And, February is National Bird Feeding month — a time when winter food sources have been  seriously picked over and cold weather persists. Many birds like robins and mockingbirds are surviving off remaining berries.  And when its been a tough winter, those berries are now in short supply. There are a couple of things you can do to help birds through the rest of the winter:

1 – Make sure you have a clean, heated water source in your yard. Birds need a consistent source of water in the coldest days, as this is when birds are often subject to dehydration. Providing open water for birds in winter can make your backyard a very popular and important spot!

2 – Food is also in short supply and the birds visiting your backyard will benefit greatly if you keep your feeders stocked. If you want a little weekend fun with the kids, or want to do something creative that looks nice and helps birds, create your own seed treats for birds. Here’s a recipe from Audubon for an attractive and easy-to-make seed wreath which will keep birds visiting regularly.