It’s winter, the snow is falling, you’re cold, and the birds outside your home are chilled – and hungry, too. What should you do for them?
First, be aware that feeding wild creatures requires care, says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Teaching wild animals to associate humans with handouts can lead to problems,” the service says.
Nevertheless, many of us – 59 million, according to the service – feed birds in our yards.
You can safely put out food for birds in wintertime if you take some simple precautions. While feeding birds isn’t necessary year-round, the Humane Society says, it’s helpful in winter when temperatures drop, and while birds are migrating and food can be scarce.
It can also be “especially challenging” for birds to find food after a heavy snowfall, says the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University.
