A new study says bird feeding is good for birds. We knew it, but we appreciate the backup.

According to research published in the Feb. 6, 2008 edition of the Royal Society Journal Biology Letters, bird feeding offered during the winter benefits birds in the breeding season.

Researchers at the University of Exeter and Queen’s University Belfast placed extra food in some nest boxes and left others empty. Birds that used the boxes with the extra food laid eggs earlier and had an average of one more nestling successfully fledge than the control group.

It is still not known if the benefit came from the nutritional value of the food offered or was an extra bit of energy. There is also concern of birds becoming too reliant on feeders.