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Today marks the shortest day of the year, but the winter solstice does not mean the season is over yet.
The long cold months ahead are set to be tough for female birds. Studies have shown that male birds are more dominant and tend to eat the available food, with the female birds having to hope there is some left over for seconds.
As there isn't always available food for the females, theu instead have to lower their body temperature over the cold nights to try and reduce the amount of energy that they need, which makes them slow and therefore much more likely to be eaten by a predator. Â
But new research has given female birds a better chance of survival - and it's thanks to bird feeders.
Michelle Dickinson joined Andrew Dickens to explain.
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