The birds you feed in your back yard need more than seeds to make it through the winter. They also need spas.
Actually, they need open water to drink and keep their feathers in shape. And one way you can help is with heated birdbaths. Bird spas, er baths, are just one product we found that you might want to add to your backyard aviary this winter.
"Birds go crazy for water in the winter time when the air is dry," said Ron Zick, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited on Rand Road in Arlington Heights and Waukegan Road in Glenview.
He sings the praises of the birdbaths and heaters made by Allied Precision Industries in Elburn. Heated birdbaths that clamp on your deck railing, then tilt to be cleaned are in Zick's stores and on his Web site arlingtonheights.wbu.com starting at under $50.
"You don't have to worry about the element," said Zick. "If it runs out of water it just keeps the plastic at about 50 degrees. It doesn't burn out if you're away or a raccoon tips it over at night."
If you're happy with your existing birdbath, API also makes drop-in heaters, starting at about the same price range. And Greg Fecteau of Chalet on Lake Avenue in Wilmette prefers the Heated Rock Birdbath De-icer from Farm Innovators. It looks like stone rather than a coil and costs $55.
Pretty seeds
Even bird seed doesn't have to be boring. Fecteau recommends holiday seed blocks from Mr. Bird in shapes like wreaths, snowmen and Santa. They come with a variety of seeds to attract different birds and price tags from $9 to $50 at Chalet.
While we're talking holidays, if you are looking for a gift for your favorite birders, Fecteau recommends barn wood birdhouses made by Nature Creations in central Illinois. Their prices are from $40 to $150 at Chalet (chaletnursery.com).
Easy feed
Some of Zick's customers have moved into communities where they learn to their disappointment they are not allowed to put out bird feeders or they don't have storage space for birdseed. His solution for them is Bark Butter, a yummy mixture of suet, peanut butter and corn. As you might guess, you can smear a few tablespoons on a tree, and the woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees fly in for the high-calorie snack. It's good for migrating birds in the spring and fall, too, he said. A tub is on sale for $10.
He also sells seed cylinders that can be hung without a feeder. The 2 pounds of seeds are held together with gel. These are $12.
Flowers
And soon (OK, it won't seem soon) you will be planting new flowers in your garden. So why not select ones that will provide seeds during future winters for our feathered friends. Brian Wolff, Chalet's nursery manager, likes Firebird, a new compact red coneflower.
He also recommends other new varieties of plants: Autumn Revolution bittersweet produces twice the fruit of the species; Viking Black chokeberry with red fall foliage that contrasts with the black fruit; and Raspberry Tart viburnum, a dwarf with great fall color.
Camera
Here's something that won't do a thing for the birds, but could enhance your appreciation of the hobby. Yes, it's a candid camera for birds. The Audubon BirdCam costs $159, and you can learn where to buy it at wingscapes.com. It's a weather-protected digital camera you hang so it's pointed at your feeder or bath, and a motion sensor takes pictures when you're not there. It can also be set to operate at specific time intervals or with a 30-foot remote control cord. This new product is almost $100 less than another Wingscapes has been selling.
Here are a few birding facts and tips from Ron Zick, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Arlington Heights and Glenview.
•It should be a great winter for bird watching. The cooler summer provided a lot of natural food and shelter for birds, and the populations have recovered nicely from the West Nile epidemic and are in good condition going into the winter.
•Birds that stay all winter are the seed eaters - cardinals, finches, blue jays, chickadees and nuthatch's. It's the insect and berry eaters who have to move on to warmer climes.
•If cats roam through your yard, keep your feeders as high as you can and away from low-lying vegetation where the felines can hide. You want the birds to be able to see 360 degrees while they are eating.
•Another adorable problem is squirrels. There are baffles that keep squirrels off feeders and feeders guaranteed to be squirrel proof. Some people just set up separate feeding stations for the bushy tails.
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