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November has a vibe. The air is crisp, the leaves are crunchy, and every grocery store suddenly believes we need 19 kinds of potatoes for Thanksgiving. While we’re planning our feasts, the birds outside are doing the same, only their menu is a bit more rustic.

No cranberry sauce.

No stuffing.

No Aunt Ethel’s questionable Jell-O mold.

Just good old-fashioned nature-made dining. The original “farm to table.”

So grab a cup of something warm, step outside, and let’s peek at what birds are actually feasting on in your Hudson Valley or Catskills backyard this month.

intobirds-chickadee-feasting — Backyard Buffet Review: Black-capped Chickadee gives the sunflower seed special a 10/10 for crunch, flavor, and ambience

1. Black-Capped Chickadees: The Snackers of the Bird World

While we’re snagging handfuls of mixed nuts before dinner, chickadees are doing their own version: sunflower seeds, suet crumbs, tiny spiders, and seeds hidden from last month.

These little geniuses cache hundreds of treats each fall and remember where they put them. I can’t even remember why I walked into a room.

intobirds-cardinal-feasting — Female cardinal bird Cardinalis cardinalis eats berries from a bush

2. Cardinals: The Colorful Clean-Eaters

You’re over there prepping apple pie. Cardinals?

They’re diving into leftover berries, rose hips, seeds, and the occasional tiny bug.

Bright red and always stylish, cardinals are basically the Instagram influencers of the bird buffet, eating clean while the rest of us are elbow-deep in mashed potatoes.

intobirds-bluejay-feasting — At the snowy Backyard Buffet, this Blue Jay clearly ordered the ‘double peanut combo

3. Blue Jays: The Loud Cousins Who Show Up Hungry

Every family has that one cousin at Thanksgiving.

For birds, it’s the Blue Jay.

Blue jays stash acorns, peanuts, beech nuts, and seeds like it’s their full-time job — and yes, they yell while they do it. Their fall buffet is intense, chaotic, and highly entertaining to watch.

Also, they can store hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of acorns.

Explains why they’re in such great shape and I’m not.

intobirds-pileated-woodpeckers-feasting — Feathered Feast moment: Pileated Woodpecker duo dining on today’s stump-to-table bug special

4. Woodpeckers: The Protein Lovers

While we’re carving turkey, woodpeckers are carving bark.

Their November feast includes insects hiding under tree bark, larvae, nuts, suet, and even fruit when they’re lucky.

A red-bellied woodpecker hopping around a tree is like a chef checking every pot on a stovetop. Is there something in here? How about under this? Maybe behind this? Pure culinary dedication.

intobirds-white-throated-sparrow-feasting — Caught at the Backyard Buffet—White-throated Sparrow enjoying the seed course with excellent form

5. Sparrows & Juncos: The Grain-and-Seed Crowd

Think of them as the stuffing lovers of the bird world.

Sparrows and juncos feast on:

grass seeds
weed seeds
millet
cracked corn
bits of dried plant material

While we’re loading our plates with carbs, they’re out there doing the same, only theirs comes directly from the ground, not a casserole dish.

intobirds-robin-feasting — Feathered Feast moment: a robin perched and proudly presenting today’s berry special

6. Robins: The Dessert Before Dinner Birds

You know that person who sneaks dessert before the main meal?

Hello, robins.

Their fall and early winter menu includes berries, crabapples, and grapes, nature’s candy. Robins are the original sugar rush seekers, and honestly, we respect the hustle.

intobirds-nuthatch-feasting — White-breasted Nuthatch checking the menu from its branch—snack time is imminent

7. Nuthatches: The Upside-Down Foragers

While the rest of us sit upright at a table, nuthatches eat upside down because, why not?

Their November menu includes insects, nuts, suet, pine seeds, and sunflower chips. They hop down trees like tiny gravity-defying ninjas gathering snacks.

intobirds-yellow-rumped-warbler-feasting — Feathered Feast moment: Yellow-rumped Warbler weighing its choices on the snow-covered buffet line

So What’s Really on the Backyard Menu?

Depending on your yard and the wild buffet nature provides, birds feast on:

leftover seeds on flowers
berries on shrubs
insects in leaf litter
acorns and nuts
fruits on native trees
suet and seeds you offer
water in birdbaths (especially heated ones!)

Your yard is basically a seasonal tasting menu for birds. A mix of whatever nature creates and whatever you put out for them.

And the beautiful part?

They appreciate every single bite.

intobirds-bluebird-feasting — At the Backyard Buffet, the bluebird is eyeing the berry selection like a true connoisseur

How You Can Help Birds Enjoy Their Fall Feast

Here’s how to keep the backyard buffet open all season:

✔️ Leave the leaves (free food + free shelter)

✔️ Offer fresh water (a heated birdbath is a November luxury spa)

✔️ Keep feeders clean and filled

✔️ Add suet for cold days

✔️ Let berries and seed heads stay on plants

Each small action gives birds a little more to feast on as temperatures drop.

A Thanksgiving Feast We All Share

This November, while we’re piling our plates sky-high, the birds outside are doing their own version of Thanksgiving — gathering what they can, savoring what nature offers, and carrying on the timeless rhythm of fall.

And honestly?

Watching them forage is way more relaxing than navigating a crowded holiday dinner table.

Here’s to full bellies, full hearts, and full feeders.

Happy Thanksgiving, from IntoBirds to your backyard.