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For the birds: feeding tips for feathered friends Birds begin to eat early in the day. Fill your feeder before you go to bed at night so that there is plenty of food for those cold little bodies in the morning. Some birds need to eat between 30 and 80 percent of their body weight every day, and staying warm on cold winter nights can be very stressing. Suet and fats such as bacon grease and peanut butter can substitute for grubs and insects. Be sure to hang them out of the reach of squirrels, who also love these treats. Once you begin feeding, please continue through the winter. Birds will become dependent on you and not seek out other sources of food. If you forget to put out food during severe winter weather, the effect on your bird friends can be needless hardship and even death. A variety of foods, such as various seeds, fats, fruit, nuts, stale baked goods, and grit, will attract a wider range of bird species. Set feeding stations at different levels - some birds like to eat on the ground, some at a height of 3-4 feet, and some even higher. If possible, put your bird feeder in the sun, protected from the wind, with cover nearby (cover can be a shrub, a tree, or just a pile of brush). And don't be surprised to see a hawk or falcon from time to time, cruising the area looking for their kind of food. Clean your feeder and rake seed litter away from the base of the feeder on a regular basis. This will help keep the birds healthy and prevent spread of diseases.