December and January are normally the coldest months of the year in Lake County. The cold weather not only has an impact on humans but wildlife as well, especially wild birds. Wild birds need a lot of nutrition to ward off the cold, and this is where backyard feeders come into play. Lake County residents love their wild birds and many put out seeds for them during the cold winter months.
According to the Audubon website, wild birds feed mainly on insects during the warm summer months but during the winter the insects are gone and the birds switch to seeds and grains. Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown that feeding wild birds doesn”t make them dependant on humans; however, it can mean the birds will remain healthy during the winter.
The types of seed offered the birds should be high in protein. Black-oil sunflower seeds offers high protein. Millet is another good choice. Most of the birdseed that is purchased in the markets is a made up of a variety of seeds and will satisfy most of the birds nutritional requirements. Suet is another good choice for wintering birds as it has a high fat content. Water should also be made available to the birds.
