Who Visits the Bird Feeder in Winter? How Migration Is Changing With the Seasons
Updated on October 27, 2025
Even when snow covers the ground, bird feeders stay busy with tiny visitors looking for an easy meal. Some birds travel thousands of miles to escape the cold, while others have learned to adapt and stay close to home.
Winter Visitors: Who Still Comes to the Feeder
Seed-eating and omnivorous birds can still find enough food during the colder months. Some insectivores, like the great tit, can adapt their diet to include seeds for sustenance.
However, the coal tits you see at your feeders in winter might not be the same ones that nested there in spring. While local coal tits stick to their usual feeding habits, coal tits from Siberia often move in to take advantage of feeders. Sparrows and woodpeckers, on the other hand, are true residents and stay in the same place year-round.
How Milder Winters Are Changing Migration
Over the past few decades, winters have become milder with less snowfall. Many birds that would typically migrate south for the winter — like crows, bramblings, and robins — now stay with us even during the cold season.
What used to be a strict seasonal rhythm is now blurring. Birds are finding new food sources, often with human help — like backyard feeders.
The End of Bird Migration? Maybe Not Yet
Today, researchers no longer see birds as simply “migratory” or “resident.” Many species are partial migrants, with some individuals staying while others travel.
After mild winters, resident birds can quickly occupy breeding sites and start reproducing earlier. Migratory birds, however, are better suited to survive harsh winters.
If climate warming continues, we may see migration patterns shift dramatically within just a few decades.
How You Can Help Birds Through the Winter
If you’d like to support your feathered friends, keep your feeder stocked with high-energy foods such as black oil sunflower seeds, suet, and peanuts.
Even small gestures — like refilling the feeder regularly or adding a heated water dish — can make a big difference for birds trying to survive the cold.