Week of 01/27/2022 Feeding Hummingbirds in the Winter
The Anna's Hummingbirds, originating in California and Arizona, has spread to the Pacific Northwest. Unlike other hummingbirds that migrate to warmer climates, Anna’s Hummingbirds stick around all winter long. If you enjoy a good show at your window, try putting out a couple of hummingbird feeders. With nectar mixes available, and different styles of hummingbird feeders to suite your décor, it’s easy to attract these colorful little birds to your house.
Make sure to keep the recommended ratio of one part sugar to four parts water that the mixes offer. Recipes with a higher concentration of sugar do not necessarily benefit hummingbirds because it cannot travel up the grooves of their tongue easily, and may also damage kidneys and liver. Though increasing the sugar may help to prevent freezing, experts recommend staying consistent with a 1:4 mix. Make sure to not add honey, brown sugar, maple syrup etc. Pure sucrose is what hummingbirds need to survive.
Make sure to clean your hummingbird feeders at least once a week during cold weather, and more often during warmer weather. Mold growing on the feeder will kill hummingbirds. Anna’s Hummingbirds can be very territorial. If you notice squabbles at the feeder, add a second feeder to make room for everybody.
Don't stress too much about the welfare of the Hummingbirds. Generally, our winters are mild and the cold snaps are usually not that long. Hummingbirds are capable of reducing their body temperature at night and conserving their energy. They roost in trees and shrubs and do not use nest boxes or bird houses. They need a lot of sucrose (nectar) during the day to keep them going especially in the cold. In addition to nectar for fuel, hummingbirds will consume any insects they encounter which help them meet their protein, vitamin and mineral requirements. Insects can be found under bark and plants even during winter cold periods.
Feeding other animals during the winter:
Feeding Backyard Birds:
- We have lots of types of wild bird food, which will attract different birds
We have bird feeders for different types of seeds: nyjer seeds, mixed bird feed, mixed bird feed with suet holders, and more
- Suet, being based in fat, is rich in calories, and packed with nutrients to help birds get through cold winters.
Feeding Deer in the Winter:
- Supplemental feeding of wild deer can improve survival and increase the population, but careless feeding can kill deer or create management problems.
Do not use corn or other fermentable carbohydrates as a primary emergency deer food.
- Deer are browsers and have adapted to eating a wide variety of food sources, but their efficient stomachs require time to adapt to a new food source.
- A hungry deer that has not eaten corn recently can die from bloat and acidosis within a day if it comes across a large pile of corn that it devours
- More suitable deer feed would be formulas with a 16-20 percent protein such as Purina’s Deer Block (sold at both stores), Backyard Bistro (sold at both stores), or Antlermax Deer Blend (sold at the Monroe Location).
- Goat feeds would be another suitable choice to provide deer emergency feed in the wintertime
Feeding Squirrels in the Winter:
- Most people opt to feed squirrels peanuts and corn. Despite the fact that they can be good for birds, corn and peanuts fail to provide a real nutritional benefit for squirrels. In small amounts, however, peanuts and corn are fine as part of a more varied diet
- It is recommended to feed squirrels a mixed nut feed like our Squirrel Trail Mix, or our Squirrel and Wildlife Blend
- Those feeds designed for squirrels have more nutrition, and offer a more varied diet.
- Offering mixed nuts, and corn on the cob to squirrels can help deter them from raiding bird feeders
