What Do Birds Eat in the Winter?

Many of the bird species that we get to enjoy here in Ontario throughout the spring and summer leave for the colder winter months. Not only are their breeding grounds typically more southern and warm, but still abundant in something they seek: insects!

Many of the birds that migrate south for the winter largely depend on a diet of insects, which are in short supply throughout the winter months. Think of the Warblers, Swallows and Martin species that are categorized as insectivorous birds. 

Lined up Hopper Feeder. Photo by Heather Kerrison

Birds can be grouped into:

1) Insectivores that only eat insects

2) Frugivores that survive on fruit

3) Granivores that solely eat seeds

4) Nectarivores that rely on plant nectar

5) Omnivores that consume both plant and animal matter

Insectivores and Nectarivores will migrate out of the region, because undoubtedly there will come a time where their main food source is not available. Insect populations just aren't accessible and neither is nectar. 

Warblers are mostly insectivorous. Yellow Warbler leaving spider web it was feeding from. Photo by Heather Kerrison. 

American Robin in winter. Photo by Leanne Leblanc. 

The birds that stick around are typically Frugivores, Granivores and Omnivores, who can still find food even throughout the harshest of winter months. 

The interesting bit about the omnivores is that they are more like opportunists, they eat more insects and even fruit in the spring and summer while they are available and switch to a diet of mostly seeds and/or available berries in the winter. 

Cedar Waxwings feeding in a Cedar tree (December). Photo by Heather Kerrison. 

A great example is American Robins, who surprisingly do stick around more often than you may think. But how?! They eat worms! That's not a good plan once the ground is frozen. However, they also eat fruit and will stay in areas where ample food supply is available. Eastern Bluebirds function in the same way and people are often surprised to learn that some of them stay and alter their foraging habits. 

To learn more about some surprising birds that alter their diet and stick around, read our former blog on the topic here. 

Many of the birds we get to enjoy year round don't have to alter their foraging habits too drastically, because they are granivores. American Goldfinches, for example, are granivorous. You can find them eating seeds all year long. Northern Cardinals are also largely granivorous. That's why we get to enjoy these wonderful species throughout the year. 

American Goldfinch feeding on seeds. Photo by Heather Kerrison. 

In short- the birds that stay either alter their foraging habits to suit the season and focus on what is available (fruit instead of insects) or are granivorous and just continue to eat seeds that sustain them year round. 

Because there are a variety of birds that you have the potential to attract to your yard year round, the best approach is offering a wide range of foods to support them:

• Try offering Suet + Suet Cylinders that include fruits and bugs, such as our Bug Nut N Berry Cylinder to have insects and fruit easily available 
• Provide a range of seeds including Sunflower Seed, Nyjer Seed and Safflower. Millet is great for ground feeding as well!
• Plant native fruit bearing trees, which will support many species all year round and attract them to your yard.

Birds are so interesting, aren't they?

Enjoy!

Warmly, 

Heather