Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

Birds can help your backyard feel alive and inviting, as well as keep bugs away. It may seem difficult to keep birds in your yard, but with a little bit of work you can make your property an inviting place for them to live, eat, and nest. Read on for some steps that property owners can take to make it more likely that a wide variety of wild birds will call their space home.

Provide Food

One of the best ways to attract birds to your yard is simply by giving them something to eat. Use several different types of feeder for the greatest variety of wildlife. Try a hanging feeder to attract birds that like to perch when they eat, and a platform feeder for bird types that tend to eat things off the ground. With these two styles of feeder, you can attract a wide variety of different birds.

Moving Water

Birds are attracted to moving water. Many people make the mistake of thinking that putting in a simple bird bath is enough to bring avians down from the sky, but what most birds really want is water that moves. For bird baths, try attaching a small mister or dripper to maintain the sound of moving water that wild birds look for. The more moving water you can work into your backyard the better. If you have the space and the time, a pond with a fountain that is regularly maintained can be a great way to attract birds, though this setup is difficult for many people.

Landscape Variety

Different types of birds are attracted to different habitats, so increase the variety of your yard to make it inviting to more types of birds. Create a mix of tall trees, short trees, bushes, and grass. Add bright, nectar producing flowers to your garden area and think about the kinds of things that birds like to eat. Trees and bushes that produce berries, seeds, nuts, fruit, and sap can go a long way toward attracting many different types of birds. Evergreen trees work well to attract birds all year long, and they provide a great place for birds to nest.

Nesting Boxes And Materials

Trees and shrubs will attract nesting birds, but sometimes you may need to go the extra step to get them to nest on your property in the spring. Consider setting up some nesting boxes for bird varieties that frequent your property to encourage them to stay. You can also make sure there is plenty of loose nesting material spread out near the nesting areas to help area birds decide to nest there.

With the proper attention to food, moving water, landscape, and shelter anyone can create an inviting bird habitat in their backyard. If you are interested in attracting a specific type of bird, remember to research the food and nesting preference of that species of bird before you start working on your yard. You may find out that there is a specific type of grass, tree, or shrub that you can plant to encourage your favorite birds to eat and nest there.