Feeding our wild birds is a pleasurable pursuit during long winter months, but before either purchasing a bird feeder or seed, you should know the species of birds you want to attract, the type of feeder and the kind of seed they prefer.

Song sparrows and towhees prefer a flat surface and usually never visit a feeder.

A platform feeder on a raised post with many holes for drainage prevents snow, and eventually water from accumulating, causing spoilage.

A roof will keep the seed dry and will attract most bird species. A hopper feeder is similar to a platform with walls and a roof.

Larger birds such as doves and grackles will visit, but smaller hopper feeders attracting smaller birds also are available.

A hollow cylindrical tube feeder, usually made of clear plastic, has many short perches for smaller birds, such as chickadees and house finches with a top that keeps the seed dry, and it will exclude larger birds if that is your preference.

Cages for suet, found in stores near suet cakes, are usually hung from trees and will attract woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees as they can hang upside down to feed. Onion bags also have been used, but they should be discouraged because a bird’s leg, foot or nail can be caught with unfortunate results.

Cages are cheap, reusable and easily cleaned, as are each of the feeders mentioned. Using a mixture of 10% bleach to one gallon of water in the fall and again in spring will prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria.

Small window feeders with suction cups and an overhanging roof usually are clear plastic for viewing and are attached to a window. These feeders are very small compared with the feeders mentioned above and need a commitment of daily maintenance, keeping them filled and clean, but the rewards are great.

The type of seed purchased will determine which species of bird you prefer to visit your feeder. Never buy supermarket wild bird seed, as this seed includes “filler seed” such as millet and milo, which will be discarded.

Penn State biologists suggest the best seed is black-oil sunflower seed, which I prefer, because it is high in oil content and in calories high in calories. It also is nutritionally important during the winter months.

Striped sunflower seeds will attract blue jays and cardinals. Although these seeds leave the hull on the ground, they easily can be raked into your garden in the spring. Hulled sunflower seeds are available but are more expensive, yet they do not leave hulls on the ground.

Niger is popular with goldfinches, house finches and purple finches. Blue jays, chickadees, titmice and woodpeckers will enjoy peanuts if offered. Their strong beaks can easily break the shells or you can offer them shelled varieties.

There are many options for feeding birds (and that occasional squirrel that is hungry) during the coming winter months.

You may want to try making “Marvel Meal” from Penn State. The following feed can be frozen into blocks and put in a suet cage, pressed into holes in logs or smeared on the bark of trees. Try each and see which works best.

For more details and preferred diets of specific birds, go to: https://go.osu.edu/feedspecificbirds.

Marvel Meal

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup vegetable shortening

4 cups cornmeal

1 cup flour

1 handful sunflower seeds (optional)

Directions

Mix ingredients

Kane Shipka is an Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in Mahoning County.