Winter storms can make life difficult for backyard birds. When snow and ice cover natural food sources and temperatures drop, birds burn more calories just to survive the night. Knowing how to support them before, during, and after a storm helps birds stay healthy through harsh weather and gives you the joy of seeing winter visitors up close.
The photo above was taken by a Happy Birdwatcher customer on a snowy day in Dunlap, Tennessee—proof that winter feeding brings color even on the coldest days.
This guide explains what birds need during cold weather, which foods provide the most energy, what to avoid, and steps to take when snow and ice are in the forecast.
❄️ Why Winter Storms Are Hard on Birds
Cold weather changes both food availability and energy demand. During snow and ice events:
- Insects disappear
- Berries freeze solid
- Ground food becomes inaccessible
- Water sources freeze
- Birds burn more fat overnight
Small songbirds like chickadees may consume up to 10% of their body weight in food per day in winter just to maintain body heat. When a storm hits, the extra walking, flying, and shivering ramps up energy needs even more.
This is why bird feeders become crucial when storms move through.
🌨️ What to Do Before the Snow and Ice Arrive
Preparing your feeding station before a storm makes it easier for birds to refuel when natural food disappears.
✔ 1. Fill Feeders Completely
Full feeders prevent birds from wasting energy searching during bad weather. Prioritize feeders with:
- Black oil sunflower
- Safflower
- Peanuts
- Nyjer-based blend
- Suet
- High-protein seed blends
✔ 2. Add High-Fat, High-Calorie Foods
Winter birds rely on fat for warmth. The best winter storm foods include:
- Suet cakes
- Peanut pieces
- Black oil sunflower seed
- Striped sunflower
- Nut mixes
- Dried mealworms
These foods deliver quick, dense energy for cold nights.
✔ 3. Create a Snow-Free Feeding Area
For birds that feed on the ground, such as juncos and sparrows, set out:
- A tray
- A board
- A patio table
- A shallow dish
Place seed before the storm so birds know where to return.
✔ 4. Offer Water or Prevent Freezing
Even surrounded by snow, birds can become dehydrated. Options include:
- Heated bird baths
- Swapping water twice daily
- Using warm water in the morning and late afternoon
- Floating a small ball in the water to slow freezing
Birds aren’t looking to bathe in the middle of a snowstorm, but they do need water to stay hydrated. Between storms, clean feathers are easier to fluff and trap warm air — one of the simplest ways small birds survive cold nights.
✔ 5. Provide Shelter From Wind
Wind strips away body heat. Shelter can be offered with:
- Evergreens (pine, cedar, spruce)
- Brush piles
- Roosting boxes
- Old Christmas trees
- Dense shrubs
Shelter + food is one of the most helpful combinations during winter storms.
🌬️ During the Storm: What Birds Need Most
Once snow and ice begin, focus on essentials:
🔥 High-Energy Food
Keep feeders stocked with suet, sunflower, peanuts, or mealworms.
💧 Water
Refill if possible or clear ice when temperatures allow.
🌲 Accessible Cover
Put feeders within a few feet of trees, shrubs, or other wind blocks. Birds feel safer when they can grab food and dash back into cover instead of being exposed in the open.
🧊 After the Storm: Quick Reset Checklist
When the sky clears, hungry birds often arrive immediately. Do a fast reset to help them refuel:
- Knock ice off feeders
- Remove snow from trays
- Refresh water
- Refill with high-fat foods
- Dump out any wet or clumped seed, wash the feeder or tray, and refill with fresh dry seed. Mold grows quickly in damp seed, and birds avoid it (or worse, eat it and get sick).
Once the storm passes, birds that normally stay deeper in the woods may move into backyards to refuel, so it’s a great time to watch for species you don’t usually see.
🚫 What Not to Feed Birds in Winter (Important)
Well-meaning people sometimes offer foods that fill birds without nourishing them, or worse, make them sick. Avoid:
- White bread
- Crackers
- Chips
- Pastries or cookies
- Cooked rice or pasta
- Salted nuts
- Processed meats
- Moldy seed
If you’re out of birdseed, the only useful pantry items (in small amounts) are:
- Unsalted peanuts
- Unsalted sunflower kernels
- Chopped apples
- Raisins or currants
🧠 Cool Winter Bird Facts for Curious Minds
Winter adaptations in birds are surprising and impressive:
- Chickadees enter regulated torpor, lowering their body temperature at night to conserve energy.
- Woodpeckers cache acorns hundreds at a time and retrieve them through winter.
- Blue jays store seeds in fall and remember thousands of locations.
- Feathers act like insulation, trapping pockets of warm air as birds puff up.
- Some birds can shiver hundreds of times per second, generating heat without moving.
Even in extreme weather, birds have remarkable systems for surviving winter — feeders simply make the process less risky.
🌟 Why Winter Feeding Helps More Than You Realize
Feeding birds during winter:
- Supports overwinter survival
- Helps birds enter spring in better condition
- Brings color to otherwise gray days
- Offers educational moments for families
- Encourages observation and mindfulness
- Connects people to nature when they’re stuck indoors
A bright cardinal perched on snowy branches, or a line of chickadees taking turns at suet, can completely transform a winter afternoon.