How to feed backyard birds in winter in Canada

To feed backyard birds safely this winter, put out high-fat food such as black oil sunflower seed or suet, wash your feeders every week or two, and let them dry completely before refilling. Project FeederWatch, run by Cornell University with Birds Canada, says dirty or damp feeders can spread disease, so how you keep a feeder matters as much as what you put in it.

Birds burn more energy in cold weather, and a reliable feeder can help, but only if it stays clean. Food that is higher in fat is the better choice in winter, according to a Global News guide to winter feeding. The steps below follow guidance from Project FeederWatch and Birds Canada, both published in 2026, along with the Global News guide.

The routine takes about 15 minutes a week. It also fits with other cold-weather chores, such as the work in our guide to preparing your garden for winter.

Step 1: Choose food that suits winter

Black oil sunflower seed is the most common base. Global News listed it alongside hulled peanuts or peanut hearts, thistle (nyjer) seed, white millet and peanut butter. Suet, which can include seeds, fruit, oats, peanut butter, corn meal and mealworms, adds fat. Project FeederWatch also lists safflower and cracked corn among the foods birds eat.

Check what you buy. Project FeederWatch says hulled sunflower tends to spoil faster than sunflower in the shell, and moldy peanut hearts should be thrown out right away.

Step 2: Pick a feeder you can wash

Tube feeders that come apart completely are easiest to clean, Project FeederWatch says, because the pieces can go in the kitchen sink or the dishwasher. Platform feeders with removable trays can be brought indoors. For nyjer, disposable thistle socks save scrubbing.

The organization advises against feeders that cannot be washed, such as those made of wood. Global News also advised replacing cracked or split feeders.

Step 3: Choose the spot

Project FeederWatch recommends a quiet area where the feeders are easy to see and easy to refill, near natural cover. Global News advised a spot sheltered from wind, snow and rain, with as much sun as possible.

Birds Canada says feeders within three metres (10 feet) of a window reduce the harm from window collisions.

Step 4: Keep seed dry and clear the snow

Damp seed can turn moldy. Perky-Pet, a feeder maker, warns that prolonged moisture can lead to fungal and bacterial infections in birds, so brush snow and ice off feeders and remove frozen or wet seed stuck at the base. Fill feeders often in cold snaps, since birds empty them faster.

Rake or sweep the ground below regularly, Project FeederWatch says, to clear droppings and moldy or spoiled food.

Step 5: Wash the feeder every week or two

Birds Canada and Project FeederWatch both say to clean seed and suet feeders every week or two, and more often when use is heavy or the weather is wet. Take the feeder apart, wash it in warm water with dish soap, and rinse well. A dishwasher works well, Project FeederWatch says.

Let every part dry completely before refilling. Wear gloves, and a mask when raking, the organization advises.

Step 6: Disinfect when needed

After washing, soak the parts for 10 minutes in a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water, both organizations say. Rinse off the bleach and let the parts dry completely. Project FeederWatch says boiling water is another option, and that diluted vinegar may not meet disinfectant standards.

Step 7: Watch for sick birds

Fluffed-up feathers, lethargy, abnormal growths and crusty eyes are signs of illness, according to Birds Canada and Project FeederWatch. If you see them, clean and disinfect more often and consider taking the feeders down for a time. Project FeederWatch says tray feeders may be retired when diseases spread through droppings, such as salmonella.

Step 8: Offer fresh water

Project FeederWatch says to change birdbath water every day. Birds Canada advises replacing it every couple of days and scrubbing the bath weekly. Empty and scrub a bath that turns cloudy or moldy. Check the water often in freezing weather.

Feeders can also draw mice. Global News suggested a squirrel-proof cage or a chain or rubber twist tie, and our guide to mouse-proofing your home covers keeping rodents out of the house. If you are shopping for a bird lover, see our gift ideas for a gardener.

Once birds find a feeder they tend to come back, so keep it stocked and clean through the cold months. Local bird stores can advise on seed mixes for your region.

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Sources: Project FeederWatch (Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada), “Feeding birds”; Birds Canada, “Best practices for feeding birds in North America”; Global News, “Canadians love birding: Tips for feeding feathered friends in winter” (2018); Perky-Pet, “Four Steps to Maintain Bird Feeders in Winter.”