a good fat source.
Suet is cheap and comes in blocks you can hang in a suet cage bird feeder. There are also varieties that include bits of fruit or insects. It’s well-worth experimenting with to see what variety your neighborhood birds like best.
3. Peanuts
Like suet, peanuts are another great source of fats for birds. They also have added protein. You can offer them in a peanut feeder or just mix into other bird seeds.
Peanuts are also popular for Blue Jays, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers and Northern Cardinals, to name a few.
Warning: Squirrels will happily join the party if you’re not careful.
4. Safflower Seed
A little less famous than sunflower, but safflower seed is another strong winter option.
Like sunflower seed and peanuts, it’s a good source of fat and protein. Some of the birds it attracts are Northern Cardinals, Chickadees, Titmice, and House Finches.
But, the main reason I’d consider adding safflower to your bird feeding is that squirrels and starlings usually don’t like it.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re running a squirrel buffet instead of a bird feeder, safflower can be a good option to explore. I find that my regular birds like it just as much as black-oil sunflower seed…and it can cut down on freeloaders.
5. Nyjer/Thistle Seed
This one’s a finch favorite. If you want to keep American Goldfinches around all year, put out nyjer in a special feeder with small holes
Nyjer seed is also a top choice for House Finches and Pine Siskins. It’s a high-fat, small bird seed.
Nyjer can be pricey, but it’s worth it if you love finch flocks.