In most parts of the country, winter has set in, and food sources the birds have relied on all year have suddenly vanished. Rough winds and falling temperatures use up birds’ energy faster, and they need additional protein to keep up their strength. What luck that so many gardeners, birders, and other nature lovers decorate a bird tree for the holidays.
The idea behind the bird tree is simple. Choose an attractively shaped, highly visible tree in your landscape and decorate it for Christmas . . . a birds’ Christmas, that is, with seed balls and non-edible finery. Children enjoy this project, and grown-ups like watching the birds swoop in for a snack or a whole feast.
So, what should you hang on your bird tree? A good winter snack is peanuts in the shell. Rain, snow, and other wet weather won’t affect shell peanuts as quickly as other types of seed. Of course, the look of a traditional birdseed wreath is hard to beat. Dangle it from a branch near a window so you can enjoy the feasting.
You must have fun treats on your tree. That’s where these shaped birdseed ornaments and seed balls come in.
Designed just for the holidays, they hang from the boughs of your bird tree and call out to all the neighborhood flyers to come in for a bite. The good thing about these ornaments is that they are so eye-catching, they may encourage your neighbors to begin hanging the occasional treat for the birds, too. Let’s face it: anything that helps keep our gardens full of beneficial visitors and beautiful guests is a great thing. So let’s all decorate our bird trees, keep our feeders full and the water in our birdbaths thawed, and help our friends through the winter months.
