I love watching the snowbirds that come to feed in our backyard. 

I offer seed and suet in squirrel-safe feeders to any hungry birds who pass through. Some of it gets scattered on the porch during the frenetic scramble for survival. This mess is what the mourning doves and snowbirds take their time to enjoy. 

They began visiting in November and are so lovely to watch out the back door of our kitchen. My Wisconsin field guide authored by Stan Tekiela says that the snowbirds, called Dark-eyed Juncos, are the most common of our migrators from Canada. On page 84 he describes how they feed under bird feeders, usually in small flocks and “double-scratch” with both feet simultaneously to expose seeds and insects. 

Adorable!