CHILTON, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As much of the country digs out from another wallop of winter cold and snow, imagine how the wild birds must feel. It’s double whammy for them. They need energy and nutrition now more than ever to withstand the bone-chilling cold, but record snows bury their typical sources for food. As a company committed to supporting wild birds and the environment, KAYTEE Wild Bird encourages participation in National Wild Bird Feeding Month this February.
“While many backyard birds migrate to warmer climates for winter – cardinals, chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches and finches are just a few of the birds stick around during the coldest months,” explains Eric Juergens, Kaytee Senior Marketing Manager. “Wild birds use more energy to stay warm and to find food and shelter during the winter cold; but the natural seeds, grains, and insects that wild birds love to eat are unavailable.”
The wild bird experts at Kaytee offer the following tips to help keep wild birds healthy by feeding them in February – and year-round:
- Keep feeders filled – wild bird food is always important, but even more during cold and snowy months. Keep your feeders clean, free of snow and ice and full of food. The consistent source of health and nutrition will keep the birds coming back for more.
- Now’s a great time to try suet – if you haven’t tried feeding suet cakes, now is the perfect time to do so. Suet’s high fat content is a great source of energy and many birds love it. KAYTEE® Suet is made with rendered beef tallow and mixed with a variety of seeds, fruits and nuts. Nutty Suet™ is very popular with chickadees and woodpeckers. KAYTEE offers a full range of suet with different ingredients and flavors.
- Choose a blend with more black oil sunflower seeds – Black oil sunflower has excellent oil and nutritional content that makes it perfect for year-round feeding. It’s also easy for birds to eat because it has a thin shell. KAYTEE’s new Regional and Winter Blends™, as well as our popular Songbird and Birders’ Blends™, have a lot of rich, healthful black oil sunflower seeds. KAYTEE’s Winter Blend includes Energy Chips™ that are blended right into the seed mix. Energy Chips are made with vegetable oil and are easy for birds to digest. And, just like suet, KAYTEE Energy Chips are a great source of nutrition and energy.
- Look for a rich variety blend – black oil sunflower provides great nutrition but look for nuts, peanuts and fruits too. These specialty ingredients are excellent sources of energy with high protein, oils and nutrients. And they attract different varieties of birds. KAYTEE’s Nut & Fruit Blend™ is a winter-feeding standard.
- Don’t forget the finches! – Keep your finch feeders filled with Nyjer® or Nyjer-based blends. Like sunflower, Nyjer is also a nutrition-rich grain. And it is very small; the perfect bite-sized morsel for small songbirds. KAYTEE’s Nyjer® and Wild Finch Blends™ are perfect for wintertime finches.
- Keep the water flowing - Freezing temperatures can make providing water a challenge, but a small heater or wiggler will help keep water from freezing. Birds need water just as much during the winter for drinking and bathing, so going the extra step to provide water will help your backyard birds thrive in cold weather.
“By participating in National Wild Bird Feeding Month this February, you’ll not only help wild birds, but may enjoy the increasingly popular hobby of birding,” notes Juergens. “Many birders started their hobby by winter feeding and enjoyed it so much they continue year round. KAYTEE Wild Birds on Facebook provides a great on-line forum to exchange ideas, photos, and questions.”
About Kaytee Wild Bird –
A
division of Central Garden and Pet, Kaytee Wild Bird provides wild bird
food, feeders and other products to help customers connect to nature.
Founded in 1866 as a grain and seed business, the business has evolved
over the years, but remains steadfastly committed to and highly regarded
for superior quality, reliable service and innovative products. Kaytee
was a 2009 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year nominee for outstanding
business performance. Learn more about Kaytee at www.kaytee.com
or at KAYTEE
Wild Birds on Facebook.
Editor’s note: Additional advice about wintertime bird feeding available.