(intro animation and music)

I love watching out for animals! All year long, I look for squirrels, deer, foxes, and any other critters that I can find.

In the winter, animals can be a little bit harder to see, but there's one animal you'll probably be able to spot, even in your backyard.

Birds! And you know what? I think I see one now!

Hey, Deeno!

Deeno: Hi, Jessie!

Jessie: We were just talking about how birds spend the winter.

Some of them fly off to warmer places during the coolest part of the year, but many birds stay put. And for those birds, winter can be a tough time. They have to find food, even though the food that they like best, like insects and berries, might be covered in snow.

Deeno: That's right. But people can make winter a little bit better for birds.

Jessie: That's a good point! There are all kinds of things people can do for birds to help them during the wintertime.

We can put out birdseed or raw nuts in bird feeders for them to eat, and we can put fresh water in bird baths so they have something to drink.

Deeno: That would be great! I love it when people leave me snacks.

Jessie: And there's something else you can do, too.

(To Deeno) Do you know what season comes after winter, Deeno?

Deeno: Spring!

Jessie: That's right! And do you know what spring brings?

Deeno: I do! Baby birds-- chicks!

Jessie: Yes!

(To viewer) In the winter, birds have to get ready for their chicks to hatch, and the first order of business is to make a place to lay their eggs.

Deeno: A nest!

Jessie: Yeah! Some birds start building their nest in the winter so they're ready to lay their eggs in the spring.

Deeno, how do birds build their nests?

Deeno: Well, different birds can use different kinds of things that they find around them. Around here, many birds use things like twigs, leaves, and grass. And for a lot of the year, those things are pretty easy to find.

But in the winter, the leaves have fallen and twigs and grass can be covered with snow.

Jessie: But that's where we can help! You can pull out leaves, sticks, pine needles, and other stuff from under the snow to make them easier for birds to find and gather up.

And if you happen to find something cool like a spider web or even a snake skin, leave it where you found it. A nesting bird might pick these things up and weave it into their nest.

Deeno: Snake skin and spider webs? Sounds like home sweet home to me!

Jessie: Well, we can put out other stuff for the birds, too.

Do you have things at home that are similar to twigs and grass? What about a piece of string? Or a strip of paper? Thread, yarn, even pet hair can make good nest materials. So you can put those things outside for birds too.

Just lay a few pieces of string on the ground or in a tree branch, and then see how long before it disappears.

If you're quiet and patient, you just might get to watch a bird pick it up! If you do, pay close attention to where the bird takes it. It may be building a nest in your neighborhood.

Deeno: That would be great! You'd get to do some serious bird-watching, and in the spring, you might even get to see some baby birds! So cute!

Jessie: So this winter, think of the birds. They're busy! They're got to find food and water and build their nests.

So, if we put out a little food, water, and nesting materials for them, we not only give them a helping hand--

Deeno: Or wing!

Jessie: We also get the fun of watching them. And you know that watching animals is one of my favorite things!

Deeno: What can I say? We birds are pretty interesting to watch, and some of us are downright handsome!

Jessie: (laughs) Do you have any questions about birds? Or seasons? Or volcanoes or robots?!

Let us know! Just get help from a grown-up and leave a comment or send us an email at kids@thescishow.com, and I'll see you next time.

Deeno: Bye, guys!

(outro animation and music)