The holiday season is here, and if you're shopping for someone who loves birds, backyard nature, or simply enjoys peaceful, quiet moments at the window with a warm drink in hand, then this guide is for you!
Gifts that connect people to wildlife tend to become the ones they remember most. Whether they’re a brand-new birder or a seasoned backyard naturalist, here are our top picks for 2025.
.jpg) |
| Black-capped chickadee with a Hot Pepper Cranberry Wreath. Photo by Kristen Martyn. |
1. For the New Birder
Starting a new hobby in winter can really bring magic and new life to the season. Beginner-friendly setups make it easy. Pair a simple feeder with a seed mix and bring the joy of birding into someones life.
Ideas:
-
Hopper, tray, or basic house-style feeder
-
Christmas blend bag
-
A beginner-friendly bird ID guide
Share the Joy Boxes: These boxes are a perfect 'starter' pack for someone you'd like to give the gift of birding to OR a great way to bundle seasonal items for the bird lover in your life. You can start someone off with a feeder and various food options to try with their backyard birds to experiment with!
Window Feeders are soooo joyful because they bring birds right to your window! What better gift could you give?
Perfect for neighbours, grandparents, kids, or anyone who needs a little joy at the window.
 |
| Northern Cardinal at Window Feeder. Photo by Leanne Leblanc. |
2. Bark Butter® & Suet Staples
Bark Butter® continues to be one of the most versatile and beloved foods at Wild Birds Unlimited — and for good reason.
Who loves it?
Woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches, wrens, bluebirds, warblers…the list goes on.
Gift options:
-
Suet cylinders
-
Tail-prop suet feeders
Works beautifully as a stocking stuffer or a standalone gift.
 |
| Downy Woodpecker eating Bark Butter on pinecones. Photo by Shayna Hartley. |
🔭 3. Optics (Binoculars & Spotting Scopes)
A good pair of binoculars changes everything — even for people who think they don’t need them. A lot of the birds we are excited to see during the winter months can blend in or look the same from a distance, like how Pine Siskins look like American Goldfinches.
Whether you're gifting entry-level optics or upgrading someone’s well-loved pair, this is a gift that’s used — and appreciated — year after year.
🌲 4. Seed Wreaths & Festive Feeders
Holiday-themed feeders and seed wreaths are both decorative and functional — a festive way to support birds during the hardest months of the year.
Think:
-
Seed wreaths
-
Ornament-style feeders
-
Holiday cylinder characters
Great for teachers, hosts, co-workers, or last-minute gifting.
❄️ 5. Heated Bird Baths
If there is one impactful bird gift for winter, it’s this.
A heated bird bath provides clean, unfrozen water for drinking and preening and will bring in species that don’t normally visit feeders.
It’s as practical as it is magical.
.jpg) |
| American Robin at Heated Bird Bath. Photo by Leanne Leblanc. |
🌾 6. Finch Forecast Essentials
The Winter Finch Forecast for 2025–2026 predicts exciting movement of Pine Siskins, redpolls, Purple Finches, and Evening Grosbeaks.
If someone on your list loves winter bird surprises, build them a “finch-friendly” bundle:
-
Nyjer® seed
-
Finch Blend
-
A mesh finch feeder
-
Sunflower chips
-
A cylinder feeder
A gift that could bring a flock of lively finches right to their window.
🧤 7. Stocking Stuffers for Nature Lovers
Small, thoughtful, and guaranteed to be loved:
Great for filling stockings or creating low-budget yet meaningful gift bundles.
Every feeder, seed blend, heated bath, or wildlife-friendly accessory supports birds through winter, the most challenging season for many species. And these gifts bring joy and connection to the people who receive them.
This year, give something that makes mornings brighter, brings nature closer, and helps wildlife thrive.
Warmly,
Heather
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment