Birds are at their most vulnerable during the winter months, when the weather is harsh and food is hard to come by.
You can help your garden birds to survive the winter by making sure they have access to plenty of food and drinking water. However, this can prove difficult: wet weather may spoil the food in your bird feeders, and if snow or ice accumulates on your feeders over winter, this may render the food inaccessible.
In order to prepare your bird feeders for winter and see your feathered friends through this difficult time of year, here's what you'll need to do...
Cleaning your feeders for winter
First and foremost, you should clean your bird feeders to get them ready for the winter. This includes disinfecting the feeders.
Wet weather can cause lumps of bird food to form inside the feeder - clean these out before refilling. Seeds should be kept as dry as possible.
A lot of wild birds rely on feeders for food when there is a scarcity. So keep your bird feeders full and replenish your stocks on a regular basis in order to make sure that there is a continuous food supply.
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Check your feeders for damage
While you're cleaning your feeders, they should be thoroughly checked for damage - any broken feeders should be repaired before use, as they may not be able to withstand the harsh winter weather.
Now is also a good time to make sure that your feeders are properly secured. You don't want them blowing away in a strong wind!
Feeders can be covered in order to prevent snow and ice from accumulating on them. Consider moving your feeders to a covered area in the garden (if possible).
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SEE ALSO: What's the best winter bird feeder?
Bullfinch photo from Pixabay
