A few weeks ago, three snowbirds appeared beneath my feeder. That was a sign for me to begin scattering more seed on the ground in addition to keeping my feeders filled.
Many birds in our yards are ground feeders, and it seems unfair for them to have to scrounge for bits of food and seed dislodged from the feeders. So, I feed them directly on the ground. How much you feed them will determine how many birds will show up. I now have 11 snowbirds and a dozen or more sparrows as regular visitors. I also counted 17 doves pecking away just this week. Cardinals are other birds that like to feed on the ground. While they will definitely fly up to feeders, I believe they prefer to scratch out food from the ground. Wrens also feed from both the ground and feeders. I also strew some corn for my three regular crows.
If you enjoy having lots of birds in your yard, don’t forget about the ground feeders – and they won’t forget about you.