Welcome Them Home: Returning Birds in Ontario (Zones 4–6)

Spring is around the corner, and our local birds are getting ready to return, or are already here, searching for food and shelter. After a long winter, natural food sources are still limited, so a little help goes a long way.

A steady feeder, a bit of suet, and a safe nesting spot can turn your yard into a busy, bird-filled habitat just in time for spring.

The return timeline (Zones 4–6)

Here’s a simple “who shows up when” guide for Eastern Ontario:

Timing can shift a bit year to year depending on temperatures, think of this as your “seasonal rhythm” guide.

How to support them right now (easy wins)

Offer high-energy foods

These are your spring power picks while insects and berries are still limited:

• Black oil sunflower
• Peanuts
• Sunflower chips/hearts

Add suet + fat blends

Suet is basically spring fuel, especially during chilly mornings and cold snaps.

Put out dried mealworms

A great protein boost, especially for insect-eaters like robins and phoebes.

Set up bird houses + nesting help

• Add birdhouses early so birds can claim territory
• Leave twigs, grasses, and soft fibres available (in a little mesh bag or tucked in shrubs)

What each returning bird loves to eat (and where they like to live)

Early March: the “ground thaw” crew

American Robin

• Food: mealworms, fruit/berry mixes, soft foods (they shift to insects as they emerge)
• Summer home: open wood edges, lawns, shrubs; nests on ledges, branches, and sturdy supports

Red-winged Blackbird

• Food: black oil sunflower, cracked corn/grains (plus insects as spring warms)
• Summer home: near wetlands, cattails, marshy edges, pond areas

Common Grackle

• Food: sunflower, peanuts, mixed seed; opportunistic feeder visitor
• Summer home: trees in open areas, neighbourhoods, evergreens; adaptable nesters

Mid–Late March: early singers + cavity lovers

Song Sparrow

• Food: sunflower hearts, millet-heavy mixes, small seeds; will also take mealworms
• Summer home: hedges, brush piles, dense shrubs; nests low and hidden

Killdeer

• Food: insects (not a feeder bird, but support them by keeping yard edges natural)
• Summer home: open gravel, bare soil, driveways, shorelines (ground nester, easy to accidentally disturb)

Eastern Bluebird

• Food: mealworms (top pick), suet nuggets, fruit; less interested in seed
• Summer home: nest boxes in open areas near fields/meadows (they love cavity homes)

Early April: insect-hunters arrive

Eastern Phoebe

• Food: mealworms (helpful early), then flying insects
• Summer home: nests on ledges and sheltered spots (under eaves, bridges, porch beams)

Tree Swallow

• Food: flying insects (not seed-focused)
• Summer home: nest boxes near open areas and water; open skies for insect hunting

Mid–Late April: “air show” birds + early warblers

Barn Swallow

• Food: flying insects
• Summer home: barns, sheds, garages (open structures); mud-cup nests

Purple Martin

• Food: flying insects
• Summer home: martin houses/colonies in open areas; they prefer dedicated martin housing

Palm Warbler

• Food: insects + some berries; may visit suet briefly during cold snaps
• Summer home: woodland edges, shrubby areas; not typically a feeder regular

Late April–Early May: hummingbirds return

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

• Food: nectar (feeder), plus tiny insects/spiders for protein
• Summer home: gardens with flowering plants; nests in trees/shrubs using soft plant fluff

Feeder tip: put nectar feeders out as they arrive and keep them clean (fresh nectar, regular rinsing).

Early to Mid May: the “colour wave”

Baltimore Oriole

• Food: orange halves, fruit, nectar; will take mealworms
• Summer home: tall deciduous trees; woven hanging nests

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

• Food: black oil sunflower (big favourite), sunflower hearts
• Summer home: forest edges, mature trees, mixed woods

Indigo Bunting

• Food: small seeds (millet mixes), and insects in breeding season
• Summer home: brushy edges, overgrown hedgerows, shrubby fields

Scarlet Tanager

• Food: insects + fruit; not a feeder regular, but benefits from native trees/shrubs
• Summer home: mature deciduous forest canopy

May: warbler peak

Warblers are mostly insect eaters, so the best “feeder” for warblers is a yard with:

• shrubs and trees
• leaf litter and natural edges
• early flowers and native plants
• clean water sources

Some may sample suet during cold snaps, but habitat is the real draw.

The simplest “welcome home” setup

If you want the biggest variety with minimal effort:

1. Black oil sunflower or sunflower hearts
2. Suet feeder
3. Dried mealworms
4. One birdhouse (or bluebird box if you’re in open space)
5. A shallow water source if possible

A well-placed birdhouse and a steady food source can turn your yard into a safe, active habitat just in time for spring.

Ready to welcome them home?

Stop in to shop birdhouses, feeders, seed blends, suet, and mealworms, and get your yard ready for the return season.