You can feed your feathered friends without spending a fortune.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Fall is prime season for backyard bird watching, as cheerful, colorful birds make their way south for the winter. If you have a few spare hours this weekend, you could start planting ornamental trees and shrubs that will make your backyard bird-friendly for future years. But for people looking for a simple way to make their yards or balconies attractive to birds, you can leave the garden tools in the shed, and just set out some food and water instead.

Afternoon Cocktails

Unfrozen water is a vital to all wildlife in freezing weather. Leave birdbaths empty when nights dip below 32 degrees F, and fill them first thing in the morning with warm water. Freezing weather in the winter can damage some birdbaths, so I use a rubber livestock watering pan when it gets really cold. They're cheap, virtually indestructible, and stay flexible in the cold (you can turn them upside down and jump on them to pop the ice out without damaging the pan). If you're really devoted to keeping birds hydrated, you can prevent water from freezing by making a floating lid. Cut a piece of plywood to fit the inside of the pan (it should be able to float freely almost all the way down to the bottom) and drill a few 1-inch-diameter holes through it. The birds can stand on the plywood and drink through the holes.

Setting the Table

If you look around at what nature provides this time of year, you’ll see a buffet of berries, seeds, nuts, and fat-rich insects. During the cold weather, birds need energy-dense foods like these to help them keep warm.

Wild bird food is a bit more than tuppence a bag, and a trip to the specialty store to look at bird feeders can leave you reeling with sticker shock. But luckily, you don’t have to break into your nest egg to supply your feathered neighbors with nutritious, healthy foods.

Look for a seed mix with lots of small black sunflower seeds, as most birds can crack those (the larger black and white ones are too tough for smaller birds). You’ll get the best deal by buying in bulk and from a real feedmill/farm store, if you have one nearby. Even cracked corn is better than nothing and is very affordable.

Platform Feeders: The simplest bird feeders are trays or pans set on a solid surface. Some birds like eating on the ground but most prefer being up in the a few feet where they have a head start if a four-legged predator approaches on the ground. Since buildups of fallen seed, shells, and droppings can create disease issues for the birds and kill plants underneath, a portable stand is a good idea. An old table or a wide board stretched between two saw horses or other sturdy objects makes a great feeding platform that is easy to clean each time you restock it and easy to move to a new area when shells and droppings start to build up underneath.

Look for a seed mix with lots of small black sunflower seeds as most birds can crack those (the larger black and white ones are too tough for smaller birds). You’ll get the best deal by buying in bulk and from a real feedmill/farm store if you have one nearby. Even cracked corn is better than nothing and is very affordable. Put out as much birdseed and other foods (cut up apples, whole grain bread crusts, stale baked goods, and grain products the pantry moths got into) as the birds will finish in a day so it stays fresh for them and to help reduce nighttime visits from racoons, rodents, or bears. Clean off the table or trays with a scraper before refilling in the morning.