10/17/2025
Have your birds left the bird feeders? The Cornell Bird Lab explains -
Abundant natural food: It’s a good year for natural seeds, nuts, and berries which means birds are finding plenty of food elsewhere and not relying on feeders as much.Bird populations fluctuate seasonally and from one year to the next for a range of reasons.
Often when someone reports that birds have gone missing from their yard, they are just seeing normal variation. Causes for these regular changes include:
Fluctuating food supplies/requirements. Cones, berries, seeds, and insects change from year to year, causing birds to move about to take advantage of food surpluses and to escape from areas with food shortages. Also, birds have different dietary needs during different times of the year, so they may move to or away from your feeders seasonally. You may notice fewer birds at your feeders during the late summer and early fall as there is usually lots of natural food available. Visit the Cornell Bird Lab at
Use our Bird Guide to identify birds, learn about the life history, listen to the sounds, and watch bird behavior on video--the most comprehensive guide to North American birds
