How to Attract Birds to your Backyard

What nature-lover wouldn't want a variety of birds living and visiting in their gardens and yards? There are countless ways of getting them to visit your garden sancuary and maybe even raise their families there.

First of all, there are many plants and shrubs that will draw them near. Bayberry shrubs are not only beautiful, but have berries throughout the winter which attract yellow rumped warblers and bluebirds that will enjoy eating the bayberry's fruit. Other berry producing plants attract slews of birds such as Robins, Bluebirds, Thrushes, Mockingbirds, Jays, Catbirds and many more include: Balck Current, Arrowhead, Cranberry Bush, Elderberries, Juneberries and Strawberries.

Birdbaths

There are many different styles of birdbaths from an elaborate concrete poured bath to a simple clay saucer sitting on a tree stump.

Always be sure not to fill the birdbath with too much water. Shallow water is best -it only takes one or two inches. Put your birdbath out in the open so the birds will be aware of approaching predators. Keep the water clean and fresh and clean out the bath about once a week or every few days, if possible. See that birds are able to reach a nearby tree so they can perch on a branch and preen themselves afterwards. If you can, get a recirculating pump, which should be fairly inexpensive, to create the sound of running or dripping water, which the birds love.

Birdhouse & Birdfeeders

Birdhouses and Birdfeeders are readily available in many styles and sizes. You may like to build them, but whatever you prefer, you can have as few or as much as you want in your yard. You will be rewarded greatly for offering your fine feathered friends shelter and food. Late winter is the ideal time to put out birdhouses. Many birds begin house hunting in January and February.

Tray Feeders (aka, Platform Feeders are designed so you have an unobstructed view of your bird friends as they feed in an open banquet. Tray bird feeders are suitable for most birds, however there are a few downsides to having these types of feeders. They can get filled up with rainwater and snow and have to be cleaned out often. Seeds will be blown out of the feeder during high winds. Squirrels and raccoons also love to feed in tray feeders which are very convenient, but you can install an anti-pest grid over the feeder.

Dog Food?

Did you know that dog food makes a great seed substitute? It is enjoyed by many birds such as blackbirds, crows, jays, mockingbirds, robins, thrashes, starlings and wrens.

Start a Wildflower Garden

Here are some wildflowers you may want to consider planting:

Goldenrod - a hardy periennial with yellow flowers.

Lobelia - Attracts hummingbirds. Grows in clumps and has blue flowers.

Sunflowers - They can grow quite tall and birds love them

Black-capped Chickadees will befriend you for a handful of their favorite foods which include: acorns, suet, peanut butter, nuts, raw hamburger, doughnuts, bread, bayberries and sunflower seeds. They will dine at virtually any feeder from a homemade coffee can feeder to suet feeders.

Give them a Treat!

You can try putting out some treats such as dried corn on the cob, which Woodpeckers love or hang up some peanutbutter filled pinecones with birdseed sprinkled on them. This is not only a treat for them but also for you!

Playtime

Birds, like children like to chase each other and have mock fights. Waxwings like to play pass the berry as they sit in a row passing a berry down the line one at a time. Crows, Ravens and Jays like shiney objects. If you don't care what the neighbors think, you can hang up some used pot-pie pans or some spoons from a branch.