Field of Canada goldenrod. © Beatriz Moisset
When the days get shorter and other signs of winter hang in the air, most birds pack their bags and leave for warmer climates. They are not necessarily running away from the cold weather, but from the lack of their favorite food, insects.
Not all leave; the ones that can make it through the winter on nuts and berries stay. Also those who know where to find insects stay. Woodpeckers belong to this latter category. Some, such as hawks and owls, who feed on other birds, mice and other small creatures, also stay.
The seed eaters, the most common winter birds, may not be strict vegetarians. They know how to locate some animal protein here and there and welcome these nutritional supplements when given a chance. It takes skill, sharp eyes, and perseverance because this kind of food is scarce and well hidden through the colder months. The winter landscape is devoid of flying insects or succulent caterpillars chomping on leaves. Whatever insect life there is, it is snuggled up under bark or soil. Or, if it is in plain view, it is hidden by color and shape, blending with the surroundings and holding perfectly still in the shape of eggs or cocoons.
Aphid and eggs on rose stem. Late December. ©Beatriz Moisset
At the end of the summer season, aphids produce eggs, minuscule ovals, glued to leaves or stems, so insignificant that we may fail to notice their presence. Sometimes chickadees are seen working their way up and down a rosebush stem nibbling at invisible tidbits. They feast on this snack, adding some protein to their drab winter diet.
Goldenrods supply an interesting insect food to winter birds. Some goldenrods present a peculiar round thickening about an inch in diameter half way along the stem called a goldenrod round gall. Some patches of goldenrods have numerous galls of this kind. They are easier to spot during the winter, when all the leaves are gone and the stems remain standing.
Goldenrod round gall produced by the goldenrod gall fly. ©Beatriz Moisset
How is a gall made? A fly lays an egg inside a goldenrod stem in the spring. Along with the egg, it injects some remarkable chemicals in the spot. The chemicals cause the stem to swell into a round tumor which becomes home and pantry for the growing larva. The maggot-like future fly sits in the heart of the growing gall feeding on the nutritious tissues and protected from enemies. By the end of summer it is fully grown, but it will not be ready to come out of this secure place until spring, so it sleeps through the winter curled up at the very center of its mansion.
Two birds seek these snacks in times of scarcity, downy woodpeckers and chickadees. They face a difficult task to get to their treasure. The gall has become as hard as wood. Cutting one open with a utility knife or a small saw is no easy task. Believe me, I have done it. I have also found and collected galls broken in by birds.
The woodpecker has a beak like a chisel. With surgical precision it cuts a clean hole. The chickadee’s tool, on the other hand, is not so efficient. So this bird has to labor hard, wrecking almost the entire gall to reach the center. It is easy to tell who the eater was by their distinctive signatures.
Goldenrod galls opened by birds. Downy woodpecker, left. Chickadee, right. © Beatriz Moisset
Wanting to learn more about birds in winter and their insect food, I went on a frustrating Google quest. I tried words such as “bird,” “food,” “winter,” “insect,” and “diet”. No matter what combination I used the overwhelming majority of hits referred to bird feeders and feeding. Even when I subtracted “bird feeder” and “feeding” from the search I failed to find studies on natural winter insect food. Doesn’t anybody study birds’ winter diet?
Finally I found a delightful exception by one of my favorite nature writers, Bernd Heinrich. A rigorous scientist and first class writer, his books for the general public are enjoyable as well as packed with solid information. I had read his Winter World: The Ingenuity of Animal Survival years ago and was happy to delve into it once again.
Chapter nine, The Kinglet’s Winter Fuel, tells us about the golden crowned kinglet and its means of survival in the harsh Maine winters. This delicate tiny bird feeds almost exclusively on insects. How does it manage at a time in which insects seem unavailable? Heinrich’s endless curiosity led him to answer this question after seeing these thumb-sized feathered wonders nibbling at apparently non-existing food near the tips of spruce trees. He caught a few and found their gizzards packed full of inchworm caterpillars. Determined to know more, he whacked a number of trees and gathered everything that dropped from them onto a white sheet spread on the snow.
He collected caterpillars along with a few other things. Eventually he managed to raise some of the inchworms and found out the moth they turn into at the end of winter. All this research took him several winters and the assistance of a number of his students; but he finally knew that kinglets depend on the “variant” moth for their winter survival.
I love the chapter’s closing line: “To care for the welfare of kinglets, it is necessary to care for moths.” Notice that he talks about moths, not bird feeders.
I often wonder about the proliferation of bird feeders and bird food in this country. I recognize their educational value and their importance in suburban and urban places where bird’s habitats are all but gone. But, I also wonder about the land devoted to growing bird seed. Perhaps, pesticides and methods to keep birds away are in use. Isn’t that another way of taking habitat away from wildlife? When we supply them with suet, do they neglect their insect-eating task? In short: Do we feed birds for their benefit or ours?
Woodpecker at bird feeder. © Beatriz Moisset
In addition to bird feeders, we should remember that other ways to help birds include taking care of the moths, and berries and nuts, and, yes, dried up goldenrod plants and their round galls. In the long run, this may be the best way to feed birds.
© 2013, Beatriz Moisset. All rights reserved. This article is the property of Native Plants and Wildlife Gardens. If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Beatriz Moisset
I love this article, very informative and educational. I love to feed the birds that come to my yard. A variety of nuts, seeds, suet, etc… But I also try and grow lots of native plants as well. Not just for the birds but to attract different bug species. In a suburban setting its a little more difficult but do able, just takes more time than lets say our rural cousins. I feel its important to create a eco friendly environment in your yard/garden then supplement with the feeding. I just feed more in the winter since I know not a lot of people do in our neighborhood.
Thank you Beatrice – I too conducted that exasperating google search the other day but gave up too early. I knew the insects must be there as I watched woodpeckers carefully examine each crack in the tree bark. I wondered what the flock of bluebirds that sipped from the heated birdbath the other day would find to eat. I have to go shake a few trees and see what falls out. Take care – Hal
Hal Mann recently posted..Thanks Santa
Great information about bird survival in Winter. I have wondered about commercial bird seed growers as well, but I’ve come to believe that what they do isn’t the worst.
I think it’s also important to mention that goldenrod does have its disadvantages, primarily Canada goldenrod. The galls may be great for birds in Winter, but there are plenty of other plants that offer just as much food. Goldenrod is native to my state of Wisconsin, but it is way too aggressive. It’s better than invasives, but I would never intentionally plant it for the birds. There are plenty of goldenrod species that are not aggressive and they are always welcome.
Nicholas Weber recently posted..White Pine Seed Dispersal
Nicholas: thanks for the additional information about goldenrods. They don’t seem invasive around here in the East. They are also great food for countless pollinators of all stripes.
Some bird seed growers are probably OK. But there are also some horror stories, such as Scott’s tainted bird seed, http://www.occupymonsanto360.org/2012/03/17/scotts-miracle-gro-pleads-guilty-to-pesticide-charges/. We should all be weary.
Beatriz Moisset recently posted..Monarchs and their Enemies
I love learning how and which birds enjoy the insects over the winter.
Great post and I am reading that book again as I do every winter. My goal is not to feed the birds except for what they can find in the yard. But given our very harsh winters and all the suburban lawns loaded with chemicals, I don’t see that happening soon…..Michelle..
Fascinating post. I admit I do provide seed and suet for the birds in my garden and I do sometimes wonder if they are better off without the help. Some winters I put out my feeders and others I don’t but I never seem to notice a difference in the number of birds in the spring.
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I have downy woodpeckers hanging around and working our dying tree as well as visiting the suet feeder…I also have large stands of goldenrod with the galls so I will have to check them out once the snow melts to see if anyone visited them.
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Gardens Eye Journal-February 2013
Thanks for this informative post! I agree about feeders — but I never thought about the impact of the growing of the seed, etc. on the environment. Wonder if there’s data on that? It could be all awash since many farmers might be planting such seed for both harvest and wildlife conservation. There are farm credits for that — although I know the current federal farm bill is contentious and I haven’t been able to keep up with what is happening with such credits. I always think of the economic impact for the humans when it comes to urban feeders. Seed is expensive and most of it seems to go to rats and squirrels in an urban area like mine. It is far cheaper to plant native flowers and use the seeds or plant shrubs and trees which flower and fruit… and I think we get a more diverse group of bird visitors in my yard because of it. Not as many rats as those who have feeders, either. People sometimes think that growing natives is harder than putting out feeders, but actually after a few years you find (as I do now) that I am thinning out seedlings from the borders and giving them away to friends and neighbors all of the time. The key is a bit of benign neglect from Sept – Mar. Also, nothing is easier than growing shrubs with berries, and nothing attracts a larger variety of wildlife visitors year round. And no feeders to clean or fill or replace! Another thing: rats come and then everyone puts out poison — which can be very dangerous for the birds of prey and those that like to eat carrion, and kids and pets that might find them, too. The rats die and often end up in the middle of a park or a field. Again, I find we have much less rat trouble without feeders. (Although some rats seem inevitable in an urban neighborhood… ugh!)
I saw that you had written a book with Steven Buchman… which I’ve now ordered. I had been looking for a good native bee guide. Perfect! Thanks again and I’ll look forward to your next piece of writing!
Alison Gillespie recently posted..City Wildlife Gardening: What to Know Before You Get Started
Hello Alison: Thanks for your thoughtful observations. They are well thought and made me want to know more about birdseed farming. So far, I merely engaged in a mental exercise since the main topic of this post was insect food, rather than seeds. Here is what I just found about sunflower seed at the USDA website: “About a quarter of sunflower seed is used in birdseed, and another 10-20 percent is sold directly for snacks and baking products. The remaining seed is crushed into oil and meal.” http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/soybeans-oil-crops/sunflowerseed.aspx. A quarter of all sunflower seed is a hefty amount.
As for growing your own sunflowers, here are a couple of useful suggestions: http://birding.about.com/od/birdfeeders/a/blackoilsunflower.htm. Moreover, sunflowers are terrific pollinator magnets.
I hope you enjoy the “Bee Basics” book. It is a general overview of bees, rather than a guide. The illustrations are magnificent. Steve Buchanan’s work was excellent as usual.
Beatriz Moisset recently posted..Pollinator Conservation Short Course
Hey, wow, this really has me thinking about interesting questions about seed sourcing, etc. There are so many ways to go local — and nothing is more local than what you can grow in your own yard. Funny to think that we might buy local food for ourselves but then send out for seed from across the continent for the birds.
Since giving up the feeders I’ve had a much more diverse group of birds come to my yard. I think the thing that brings in the largest number of visitors is actually insects. I’ve found that leaving my leaves in place brings in a lot of bird visitors throughout the year. The birds root around in the leaves to look for insects in the spring, especially. This is also good for the trees in my yard. Here’s a post I’ve written about it: http://whereyouareplanted.com/renounce-the-rake-to-nurture-the-birds/.
Beatriz, this has been a very thought provoking post. thanks again!
Alison Gillespie recently posted..City Wildlife Gardening: What to Know Before You Get Started
One instance of trying to grow local food for birds is an effort by New jersey Audubon society, http://blogs.usda.gov/2011/04/28/this-local-food-is-for-the-birds/. It sounds like a step in the right direction.
Beatriz Moisset recently posted..Monarchs and their Enemies
Beatriz, This is a excellent essay and I whole heartedly agree with you regarding feeding birds via bird feeders and using land, which is most likely sprayed with horrid poison to grow seeds for birds.I believe we could manage our land better and feed birds in a natural way. It does seem to me that for the most part, there are exceptions, people feed the birds for the good of people. As you say that is to study and appreciate birds but if we truly want to . . . I think we should grow plants that bear fruit and seeds rather that support the giant commercial agri businesses. Thanks for the lesson about goldenrod galls . . . I had not really understood their value. I fed birds for years and finally stopped about ten years ago. Nothing compares to seeing birds harvesting crabapples or rose hips, sumac and a great variety of seeds from plants in a field or meadow. I have to say I particularly feel sad when seeing hummingbirds at plastic feeders. Great work!
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Thanks Beatrix! Lovely article, particular about “moths” not “birdfeeders”. I also did the gall opening thing on the goldenrods for an article in my NPS chapter newsletter. Was an interesting experiment. Those birds are smart to know where to look.
I’ll admit to having regularly provided commercial birdseed on a platform feeder when I got my zoom camera a while back. Since then I have pretty much ( I still do an occasional handful of sunflower weeds) seen the error of my ways and try to put seed heads grown in the yard up there when I do some minor tidying since it really isn’t necessary to provide commercial foods in my rural area.
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Beatriz, BRAVO! A perfect post to promote gardens left standing through the winter. Fun of (unseen to you and I) overwintering insects and other taste treats to hungry birds, not to mention all the seed heads.
When looking for answers to bird behavior and natural history I’ve often turned to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s Birds of North America website: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/ It requires a subscription, but is well worth it! Lots and lots of information about natural food sources and feeding behavior. The kinglet writeups are fascinating. I’m able to access it for free through our public library.
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This is an interesting article. My property is a Nat’l Wildlife Habitat and I try to supply the birds and critters with natural and supplemented food. I’ve lived here in central VA for 9 years and I’ve had generations of birds – especially cardinals and bluejays – bring their babies to my feeders. I am a Monarch Waystation, too and plant for butterflies. Just one person trying to do her bit for Mother Nature.
Thanks for the info.
Lovely post and blog. Found you through pinterest. I like feeding the birds in winter, but probably did more harm than good feeding them dry bread in the past. Have also bought suet balls but they are pretty expensive and smell and feel nasty. I’ve put out seeds, but they have been eaten by my dog and the birds have eaten my dog’s poop! I have now come to the conclusion, the best option for me is to remember to collect local wild pomegranates(they keep for ages in the fridge) and collect the heads from sunflowers left on the ground at the end of summer. I made some frugal feeders out of coathangers;
http://wildcraftvita.blogspot.it/2013/02/happy-valentines-day-tell-it-to-birds.html