If you like watching birds, you have probably noticed that some species migrate to southern climes during the cold season. Instead, you can discover winter guests in the garden or in the great outdoors who take advantage of our milder climate to spend the winter here. In the following article we would like to introduce you to the most commonly encountered species.
Which birds are typical winter guests in German gardens?
The common feathered winter guests in German gardens include the barnacle goose, fieldfare, brambling, redwing and waxwing. They can be supported in the cold season by targeted feeding with nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, oatmeal and apples.
These are:
- Barnacle Goose
- Fieldfare
- Brazinch
- Redwing
- waxwing
Barnacle Goose
This sea goose spends its entire life near the coast. You can recognize them from afar by their white head and black neck. Their breeding grounds are on the Russian Arctic coast as well as in Greenland and Spitsbergen. The Russian population, which currently numbers around 120,000 animals, winters in the German Wadden Sea area.
Fieldfare
It is about the size of a blackbird and is strikingly brightly colored compared to the native thrush species. The animals can often be spotted in open areas and in hedges in the winter months. Sometimes they even attack the last fruits hanging on the trees hungrily in droves.
Brazinch
The orange colored chest and shoulder make this approximately 15 centimeter tall bird easy to distinguish from our native chaffinch. The animals can be observed in parks, gardens and beech forests from October to April. They also like to visit hanging feeders with other finches. Her menu includes beechnuts, coarse seeds, grains and nuts.
Redwing
It is one of the most common breeding birds in Scandinavia. It can be found here as a winter guest from the end of October to the beginning of April. It grows to around 21 centimeters tall, making it one of the smallest thrushes. Its flanks and the area under its wings are colored rusty red, which makes it easy to distinguish from the song thrush. On warmer days it prefers to feed on invertebrates and insects, but switches to berries in winter. If you put apples out in the garden during the cold season, these thrushes won't stay away for long.
waxwing
The most striking feature of this winter guest is the pointed feather hood that runs backwards. The waxwing is one of the invasive birds that immigrate to us irregularly, but then in large numbers. If the animals lack food in their breeding area, this phenomenon occurs when snow falls.
Tip
If you feed a variety of foods in winter, the winter guests will also find enough food. A mixture of peeled nuts, sunflower seeds, raisins, oat flakes, various seeds and a little chicken feed is well suited. The popular fat balls should not have a net as the animals can get caught in it. Additionally lay out halved apples.
