Easter and Spring Flowers are Here.
Hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, lilies, easter cactus and pansies!
Saw Bellies Are In – Perfect for Local Reservoir Fishing!
Heading out to the reservoirs around Liberty, NY? Fresh saw bellies are now in stock—ideal for targeting brown trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass, and more.
Fruit Trees, Ornamental Trees & Berry Bushes Are Here!
Spring is just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to plant! Our beautiful selection of fruit trees, ornamental trees and berry bushes are in stock and ready to bring life to your landscape.
Get Growing This Spring at Liberty Agway!
Starting seeds, building raised beds, or refreshing your garden? We’ve got you covered!
Seed Starting Supplies – Everything you need to kick off your garden.
Mulches & Soils – Enrich plants & beautify your space.
Gardening Essentials – Raised bed kits, fencing & more!
Now's the time to treat your lawn!
We’ve got everything you need: hay, straw, grass seed, and fertilizer to help your lawn thrive this season. Stop by and get your lawn ready for a lush, green spring!
Onion Sets & Seed Potatoes are here!
We will have some cold crop veggies arriving mid month- veggies, pansies, strawberry plants, and more.
Get Ready for Beekeeping Season!
We’ve got everything you need to keep your hive buzzing with success! From protective gear to hive tools and accessories, find top-quality beekeeping supplies right here at Liberty Agway.
Charming Gifts & Home Decor!
Looking for the perfect birthday present or something special for the holidays? We’ve got a delightful selection of cute and unique gift items that are sure to impress!
And don’t forget—Mother’s Day is coming up on May 11th! Find something she’ll love right here at Liberty Agway.
Get Ready to Reel ‘Em In!
Fishing season is here, and we’ve got you covered! Pick up your Fishing License at Liberty Agway and stock up on all your fishing essentials. From tackle and gear to fresh bait, our selection has everything you need for a successful day on the water!
Keep Pests Out of Your Garden!
Protect your plants from hungry visitors! We carry a variety of repellents to keep deer, rabbits, and more away from your garden and shrubs.
Step into Spring with Style!
Our new spring clothing and footwear have arrived for men, women, and children! From lightweight layers to comfortable, durable shoes, we’ve got the whole family covered.
Advanced Order Wood Pellet Sale!
Stock up and save this April with our Advanced Order Wood Pellet Sale! Secure your pellets for the colder months ahead by calling the store to reserve your order. Don’t miss out—plan ahead and be prepared!
Call us today to place your order!
Falling temperatures, less food, severe storms and hungry predators all make winter a harsh season for birds, but our feathered friends have many tricks to survive even the worst winter. Savvy backyard birders who understand how birds survive can take easy steps to help so there are more amazing birds to enjoy when spring comes again.
Molting
Molting is the first step many birds take to survive the winter. For many species, this means shedding bright breeding colors in favor of better camouflage to help conceal them from winter predators. During a late summer or early fall molt, many birds also grow an extra layer of insulating down that will help keep them much warmer as temperatures drop.
To help molting birds…
Provide healthy, nutritious foods, especially good protein sources such as mealworms or suet. Feathers are made up of protein and richer sources will help feathers grow more quickly and easily. At the same time, keep pet cats indoors and take steps to deter backyard predators so less agile molting birds stay safe as they grow their new feathers.
Migration
Many birds migrate to avoid the worst ravages of winter. Instead of staying in desolate cold regions, they head for warmer ranges with rich, tropical food sources. While they will have to share those resources with residents as well as other migrating species, these warm regions are abundant and can easily support larger winter populations. Even birds that stay in the same general region may migrate slightly in winter, such as mountain birds moving to lower, gentler altitudes in winter.
To help migrating birds…
Providing safe shelter and good food sources for passing migrants can help birds reach their winter destinations. Use bright colors and splashing bird baths to attract passing birds' attention so they can refuel along the way. Encourage cities to turn off lights in glass buildings during peak migration periods so birds don't collide with windows, and work to preserve habitats in tropical regions so birds always have somewhere safe to go.
Diet Changes
Birds that stay in winter regions often change their diets so they have enough to eat during the cold season. When bugs are dormant or it's too hard to dig for worms, for example, many birds will eat more seeds, fruits, berries or nuts. Many of these birds will even store food by burying it in the ground or sticking it under leaves or bark so they have an extra supply of food to visit if they can't find other winter foods.
To help birds change their diets…
Plant berry bushes in the yard and leave fruit on trees so birds have natural food sources to visit in winter. Planting seed-bearing flowers and leaving seed heads intact for foraging winter birds is another great option. At feeders, provide seeds and nuts for birds to store, and offer other rich winter foods such as sunflower seeds, suet and peanut butter. Keeping feeders filled is essential, since winter birds will gorge on good food to build up a layer of fat for seasonal insulation.
Sharing Body Heat
Small birds may snuggle together on the coldest nights to share their body heat and keep one another warm. They often use small cavities such as hollow trees, cliff niches or even empty bird houses to huddle, and they will fluff up to give their feathers better insulation. Some bird species can even lower their body heat into a type of temporary hibernation called torpor to survive cold nights.
To help birds stay warm at night…
Leaving bird houses up year round provides instant roosting spots for winter birds, or backyard birders can add specialized roost boxes to the backyard. A brush pile or dense plantings of evergreen and coniferous plants are other great shelter options that birds will take advantage of to stay warm. If there is no brush in the backyard, add a recycled Christmas tree to the yard for temporary shelter until spring.
What Else We Can Do
In addition to helping winter birds with their natural cold weather adaptations, there are other simple steps backyard birders can take to help birds survive.
While birds are well-equipped to survive even the harshest winters, there are easy steps every backyard birder can take to help, and in spring, even more birds will return to enjoy each birder's generosity.
© 2019 Liberty Agway Home & Garden Center. All Rights Reserved.
Serving Liberty, NY
View our accessibility statement
Driven by New Media Retailer