Not only are birds fun to watch, they can also make great garden allies. Here are some easy ways to keep them hanging around throughout the winter…

Birds can be a valuable asset to sustainable gardeners, keeping harmful bugs, caterpillars, and other garden pests in check. I think the large population of birds in our area is the reason we’ve had hardly any tomato hornworms the last 2 summers. (Through a bit of detective work, I I found a partially eaten caterpillar hanging from a tomato leaf with lots of bird poop nearby!) We always have loads of birds hanging out around our garden, and they like to perch on the tomato stakes and hunt for food.

But in the winter months, these allies may move on, especially in colder areas where there aren’t many insects to feed on in the winter. Providing your garden birds with some sources of sustenance during the winter may help keep them around to chow down on garden pests during the coming growing season.

This quick video shares a few tips for keeping your feathered friends happy and healthy throughout the winter months, so they’ll hopefully stick around for the spring and summer garden season: