Watching birds at feeders can increase your bird-ID skills and brighten your day. You can feed birds year-round or just in winter when natural foods are tougher to find. Birds flock to backyard feeders especially when snow or ice covers their natural foods and temperatures fall to extreme lows.
Learn what seeds, feeders, and landscaping choices will attract which birds to your Missouri backyard.
Food Preferences
Some birds, such as tufted titmice and chickadees, are finicky eaters, whereas mourning doves and white-throated sparrows will eat about any type of seed. Many people start with black-oil sunflower seeds and add other seeds to draw in more species.
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Seeds
Sunflower Seed and Millet
Black, oil-type sunflower seed and white millet rate best for attracting birds. You can buy these separately or find them in wild bird seed mixes. If buying seed mixes, note that many mixes contain milo and corn, which many backyard birds do not eat.
Safflower Seeds
Not all birds love safflower seed, but tufted titmice and cardinals are among the species that do.
If starlings are a problem at your feeders, you can try putting out safflower seeds since starlings generally do not eat them.
Peanuts
You can feed peanuts either shelled or in the shell. Shelled peanuts will attract woodpeckers, Carolina wrens, titmice, chickadees, and blue jays. There are specialized feeders designed for shelled peanuts.
Peanuts in the shell can be placed in a feeder or on the ground. Blue jays are especially fond of unshelled peanuts and will often stash them or bury them to eat later. Squirrels are also fond of peanuts, so keep that in mind when choosing where to place peanuts.
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Suet and Mealworms
Suet
Suet for birds is generally sold as a block of hardened beef fat with seeds, nuts, or dried fruits mixed in. The blocks fit into specially designed wire cages that can hang from a limb or post. Suet is a high-energy food that attracts many insect-eating birds. It can provide calories to help keep birds warm in winter or meet the high-energy demands of egg-laying during the breeding season.
Woodpeckers, chickadees, tufted titmice, and nuthatches are especially fond of suet. Other species that may visit suet feeders include Carolina wrens, ruby-crowned kinglets, and bluebirds.
You can buy blocks of suet at the store or make it yourself. Recipes for suet can be found on many birdwatching websites.
Suet often becomes rancid in warm weather and it can sometimes get melty and rub off on birds’ feathers, so offering suet in the summer is not recommended. Peanut butter is a good substitute for suet in the summer. Mix one part peanut butter with five parts corn meal and stuff the mixture into holes drilled in a hanging log or into the crevices of a large pinecone. This all-season mixture — as well as suet — attracts woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, and, occasionally, warblers.
Mealworms
Mealworms can be a great way to attract insect-eating birds that might not otherwise visit your feeders. These include bluebirds and some warbler species.
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Fruit and Nectar
Fruit
Orioles and catbirds, and sometimes red-bellied woodpeckers, will come to feeders for oranges and berries. Especially during migration, fruits can provide extra energy to the birds’ regular diet, but serve them cautiously. Oranges can become fermented in warm weather, so it’s important to check them regularly and make sure they aren’t beginning to spoil. You can buy feeders for orioles that are designed to hold half an orange or orange slices.
Nectar
Hummingbirds feed on nectar in flowers and small insects attracted to native plants. You can draw them to your yard by planting native flowers or by putting up a special feeder filled with sugar water.
Feeding Stations
Bird-feeding stations may be as simple as seeds placed on the ground or as complicated as a feeder accessible only to birds of certain weights to keep squirrels away. A plain wooden platform can be erected as a simple feeding station. Some edging around the outside will help keep the seed from falling to the ground. You may like to add a roof and three walls to keep the rain off, or you may prefer the open platform for easy bird access and for the additional brightness for picture taking. A good way to offer sunflower seeds to birds is with a commercially available, clear-plastic cylinder or silo-type feeder.
Different birds have different feeding habits. Some songbirds, such as the dark-eyed junco, white-crowned sparrow, and Harris’s sparrow, prefer to feed directly on the ground. Cardinals and blue jays will feed either on the ground or on a platform feeder. Goldfinches and chickadees also will visit small, plastic feeders that are fixed to the outside of a window by a suction cup.
Where to put your feeders
Remember to locate your feeding station outside a room where you can relax and enjoy the visitors.
Hang feeders in places where birds can see approaching predators and fly to safety. Hawks and house cats are both known to hunt at backyard feeders.
American goldfinches eating sunflower seeds
Noppadol Paothong
Be careful of placing feeders near windows where vegetation or sky is reflected. If you hear or see birds hit your window, treat the outside of the window immediately with opaque stickers so the birds know the window is not a pass-through or escape route. Window strikes are the second-largest contributor to wild bird mortality. They are very common — act quickly if you see evidence of strikes. Treating windows is an easy fix! Learn more about how to prevent window strikes from the American Bird Conservancy.
Year-Round Feeding
Many people enjoy feeding songbirds year-round. In fact, the most crucial times in the life of many birds are in the early spring when naturally occurring seeds are scarcer and also during inclement weather in winter. In the spring and summer, many young birds follow their parents to the feeder. It is fascinating to watch the parents show their young how to crack open the seeds.
Some birds, such as the Baltimore oriole and the ruby-throated hummingbird, are only found in Missouri in the summer for breeding season and leave in the fall for the winter. Orioles may be attracted to the feeding stations with fruit. Hummingbirds come to special feeders filled with sugar water mimicking nectar.
Bird-Feeding Myths
You may have heard that it's important to continue feeding once you start it. However, no research indicates that during normal weather birds will starve if feeding is stopped for a time. Birds often visit many feeding stations in a neighborhood. You will be amazed at how fast birds discover new feeding stations. Their natural curiosity and mobility ensure their success at making the rounds.
Another myth is that feeding birds will prevent them from migrating. Birds know when to begin migration based on other triggers, like changes in day length.
Keeping Feeders Clean
Wash feeders regularly to prevent the spread of diseases between birds.
Hummingbird feeders should be washed every week or two to keep mold and bacteria from building up. During hot, humid summer weeks, wash feeders every 2–3 days — and replace the sugar water just as frequently. It is especially important to check the small openings through which the hummingbirds drink to make sure there is no black mold.
Other Tips
Provide Water
To increase the popularity of your feeding station, provide water — especially during drought or when the temperature stays below freezing for several days. Carolina wrens and bluebirds may be enticed to feeding stations during the winter, too, if water is available.
Add a bird bath to your yard. Replace the water every day or two to keep the water fresh and clean. Birds often leave feces or feathers in the water, which can grow bacteria that can spread to other birds. Wash the bird bath every week or two with a weak vinegar-water solution (nine parts water to one part vinegar). To keep water from freezing in winter, you can get a heater to place in the bird bath or find affordable heated bird baths.
Landscape with Native Plants
In addition to selecting the right seed for your bird-feeding stations, you can attract more birds to your yard with native plants that provide cover and additional seeds and insects. Quite often in new housing developments, trees and shrubs for nesting, perching, and escaping predators are in short supply. Birds need places to perch overnight and vantage points from which they can view the feeder and also watch for potential predators. Evergreens offer valuable, year-round cover from the weather in addition to secluded nesting sites.
Birding Events
New to birding? No idea where to start? Wondering what all the fuss is about? No problem! Learn the basics of birding including how to get started, why birding is so beneficial to our health, why we need birds and why birds need us, and more. This program will be presented by US Fish and Wildlife Service Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick.
All ages are welcome, although the program and its content are geared primarily for teenage and adult audiences. Be sure to include your email address in your registration. The program link will be sent out via email both the day before and approximately an hour before the program.
Get ready to spread your wings and explore the world of birds together. This program introduces families to the Great Backyard Bird Count—what it is, why it matters, and how everyone can join in. After a quick, easy-to-follow overview, we’ll have real bird counting adventure around Powder Valley Nature Center. Along the way, you’ll learn simple tips for spotting and identifying birds, and you’ll see how to enter your sightings on eBird, the official online platform used by bird lovers around the world. No bird knowledge needed. Bring binoculars if you have them, but they’re totally optional.
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is a global community science event created by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society. It happens every Presidents Day weekend—this year from February 13–16. During these four days, people of all ages count the birds they see in their backyards, neighborhood parks, or favorite nature spots and submit their observations online. It’s an easy, fun way to help scientists learn more about the birds we share our world with.
Please note: Registering for this and other MDC programs means you plan to attend. This helps us honor the time and effort of our instructors and ensures space is available for everyone who wants to participate.
Watching birds at feeders not only provides hours of enjoyment but also sharpens your identification abilities. Feeding can be a year-round activity or focused on winter months when natural foods are harder to find. Learn how the right combination of seeds, feeders, and landscaping choices can bring a variety of birds to your yard and build a feeder to get started. Registration (ages 10+)
Why are owls active at night? What kind of owls live in our area? Find the answer to these and many more questions about owls at the Owl Prowl!
This program will include an indoor presentation about owls and their special adaptations followed by a short hike on a nearby trail to call for owls. After the hike, we will dissect owl pellets to see what owls have been eating.
Please bring a flashlight and dress for the weather. For ages 5 & up; registration required by 2/18.
Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy backyard feathery friends. Join a naturalist for a hands-on morning of birding at Powder Valley. We’ll utilize the excellent viewing windows at the nature center to observe birds at the feeders. Participants will learn birding techniques, how to identify birds quickly, and observe winter visitors.
For those who enjoy citizen science, we will be conducting a feeder watch during the program. This event is perfect for beginners and expert birders to contribute to a nationwide scientific study.
Binoculars and field guides will be available for all participants.
Do you enjoy bird watching? Do you enjoy crafts? Join a naturalist at Powder Valley for a bird-friendly craft session! We will be learning some birding basics, as well as how to attract more birds to your garden, followed by making bird feeders out of recycled teacups and saucers.
This program will be BYOT: Bring Your Own Teacup! Bring a teacup and saucer from home or have fun picking one out secondhand!
Please make sure to register all participants ahead of time.
Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy backyard feathery friends. Join a naturalist for a hands-on morning of birding at Powder Valley. We’ll utilize the excellent viewing windows at the nature center to observe birds at the feeders. Participants will learn birding techniques, how to identify birds quickly, and observe winter visitors.
For those who enjoy citizen science, we will be conducting a feeder watch during the program. This event is perfect for beginners and expert birders to contribute to a nationwide scientific study.
Binoculars and field guides will be available for all participants.
Live Raptor Show from World Bird Sanctury, nature games and crafts for families, nature arts, education nature booths, Hannibal Public Library Storytime, free nature books for children, eagle viewing with scopes at the Riverfront, an eagle nest model, and more. This event is free to the public and handicapped accessible.
Sponsored by the Mississippi Hills Master Naturalist
Sign up for a Live Presentation with Alice, the Turkey Vulture, during our fun Vulture Venture activities! Three live presentations will be offered, and space is very limited; please register for only one session, to help us accommodate the anticipated large attendance.
Vultures are an important yet often overlooked member of the natural world. They serve as nature's clean-up crew! Join us at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery to learn more about these often- misunderstood birds.
Numerous games, activities, and crafts will be available for all ages, any time from 1pm until 5pm (no registration required). Spotting scopes will be set up for viewing vultures in the wild near Table Rock Dam and along Lake Taneycomo. (Dress as appropriate for the weather.)
Live vulture presentations will be offered at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm - prior registration required.
Vultures are an important yet often overlooked member of the natural world. They serve as nature's clean-up crew! Join us at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery to learn more about these often- misunderstood birds.
Numerous games, activities, and crafts will be available for all ages, any time from 1pm until 5pm (no registration required). Spotting scopes will be set up for viewing vultures in the wild near Table Rock Dam and along Lake Taneycomo. (Dress as appropriate for the weather.)
Live Vulture Presentations with Alice the Turkey Vulture will be offered at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm. Space is very limited and registration is required for these live presentations; check the Events listing for individual program times to register. (Please sign up for only one live presentation session.)
Sign up for a Live Presentation with Alice, the Turkey Vulture, during our fun Vulture Venture activities! Three live presentations will be offered, and space is very limited; please register for only one session, to help us accommodate the anticipated large attendance.
Vultures are an important yet often overlooked member of the natural world. They serve as nature's clean-up crew! Join us at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery to learn more about these often- misunderstood birds.
Numerous games, activities, and crafts will be available for all ages, any time from 1pm until 5pm (no registration required). Spotting scopes will be set up for viewing vultures in the wild near Table Rock Dam and along Lake Taneycomo. (Dress as appropriate for the weather.)
Live vulture presentations will be offered at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm - prior registration required.
Sign up for a Live Presentation with Alice, the Turkey Vulture, during our fun Vulture Venture activities! Three live presentations will be offered, and space is very limited; please register for only one session, to help us accommodate the anticipated large attendance.
Vultures are an important yet often overlooked member of the natural world. They serve as nature's clean-up crew! Join us at Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery to learn more about these often- misunderstood birds.
Numerous games, activities, and crafts will be available for all ages, any time from 1pm until 5pm (no registration required). Spotting scopes will be set up for viewing vultures in the wild near Table Rock Dam and along Lake Taneycomo. (Dress as appropriate for the weather.)
Live vulture presentations will be offered at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm - prior registration required.
It’s the ultimate partnership between man and bird! The sport of falconry goes back thousands of years and is still a popular sport today.
Join Powder Valley staff as area falconers gather to offer the rare chance to observe and learn about these fascinating feathered hunters.
The falconers will display their falconry equipment, hoods, and other equipment, as well as live birds – the birds that they use in their sport. You will have the opportunity to ask the falconry team questions and see their hunting partners up close.
Doors will open at 6 pm. Between 6 and 7 pm, visitors can tour the exhibits and visit tables to learn about Missouri's birds of prey at biofacts tables. They can create a take-home bird of prey craft and also meet members of the Powder Valley naturalist team.
At 7 pm, the auditorium doors will open for the presentation and at 7:30 pm visitors can go into the classrooms to meet the falconers and see their hunting partner birds up-close.
Now is the time to welcome our state bird to begin nesting. Bring your family to learn more about being landlords for this beautiful bird and to put together your own bluebird nesting box (one box per family).
Each family must make their own reservation. Bring an electric screwdriver or drill with a Phillips head drill bit if you have one.
Note: bluebirds typically nest in urban or rural areas that are not heavily wooded.
Have you ever wondered what an owl eats? Fly into the fascinating world of these nocturnal predators through an owl pellet dissection! This hands-on experience is perfect for curious minds, offering a unique glimpse into the owl's diet and its role in the ecosystem. Hear about the fascinating adaptations that make owls such great hunters and learn how owl pellets come to be! Each registered participant will receive their very own owl pellet and receive tools to uncover the secrets it holds within.
Make sure to register each member of your group when signing up, including children. Meet the naturalist in Powder Valley Classrooms C & D.
Hoo hoo hoo's that hooting in the woods? Come learn about the many different owls that call Missouri home. After a short educational talk, experience a walk in the woods at night as we attempt to speak with some of our local chatty Barred owls. The walk will take place on the Broken Ridge trail, which is approximately 2/3 mile long. Be prepared for steep inclines and declines. Make sure to wear proper walking shoes, dress for the weather, and a flashlight if you’d like one. Meet the naturalist next to the frog statue in front of the nature center.
Please note registration is required! If you are registering a group of people, please register each individual (including children). If you are unsure of how to register multiple people, please email the program instructor for assistance.
Birding has a reputation for being a “retirement hobby.” In reality, it’s one of the most kid-friendly, curiosity-fueling, low-cost outdoor activities out there. Children are naturally good birders! They are observant, energetic, and fascinated by small details adults often overlook. This child-friendly presentation will break down what kids need to get started, lay the foundation for basic observation and bird identification skills, and discuss what parents can do to make the experience fun rather than frustrating. This program will be presented by Missouri Department of Conservation Naturalist Austin Lambert.
All ages are welcome to attend. The primary audience for the program is children ages 7 and up, and adults who will be birding with children. Be sure to include your email address in your registration. The program link will be sent out via email both the day before and approximately an hour before the program.
New to birding or need refresher? Join Missouri Department of Conservation Ornithologist Kristen Heath-Acre for a primer on identification of Missouri’s common birds by sight, sound, and their associated habitats. Whether new to birding or experienced, there are always tips and tricks to learn in the world of birds.
All ages are welcome, although the program and its content are geared primarily for teenage and adult audiences. Be sure to include your email address in your registration. The program link will be sent out via email both the day before and approximately an hour before the program.