By Judy Cale, Colorado Master Gardener

National Bird Feeding Month

February is National Bird Feeding month. Many believe that birds need to be supplied with supplemental food in the winter. However, did you know that birds can feed on berries and seeds that your native plants produce? Excellent examples include the black-eyed Susan, coneflowers, sunflowers, goldenrod, etc. Also grasses such as Sideoats Grama, Blue Grama and Indian Rice Grass contribute an abundance of seeds. Shrubs such as Blue Boy and Blue Girl holly, snowberry and smooth sumac provide shelter and berries for birds. Ensure you supply them with drinkable water too. This spring, consider planting an additional shrub, more native flowers or grasses. Birds will thank you.