Have you ever wondered what birds eat when they’re not at your backyard feeders? While we often see them enjoying sunflower seeds or suet, the truth is that most of their diet still comes from nature. From insects to acorns to wild berries, each species has evolved with a menu perfectly adapted to the seasons in Québec.
The Northern Cardinal is primarily a seed eater, feeding on wild plant seeds.
It also eats spiders and insects such as grasshoppers, cicadas, and caterpillars.
In spring and summer, it adds small wild berries, like blackberries, to its menu.
Fun Fact: In some male cardinals, molting can cause a sudden loss of all feathers on their head, giving the bird a bald appearance. While surprising, this phenomenon is natural and harmless. It gives the cardinal an unusual look that contrasts with its bright red plumage. The baldness typically lasts just a few days to a few weeks, until new feathers grow.
During spring and summer (its breeding season), the Black-capped Chickadee prefers eggs, larvae, and insect pupae.
At the end of summer, it starts storing food by hiding it under tree bark or in patches of lichen. It can even remember the location of its hiding spots for up to 28 days.
Fun Fact: The Black-capped Chickadee can lower its body temperature during cold nights through a process called torpor. This helps it conserve energy and survive extremely cold winter conditions.
The White-breasted Nuthatch eats insect larvae, seeds, and small fruits. Like the chickadee, it hides food to prepare for harder times. In winter, it also feeds on seeds from conifer cones, thanks to its specialized beak.
Fun Fact: Unlike most tree-climbing birds, the White-breasted Nuthatch can move headfirst down tree trunks. It uses this unique method to spot insects that other birds (which only climb upward) might miss.
This behavior is often seen in winter, when leaves have fallen. Head-down movement is a trait of the entire Sitta genus, not just the White-breasted Nuthatch.
Woodpeckers mainly feed on insects: beetles, ants, caterpillars, larvae, and spiders.
In summer and fall, they also eat small fruits. Their powerful beak allows them to drill into the wood to find food.
Fun Fact: some woodpecker species (like the Downy Woodpecker on the picture or the Hairy Woodpecker), the tongue is so long that it wraps around the back of the skull, sometimes even reaching behind the eyes. It runs through a special sheath—like a natural seatbelt!
Woodpeckers can detect weakened or infested areas in tree trunks where insects are abundant. They often target dead or dying trees, which helps naturally control forest pests.
By eating wood-boring insects, woodpeckers help protect trees from infestations. They play an essential role in maintaining forest ecological balance.
The American Goldfinch is a seed-eater, fond of the seeds of wild plants like thistle and sunflower.
In summer, it also eats insects: caterpillars, fly larvae, and wasps.
Fun Fact: Let’s take a trip to Europe to meet a cousin of the American Goldfinch : the European Goldfinch. In the 18th century, these birds were not only appreciated for their plumage and songs, they were trained to perform!
They were taught to pull up tiny buckets of water using strings, spin miniature windmills, or open small boxes like little entertainers.
In bourgeois salons and cabinets of curiosities, these clever birds were also trained to play tiny instruments (tambourines, bells, even little cymbals) to produce rhythmic sounds, like mechanical music.
They could spin wheels, pull miniature carts, or trigger automata, all within custom-built theatrical scenes.
The Blue Jay is an omnivore: it eats wild fruits, seeds, insects, frogs, snails, caterpillars, mice, eggs, and even baby birds.
Its strong beak allows it to crack open acorns, nuts, and other hard-shelled fruits. It also likes to store food in trees or under leaves.
Fun Fact: it is not actually blue! The blue you see on a Blue Jay is an optical illusion. Its feathers contain no blue pigment. The color is created by light diffraction on the feather structure.
The Blue Jay hides acorns in many places to eat later. It’s believed it helped spread oak trees after the last Ice Age.
Do Birds Rely on Us?
Birds are resourceful and can find everything they need in nature.
Feeders can be helpful in winter, especially during ice storms, when natural food sources are hard to access.
However, birds do not depend on us: studies show feeders only account for about 20% of their diet, with 80% still coming from natural sources.
Feeding birds is above all a wonderful way to observe them and learn more about their behavior and habits.
It’s a beautiful way to connect with the natural world.
