Backyard Birding
What happens in your backyard matters to birds. Feeding choices, native plants, and everyday hazards all influence how birds survive in the Keweenaw. Here you’ll find practical guidance on feeding birds, gardening for birds, and reducing common threats - simple steps that can make your backyard a safer, more supportive place for wildlife.
Although birds are a familiar and visible part of life in the Keweenaw, many bird species across North America are experiencing long-term population declines. Some species have dropped to levels where their populations may not remain viable without stronger conservation efforts. These declines are driven by a combination of large-scale environmental changes and everyday human activities.
Feeding birds can be a rewarding way to connect with local wildlife and support birds during challenging seasons. In the Keweenaw, long winters, heavy snow, and short growing seasons make thoughtful feeder setup especially important.
Gardening for birds in the Keweenaw means thinking beyond feeders and focusing on habitat. Native plants provide birds with what they need most: natural food sources, safe places to shelter, and materials for nesting. Because of the region’s long winters, short growing season, and proximity to Lake Superior, gardens that support birds year-round are especially valuable.
Threats To Birds
Climate Change
Climate change is widely recognized as the greatest threat facing birds today. Rising temperatures are reshaping ecosystems and altering where birds can find suitable habitat. Changes in temperature and precipitation affect food availability, breeding timing, and migration, while also amplifying the impacts of habitat loss. Many species are already shifting their ranges northward or to higher elevations. National Audubon Society research shows that hundreds of North American bird species could lose large portions of their current range if warming trends continue.
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Habitat Loss and Fragmentation
Habitat loss remains a major challenge for birds in the Keweenaw and beyond. Natural areas are removed when forests, wetlands, and shorelines are converted for development or other uses. Habitat can also become fragmented by roads and infrastructure, breaking larger areas into smaller patches that may no longer support healthy bird populations. Pollution, invasive species, and changes in land management further reduce habitat quality.
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Window Collisions
Collisions with windows are a common and often overlooked cause of bird mortality. Birds do not recognize glass as a barrier and may fly into reflections of sky or vegetation. Even in rural areas like the Keweenaw, homes, cabins, and larger buildings can pose serious risks, especially during spring and fall migration.
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Free-Ranging Cats
Free-ranging domestic cats - pets allowed outdoors and unowned cats - are a significant source of bird mortality. Cats are highly effective predators, and even well-fed cats will hunt. In nesting areas and sensitive habitats, this pressure can have lasting impacts on local bird populations.
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What You Can Do to Help
Small, local actions can make a real difference for birds in the Keweenaw:
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Keep cats indoors or supervised outdoors..
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Make windows safer for birds by adding decals (on the outside), screens, or other treatments (e.g., Acopian Birdsavers) that encourage birds to veer away from windows.
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Protect and restore habitat by supporting land conservation efforts and native plantings.
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Reduce light pollution, particularly during migration, by turning off unnecessary lights at night.
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Participate in community science, (e.g., bird counts and monitoring programs) to help track long-term population trends.
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Learn and share. Understanding the challenges birds face helps build support for conservation across the community.
Feeding Birds
Set Feeders at Different Heights
Different birds prefer to feed at different levels. Ground-feeding birds like sparrows, juncos, and towhees forage beneath feeders, while finches and cardinals prefer shrubs, and chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers feed higher up. Using a mix of ground or platform feeders, tube feeders, hopper feeders, and hanging suet feeders helps reduce crowding and attracts a wider variety of species.
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Offer a Variety of Foods
No single food attracts every bird. Black oil sunflower seed appeals to the greatest number of Keweenaw birds and is a good foundation. Nyjer seed attracts finches, while peanuts and nut blends appeal to woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. Offering different foods in separate feeders reduces waste and allows birds to choose what they need. Less expensive seed blends heavy in milo or wheat are eaten by fewer species and often end up unused...so while they are less expensive seeds more is wasted.
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Use Suet Wisely
Suet is an excellent winter food for insect-eating birds such as woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches. Hang suet feeders well off the ground and out of reach of pets. In warm weather, suet can spoil or melt, so it’s best used only during cooler months common to much of the Keweenaw year. There are suet products that resist melting in higher temperatures (e.g., suet dough) that may work well during the summer months...however, when more insects are available the insect eating birds use suet less.​ Another possible alternative to suet is unsalted natural peanut butter. Mix one part peanut butter with five parts cornmeal and pack it into drilled logs or pinecones. This mixture attracts many of the same species that visit suet feeders. Do not use straight peanut butter, though - it is too "sticky" for birds and can cause them problems by getting stuck in their feathers and beaks. Plus, unsalted, natural peanut butter is a must - birds do not have mechanisms to cope with additional salt in their diet and they are sensitive to additives and preservatives added to processed peanut butter.
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Offer Fruit for Berry-Eating Birds
Some birds rarely visit seed feeders. Robins, waxwings, and bluebirds prefer fruit, especially during migration. Soaked raisins or currants placed on a platform feeder can attract these species. During late spring and summer, halved oranges can sometimes draw orioles passing through the region.
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Feed Hummingbirds Safely
If hummingbirds are present, provide nectar made from one part white sugar to four parts water. Boil briefly to dissolve the sugar and kill bacteria, then cool before filling feeders. Clean nectar feeders every few days, especially during warm spells. Commercial hummingbird nectar with red dye is unnecessary and should be avoided.
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Store Seed Properly
Keep birdseed in secure metal containers with tight-fitting lids to protect it from rodents and moisture. Store seed in a cool, dry place. Damp or moldy seed can be deadly to birds, and seed stored too long can lose nutritional value. It’s best not to carry seed over from one winter to the next.
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Reduce Squirrel Problems
Squirrels are persistent in the Northwoods and they tend to eat large amounts of seed. One solution is to accept that "bird feeders" are actually "wildlife feeders" and simply enjoy their presence. However, feeding squirrels can become quite costly. Pole-mounted feeders with cone-shaped baffles work best when placed at least five feet off the ground and ten feet away from trees or structures. Providing squirrel feeders specifically stocked with foods they prefer, placed well away from bird feeders, can reduce competition.
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Place Feeders to Prevent Window Collisions
As mentioned in the section about Threats to Birds, window strikes are a leading cause of bird deaths. To reduce collisions, place feeders either within three feet of windows or more than thirty feet away. Adding decals, screens, or other visible treatments to glass helps birds recognize windows as barriers—an important step during spring and fall migration.
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Keep Cats Indoors
Free-ranging cats are also a major threat to birds, especially ground-feeding species and fledglings. Keeping cats indoors protects birds and also keeps cats safer from traffic, disease, and harsh weather. Bells on collars are not an effective deterrent.
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Keep Feeders Clean
Dirty feeders can spread disease. Clean feeders at least twice a year - spring and fall - or more often during wet or humid periods. Scrub feeders with dish soap, rinse thoroughly, soak briefly in a diluted (10%) bleach solution, rinse again, and allow them to dry completely. In early spring, be sure to rake up spilled seed and hulls beneath feeders.
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Bears and Bird Feeders
As black bears emerge from winter denning and during their breeding season, they are roaming large distances across the landscape and seeking good food sources. High-calorie bird food (e.g., seed, suet, peanut products, and sugar solutions) are especially appealing and can draw bears into residential areas. Bears may empty feeders, carry them off, or cause significant damage in the process.
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To reduce conflicts:
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Take down bird feeders at night during periods of increased bear activity.
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Suspend feeding temporarily if bears are known to be active in your area.
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Store seed securely indoors or in bear-resistant containers.
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Remove suet and other high-fat foods first, as these are most attractive to bears.
Gardening for Birds
Choose Native Plants
Native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers are the foundation of a bird-friendly yard. These plants produce seeds and berries that birds recognize and rely on, and they also support native insects - an essential food source for many species, especially during nesting season. Oaks, serviceberry, dogwood, willows, and native grasses all play an important role. Even small plantings can make a difference when they reflect the natural communities of the Keweenaw.
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Create Layers and Structure
Birds use different parts of the landscape for feeding, nesting, and protection from predators. A mix of canopy trees, shrubs, and ground cover creates these layers. Dense shrubs provide cover for sparrows and warblers, while taller trees offer perches and nesting sites for larger species. Leaving standing dead trees (snags), when safe to do so, can provide valuable habitat for woodpeckers and cavity-nesting birds.
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Provide Water
Fresh water is just as important as food. Birdbaths, shallow dishes, or small water features give birds a place to drink and bathe. In cooler months, keeping water ice-free can be especially helpful. Place water sources near cover so birds can retreat quickly if threatened.
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Embrace a “Messy” Yard
A tidy yard is often a poor habitat for birds. Leaving leaf litter, fallen branches, and seed heads through fall and winter provides food, shelter, and insects. Many birds forage on the ground, and overwintering insects in leaves and stems become critical food during early spring, when birds return or begin nesting. Mulching autumn leaves, instead of removing them helps provide overwintering habitat for insects used as food for migrating birds and returns nutrients to the soil, reducing the need to apply commercial fertilizers, and prevents lawn damage from matted leaves.
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Avoid Pesticides and Herbicides
Chemical treatments reduce the insects that birds depend on and can directly harm wildlife. Allowing a diversity of insects in your garden supports birds naturally and helps maintain a healthier ecosystem overall.
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Consider “No Mow May”
Delaying lawn mowing in spring allows early-blooming plants to support insects at a crucial time. This is especially important in the Keweenaw, where migration and nesting coincide with a short burst of insect availability. Fewer mowed lawns mean more natural food when birds need it most.
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Use Nest Boxes Thoughtfully
Nest boxes can be helpful when placed correctly and maintained properly. Choose designs suited to local species, place them in appropriate habitats, and clean them annually to reduce parasites and disease.