Don't fret if you occasionally experience slow activity with your backyard birds. In spite of our concerns, sometimes slow activity is natural.

 When conditions are favorable, wild birds often take from natural sources at least 75 to 80-percent of their food. Feeders make up the difference.

 In difficult times, bird feeders provide a substantial portion of a wild bird’s diet. Feeders add a healthy supplement to the diet. Just keep your feed fresh and trash free.

 Even during slow activity at your feeders, keep the feed fresh. Consider offering new varieties of seed or seed blends. Always provide a fresh water source.

 Reassure yourself too, activity at your feeders will pick up when natural food supplies run low or when weather puts stress on the birds.

 According to the people who’re supposed to know, feeder activity is typically slow during the fall and early winter because natural food sources such as seeds, nuts, and berries are in great abundance. In peak growing years, reduced feeder activity may extend into the middle of winter. Wild birds almost always first seek natural food before they turn to the supplemental we offer in our feeders. We need to keep the feed we offer as fresh and as trash or filler-free as possible, and we will attract more birds.

 Remember too, the staff at Chattanooga’s Wild Birds Unlimited is available to answer questions and provide advice.

(The sculpture pictured in the accompanying image, “The Least Amount of Space,” is located in Chattanooga’s Sculpture Fields. It is a piece by Jason Kimes. The creation is 8,000 pieces of cut, one-inch round cortex rods, and weighs more than 5,000 pounds.)