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Seasonal Feeding · Complete Guide
Seasonal Feeding · Complete Guide
Feeding Birds in Winter: Complete Guide
Winter is when feeders matter most. This guide combines Audubon and National Wildlife Federation advice on foods, water, shelter and hygiene, and notes which advice is older.
By The Bird Feeder Guide Editorial Team · Research-based from cited sources; we have not tested these products ourselves
Updated October 2026 · Facts verified October 2026
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon are search links; we do not show prices because they change.
Quick Answer
Offer black oil sunflower seed and suet, keep feeders full, and provide open water. These are the winter basics in Audubon and National Wildlife Federation guidance.
Clean seed and suet feeders about every other week, and follow your state wildlife agency's advice on avian flu (Audubon).
Winter feeding basics and who they suit
Each point names its source.
Seed
Black oil sunflower and other seed
Black oil sunflower appeals to the greatest number of birds (Audubon). NWF also lists hulled peanuts, niger and white millet.
Browse black oil sunflower seed on AmazonFat
Suet for energy
Fat has 9 calories per gram versus 4 for carbohydrates or protein (NWF). Use suet in cool weather only, since it can turn rancid in heat (Audubon).
Best suet feeders →Water
Open water in freezing weather
Birds can dehydrate among ice and snow (NWF). Audubon (2015) suggests a plastic bath with a heater, since ceramic can crack, placed near protective shrubs. Skip baths if cats are a regular threat. See our best heated bird baths.
Browse heated bird baths on AmazonShelter
Cover and snow
Audubon suggests brush piles and evergreens such as spruce, holly and juniper. NWF suggests stamping down snow so ground feeders can reach seed.
Where to put a feeder →Consistency
Keep feeders full
Birds grow accustomed to feeders and need calories for long cold nights, so keep them stocked and arrange cover if you travel (NWF).
Best bird seed →Health
Bird flu and sick birds
Audubon (2021): if you see sick or dead birds, take feeders down and drain baths for a few days and report to your state wildlife agency. Do not handle sick birds yourself. Check local guidance.
Stop seed mess →How we chose, and what the sources leave out
Four notes on method and limits.
Selection criteria
We kept advice that appears in a named, dated source and flagged conflicts.
Older advice
The NWF post is from December 2010 and Audubon's food article from 2011. Audubon's 2011 piece suggests cleaning twice a year; its 2021 piece says every other week, and we follow the newer guidance.
Cleaning
Audubon (2021): scrub with soap and water, then soak 15 minutes in 50-50 vinegar and water, rinse and dry completely.
Not stated
Regional start dates for winter feeding and how much to feed are not stated in our sources.
Winter feeding questions
What is the best food for birds in winter?
Black oil sunflower seed appeals to the greatest number of birds, and suet gives high-energy fat (Audubon, NWF).
Should birds have water in winter?
Yes. NWF says birds can dehydrate even when surrounded by ice and snow, and Audubon suggests a heated plastic bath.
Should I take feeders down for bird flu?
Follow your state wildlife agency. Audubon says to take feeders down for a few days if you see sick or dead birds and to report them.
Related guides
Sources and method
Winter feeding facts come from the sources below. This guide was compiled with AI assistance from cited expert sources and reviewed by the editorial team. We did not test any product.
Last verified October 2026 · Next review January 2027