He didn’t make it. He was a male house sparrow. I found him in the yard. No ruffled feathers, so he didn’t die in a skirmish with a hawk or a cat. Rather, the winter was too much. He was weakened and died.
When you consider what birds must go through to last even one night in the bitter cold with the ground covered in ice and snow, it’s a wonder any of them make it. Nature is a cruel taskmaster. Birds and animals don’t go to an assisted living facility to spend their final days, they just go belly up – starving or freezing to death, or sometimes perishing because of a lack of water.
Right now, birds need our help more than ever. There are precious few natural seeds and fruits remaining and it’s a little early for nutritious insects. They rely heavily on feeders and heated birdbaths.
I am scattering more food than ever in hopes I find no more sparrows or songbirds that couldn’t make it.
I did see one encouraging sign yesterday afternoon. Out beside our firepit was a big, fat bug crawling on the ground. He would make a nice meal.
Spring will soon be here, but in the meantime our backyard birds need all the help they can get.