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What do wild birds need in the winter? Seeds and water. One of the best ways to get birds to your backyard in the winter is to provide fresh, unfrozen water. Sometimes water is harder to come by in the winter than food. The favorite bird seed is the sunflower. It will attract a wide variety of wild birds including cardinals, woodpeckers, blue jays, goldfinches, purple finches, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches. Birds seem to prefer the black oil sunflower seed to any other.  They have a higher oil content and a softer shell which makes them easier to crack and open. Niger, safflower and white millet also appeal to many birds and those that don’t prefer them will just throw them out. Because of this you may want to consider filling each feeder with only one kind of seed. Feed wild birds suets and/or bird food only. 

You could also provide natural food sources for birds. Berries of the Washington Hawthorn will attract birds throughout most of the winter. Viburnums can provide berries all winter and are good landscaping shrubs. If you have a patch of coneflowers, consider letting them go to see and stand for the winter. Goldfinches may just come by for a taste test. Evergreens can also provide birds with shelter and protection from predators.