Winter can be an incredible time to watch the birds. Not only do you have your regulars like Cardinals and Blue Jays but there may be winter migrants at your feeders if you just take a second look. 

If you keep your bird feeders filled with a variety of food stuffs you’ll attract a variety of birds. Seed, suet, mealworms, Bark Butter, Nyjer, corn and millet can benefit many species. In the winter, this behavior holds true as odd species see the avian activity and stop by for something to eat. Keep you’re field guide and camera handy to record theses visitors. Here’s some of the birds to look for at your feeders this winter.

Northern Flicker, Brown Creeper, Towhees, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Fox Sparrow, Purple Finch, Goldfinch, Pileated Woodpecker, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, Pine Siskin, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

While there’s no guarantee you’ll see these birds there’s always a chance.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers tend to stay on tree trunks drilling tiny holes in search of insects. You can try luring them to a suet feeder by attaching it to a tree. Use Plain Suet or Hot Pepper Suet to deter the squirrels.

Red-breasted Nuthatches are smaller and sportier than the White-breasted Nuthatch. They love snatching peanut splits.

Pileated Woodpeckers frequent suet and seed cylinder feeders in the winter. As you can see they can be quite the acrobat if the bird food is good.

Dark-eyed Juncos can be found beneath your bird feeders searching for fallen seeds. I usually broadcast a cup of seed mix on the ground for Juncos. Morning Doves, and White-throated Sparrows. In the winter a mix of sunflower, millet, and cracked corn will satisfy all those flocks of ground birds.