Winter can be a challenging time for birds that live in or migrate through Edmonton. Food sources become more scarce when insects hide away, plants go dormant, and snow covers seeds and berries. Providing supplemental food for birds is an excellent way to help them survive the winter months. When choosing what to feed winter birds in Edmonton, it’s important to select nutritious foods that meet their dietary needs.
Common Backyard Birds in Edmonton in Winter
The types of birds that visit backyard feeders in Edmonton during winter include:
- Chickadees
- Nuthatches
- Finches
- Woodpeckers
- Jays
- Sparrows
- Doves
- Juncos
- Cardinals
- Waxwings
These birds have adapted to withstand the cold Edmonton winters, but they still require food sources to survive. Offering bird feed can help provide the energy and nutrition these birds need.
High Energy Foods
Birds require foods that are high in fat and calories during winter so they can generate enough body heat and energy to survive freezing temperatures and snowy conditions. Excellent high energy foods to feed winter birds in Edmonton include:
- Black oil sunflower seeds – These are a favorite of chickadees, nuthatches, finches, sparrows, juncos, and other birds. Their small size makes them easy to eat while their high oil content provides calories.
- Suet – Suet is pure fat, which offers an extremely concentrated energy source. Look for no-melt suet formulated for winter temperatures.
- Peanuts – Shelled, raw peanuts are enjoyed by larger birds like jays, woodpeckers, and cardinals.
- Safflower seeds – These seeds provide a lot of energy and are favored by cardinals in particular.
- Raisins and currants – Dried fruit is a great source of natural sugars that birds can quickly convert to energy.
Offering these high fat, high calorie foods will help birds survive frigid Edmonton winters.
Nutritious Mixes
While foods like sunflower seeds and suet provide energy, birds also need a balanced diet to stay healthy. Pre-made birdseed mixes contain a combination of grains, seeds, nuts, fruit, and other ingredients that offer complete nutrition. Good nutritious mixes to feed Edmonton birds in winter include:
- Black oil sunflower seed mixes – These incorporate several seed types along with black oil sunflower seeds. Look for mixes with minimal filler.
- Premium or gourmet mixes – These include more variety like shelled nuts, dried fruit, cracked corn, millet, and nyjer seed.
- No-waste mixes – Some mixes reduce filler seeds that birds scatter on the ground uneaten.
- Suet mixes – These mixes incorporate suet along with seeds, nuts, and dried fruit.
Nutritious mixes provide balanced nutrition to help birds thrive through harsh winters.
Fruit and Mealworms
While most winter birds prefer seed and suet, some enjoy fruit and mealworms for additional variety.
- Fruit – Dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries, and raisins appeal to birds like waxwings and thrushes. Chopped fruit also works well in suet feeders.
- Mealworms – Dried or freeze-dried mealworms offer live food nutrients. Chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and wrens will take mealworms.
Offer just a small amount of these foods along with other feeds to add diversity.
Important Feeding Tips
Follow these tips to get the most out of feeding birds in winter:
- Provide both seeds/nuts and suet. Birds need both energy sources.
- Use feeders suited for each food type. For example, tube feeders for seeds and mesh bags or suet cages for suet blocks.
- Give a variety. Different birds prefer different foods.
- Use quality food without fillers, hulls, or artificial ingredients.
- Avoid cheap “breadcrumb” style mixes.
- Position feeders out of the wind and keep them snow-free.
- Clean feeders regularly to prevent mold and disease.
- Offer fresh water for drinking and bathing.
- Situate feeders close to natural cover so birds feel safe.
Following these tips will create a bird-feeding station that nourishes birds and keeps them returning all winter.
Best Bird Feeds for Specific Birds
If you want to target certain backyard birds in Edmonton during winter, offer their favorite foods:
| Bird Type | Preferred Foods |
|---|---|
| Chickadees and Nuthatches | Black oil sunflower seeds, suet, mealworms |
| Woodpeckers | Suet, peanuts, sunflower seeds |
| Jays | Peanuts, sunflower seeds, suet |
| Cardinals | Safflower seeds, sunflower seeds, cracked corn |
| Doves | Safflower seeds, white millet, black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn |
| Sparrows | Black oil sunflower seeds, millet, cracked corn |
| Juncos | Millet, fine cracked corn, black oil sunflower seeds |
| Finches | Nyjer seed, black oil sunflower seeds |
Tailoring feeders and food to specific birds can increase the diversity of winter visitors to your yard.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods that seem like they would be fine for birds can actually be unhealthy:
- Bread – Offers little nutrition and can mold in feeders.
- Cheap seed mixes – Often contain filler seeds that birds reject.
- Mildewed or wet food – Can cause diseases.
- Desiccated coconut – Tends to clog feeders.
- Raw rice – Can swell in birds’ gullets.
- Table scraps – Not all are bird safe and can lead to dependency.
Stick to high quality bird feeds suited to Edmonton’s winter conditions for healthy, energized birds.
Conclusion
Providing supplemental food is one of the best ways to help wild birds survive harsh Edmonton winters while attracting them to your yard. Choose nutritious, high energy foods like black oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, and fruit along with complete seed mixes. Target certain species’ favorites to increase diversity. Follow feeding tips like offering multiple feeder types and cleaning often. Avoid cheap or low quality foods. With the right foods and feeders, you’ll have a vibrant, lively flock of birds visiting all winter long.
