Feed the Birdies Lyrics
When snow covers the ground and the bushes have no berries, the birds have little to eat. The rhyme asks a child to scatter food, and promises that the birds will come hopping, singing and chirping to say thank you for the crumb.
Feed the Birdies
Feed the birdies, darling,
When the snow is here,
When there are no berries
On the bushes, dear; -
Scatter food out for them,
And they'll quickly come,
Hopping, singing, chirping
"Thank you for the crumb."
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/feed-the-birdies/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes, Poems for Children
- Tune
- Warm and coaxing, with a bright chirp on the last line
- Best for ages
- 2 to 6 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Scatter food out for them | Sprinkle an imaginary handful of crumbs across the floor. |
| Hopping, singing, chirping | Hop on the spot and chirp. |
What Does Feed the Birdies Mean?
The rhyme gives a child a small job with a clear reason. In the snow, the berries that birds eat are gone from the bushes, and the ground is hard to dig. The rhyme asks the child to scatter food, and in return the birds come to thank them. The last line puts words in the birds' beaks: Thank you for the crumb.
It also works as a first lesson in caring for animals. If you want to feed wild birds, bird seed, a little chopped apple or unsalted fat are better choices than a lot of bread, and a bowl of fresh water helps too, since puddles freeze. Put food where cats cannot reach, and keep the feeding place clean.
History and Origin
This verse comes from Mrs. E. P. Miller's Mother Truth's Melodies, a book of rhymes for the nursery in the 1896 edition. The rhyme gives a small child a real, kind job to do in winter.
Learning Activities
- Make a feeder: spread seed on a pine cone or hang a small tray from a branch outside a window.
- Quiet watch: sit by the window and count how many different birds come in five minutes.
- Thank-you chirps: take turns being the birds and saying thank you in a chirping voice.
- Fresh water: put out a shallow dish of water and check it every morning in cold weather.