Keep a your yard wildlife friendly this cold season

Tube-bird-feederWhen my niece saw a neighbor dismantling his bird feeder, she asked me, "What are the birds gonna eat when all the berries die soon?" So, we jumped right into superhero mode and talked said neighbor into leaving the feeder out, with the little one even offering to clean and fill the thing as part of her negotiations.

Many homeowners are in the habit of putting out a bird feeder in the spring and relegating it to the garage with the lawn mower come fall or winter. Truth is, native wildlife need your feeder most in the cold season, when plant food sources are low and snow covers anything available to foraging birds on the ground.

If you don't have a feeder, now may be a good time to get one since retailers often bulk them into discounted yard and garden decor inventory this time of year. Like the one shown here? This Copper 3-Tube Finch Feeder ($40) is new from my favorite Web shoppe, Doctors Foster & Smith. It's easy to clean, has over 30 access ports, and is great-looking to boot.

For more on how to make your yard wildlife friendly, and how to get your habitat garden certified by the National Wildlife Federation, see How to Create a Wildlife-Friendly Habitat Garden at thisoldhouse.com

-By Tabitha Sukhai, thisoldhouse.com