Expert shares advice for helping birds during winter months

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) -- There’s nothing more exciting during the winter months than spotting a vibrant cardinal or bluejay at your bird feeder, but certain seeds and foods can make a difference in a bird’s well-being.

The right kinds of food can help the birds stay warm during the cold winter months. Jennifer Chrudimsky is the owner at Wild Birds Unlimited in Rib Mountain. She said when birds eat, they stoke their internal heater to stay warm.

“In the wintertime, we want to make sure we put out stuff that’s really easy-- Things that are high in fat, things that are high in protein, things that are really easy for the birds to come to grab. You’ll basically attract pretty much everything with sunflower. Sunflower is the one thing that pretty much all birds love,” said Chrudimsky.

While there are many bird feeder options, Chrudimsky said tray feeders are a great option. She said it’s like a buffet for the birds. Feeder trays are also great for attracting a wide variety.

“One of the most popular things that we carry in the store is our seed cylinders. Seed cylinders are great because they last a really long time. The birds do have to work a little bit to get stuff off, but it’s really easy to fill and clean. We even carry a couple of squirrel-proof solutions that can keep the squirrels off,” said Chrudimsky.

Suet is also a great option to keep birds well-fed. Suet is a good source of fat. That means it helps birds quickly refuel when using their energy to stay warm.

Wild Birds Unlimited is located at 226021 Rib Mountain Drive in Rib Mountain.

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