Birds & Wildlife Blogs 

When it comes to supporting your backyard ecosystem, one of the best things you can do is keep your birds fed and hydrated as temperatures drop.

Birds benefit most from a helping hand from humans during winter when they need the most energy to survive. Birds migrate to their winter locales and lack natural food sources in winter, making it a dire decision to feed or not to feed. 

You can think of feeding your feathered friends as a way of supplementing their diets due to a loss of habitat and fewer bird-friendly shrubs. So, feed away!

So how can you make the most of your backyard, deck, or front porch for birds? Here are some of the most important aspects of winter bird support you need to know:

Winter

You don’t have to be a Disney Princess to frolic with wildlife. You can look out your back window and watch rabbits hopping across your yard or squirrels scurrying up trees. 

Even stroll through your yard and follow a butterfly as it flits from blossom to blossom or a cardinal sitting in one of your shrubs. Before you invest in magical princess powder, we will go over what plants attract small mammals and feathered friends.

Where to Begin When Creating a Wildlife Habitat

Native = Naturally Attractive to Wildlife

Generally, you want to look for native species. That is what wildlife has enjoyed in the past, and what they will be looking for in the future. And natives will often grow the best with less work on your part.

Create a

It’s that time of year! The time when fledglings begin making their first flights and then come hopping through the garden in search of food. These adorable birds will become the next generation of feathered friends to spread seeds far and wide and help pollinate plants. 

Your local birds are also the frontline when it comes to natural pest control. They gobble up mosquitos and Japanese beetles along with other nuisance insects. And let’s not forget how exciting it is to find a nest of eggs that will soon become featherless pink hatchlings. 

If you’re looking to increase your army of fledglings, investing in habitat shrubs where they can nest is a surefire way to do so. What shrubs offer the best cover, support, food, and protection?

Junipers

When you’re working in the garden it is nearly impossible to not come across a few friends with six legs, eight legs, and too many legs to count. These bugs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and roles in the garden. 

Bugs are an important part of the ecosystem and play a vital role in pollinating your plants, but not all creepy crawlies have your garden’s best interest in mind. Some bugs are better kept at bay while others should be invited in with open blooms.

If you’ve wondered which are helpful and which are harmful, this article will give you a helping hand… or six. We’ll help you identify some common garden bugs, explain which are most beneficial (and which are not), and point out some plants that invite more pollinators into your garden.

Squirrels are cute, silly, and an important part of the garden ecosystem. But it’s far from cute when squirrels raid your birdseed feeders, leaving nothing but dust for the beaked beauties you were hoping to attract. 

If you’ve been wondering how to keep squirrels out of your bird feeders, this article will get you started on the right wing. Learn how to prevent squirrels from eating all your seed and attract the birds you are hoping to enjoy!

How to Keep Squirrels Out of Your Bird Feeders

Keeping squirrels out of your bird feeders may feel like a Herculean feat, but with a little patience, planning, and the right equipment, you can prevent these adorable thieves from eating all your birdseed.

Where Should You Place Bird Feeders to Discourage Squ

The world of wild birds and the seeds that feed them feel endless. At least in our eyes it does! You constantly hear people exclaiming that they love when Cardinals visit their yard, but Bluebirds are their favorite. 

Woodpeckers are interesting to watch, but Jays are more up my alley. Others ask “Why can’t I seem to get any Chickadees or Doves to stop by?” With no hint at an answer, people begin to assure themselves that it’s merely because there aren’t those types of birds nearby. 

But there are! All you need is the correct type of seed to attract them. Now comes the big question..”Which bird seed do I want?”

Black Oil Sunflower Seed

If you’re looking to attract all sorts of flying friends, Black Oi

Who are we kidding? You actually adore having a flying friend visit here and there. And you actually find the tiny chirps soothing in the early mornings and late evenings. And don’t try to tell us you don’t play favorites on which is the prettiest bird. 

But confessing that to your fellow millennial friends is a whole different story. So let’s just start by adding in trendy, yet practical bird feeder designs to the landscape.

Plantify has the best of the best. You’ve come to the right place for the hottest market picks! Now, the DIY projects, from scratch construction builds, and last minute homemade bird feeders just fail to check all the boxes. 

Not to mention, the annoying super glue stuck to your fingers for weeks or looking out your window to notice your Sunday afternoon’s hard work on the gr

Let’s talk about winter preparations for backyard birds.

The three most important things to consider for the health and safety of backyard birds in the winter months are

• Food
• Water
• Shelter

Backyard Bird Winter Feed and Bird Feeder Care

1. Winter feeder care 

Clean and repair all bird feeders, checking for broken perches, clogged feeding ports, and other problems. The seasonal change gives us good reason to do some necessary maintenance.

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Repairing feeders is of importance going into winter, ESPECIALLY important where there are heavy snowfalls. The extra weight of the snow can collect on feeders, putting added stress on hangers and perches

2. Feeder cleanliness

Chickadees are one of America's favorite birds.

Chickadees have to be one of the most recognizable backyard birds across the United States. This little bird, often seen in forests, fields, along roadways, and backyards. Chickadees are a balance of acrobatic, energetic, and often friendly delights to have around. They can often become tame enough to take seeds from your open hands. 

The Chickadee is not the most vibrant colored bird in the states, but what they lack in colors they make up in spirit and sound. Chickadees are fun little birds that will show up every day to your feeders if they are kept full.

These birds are so friendly with humans, usually being unbothered by human presence. Don’t be surprised that with a bit of patience and some black oil sunflower seeds, you will be able to feed them by hand, especially during the winter months.

The pileated woodpecker is quite a beautiful bird, and probably the biggest woodpecker I have seen before. They are easily recognizable by their large size, around 17-19 inches in length, bigger than most common birds. They might also stand out by their fiery red crest on their head that looks like a mohawk of red.

This bird is often heard by their loud cuck-cuck-cuckcuck call long before they are seen. This call is loud, once you hear it and know the call it's unmistakable. With both a loud call and body size, pileated woodpeckers are hard to miss.

Range and habitat

The pileated woodpecker has a range that extends across the united states and into Canada. They can be found from the northeastern provinces across to the west coast and down into California. Their range in the USA goes down across the great lakes into central Texas and deep into Florida. The pileated woodpecker is