If winter cold and snow drive you indoors, open a colorful cold-weather window with hours of bird-watching entertainment. Iowans spend more than $300 million annually watching wildlife, according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Much of that comes from feeding birds, especially through our cold weather months. Use these tips to attract the most birds.

The best way to attract winter birds is to get on their regular feeding routes before cold and snow eliminate many of their natural choices. A steady food source keeps birds coming. That might be a year-round effort on your part, but it becomes more important in the fall, as migrating birds start showing up in backyards.

"Maintain your feed and water regimes and songbirds will be plentiful all winter and into spring," insists Pat Schlarbaum, from the DNR's wildlife diversity program. "A lot of banding studies-amazingly-indicate that once a bird survives its first winter, they will be around for a long time. They bring the great outdoors right into your backyard."

Top Foods