Besides keeping those feeders filled, another way to support wild birds during the winter months is to provide a ready source of shelter to help them escape the harshest conditions.

Hang a roosting box

Fall is the ideal time to set out a roosting box to help birds stay warm. Unlike a nesting box or birdhouse, roosting boxes have entrance holes near the bottom instead of the top, so the birds’ body heat doesn’t escape when they are inside. These are also typically larger, with several perches inside, because birds will pack themselves into these boxes and huddle together to stay warm.

Winterize your nesting box

Birds like chickadees, titmice, bluebirds, nuthatches and woodpeckers will build their nests in a space hollowed out inside a tree or a birdhouse or nesting box and for many, these also double as winter shelter. With a few simple preparations, you can make the birdhouse or nesting box structures better suited for winter tenants.

Nesting boxes are designed to vent heat, but you can reverse that. Seal the ventilation holes with something that can be easily removed in the spring, like foam weather-stripping. If the design allows for it, reverse the opening so it’s at the bottom of the box instead of the top.

Make sure all the old nesting material is removed, but you can leave a layer of wood shavings or grass clippings. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology recommends adding twigs to the box to give birds a place to perch.

Throughout the cold weather months, keep feeders filled so you can enjoy watching them from the coziness of your home. Lyric Delite No Waste Mix features plenty of high-energy seeds and nuts to keep songbirds satisfied during harsh winter months.

Roosting box interior. D. Balcerzak-Wilson
Traditional nesting box. Thinkstock