Birds seek out backyard feeders in winter
As winter grips the Baltimore region, backyard birds that normally would rely on insects change their diet and will search for berries and other types of nourishment. The winter can make it hard for birds to find sources as snow blankets the area hiding natural food.
-
- A tufted titmouse puffs up it’s feathers to keep warm while sitting on a branch. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A family of house finches take over the the bird feeder. The males are bright reddish head and chest. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A close up of a male northern cardinal with a dusting of snow flakes. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A red-bellied-woodpecker waits to get some nourishment from a backyard suet feeder in Towson. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A white-breasted nuthatch forages down a white oak tree for hidden seeds that it stashed earlier this fall. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A male house finch tries to stay warm while sitting on an ice covered branch. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A white-throated sparrow puffs it’s feathers to keep warm in the below freezing temperature this week. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A carolina wren on a suet feeder in a backyard in Towson. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- The bright red male northern cardinal is a regular visitor among the winter backyard feeder birds. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- Backyard birds, like the mourning dove resting on a branch, feed on black oil sunflower seeds and high energy suet. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- Common Grackles sit amongst oak branches after snow had fallen in the area. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A dark-eyed junco feeds off the remnants of sunflower seeds that spilled from a backyard feeder in Towson. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A carolina chickadee perches on a frozen tree limb while waiting for a turn at a feeder of black oil sunflower seeds and high energy suet. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A regular at the backyard feeder is a female northern cardinal sitting on a snowy tree branch. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
-
- A downy woodpecker feed on black oil sunflower seeds and high energy suet. (Karen Jackson/for The Baltimore Sun)
During bitter cold birds will fluff their feathers filling them with pockets of air acting as an insulation barrier. The more air they can generate, the better for them to battle the low temperatures.
According to Wild Bird Foods Unlimited birds need high-energy foods to keep their metabolic rate high. At times during the winter when food is scarce, backyard feeders can be especially helpful so birds can find a ready supply of food.
Baltimore neighborhoods
Baltimore street photographers
Year in review
Freddie Gray: protests, aftermath
24 hours with...
A. Aubrey Bodine
Viewing Baltimore from above