7 Ways To Get Birds To Your Yard

Once you see birds at the feeder you certainly want to be a hospitable host to them, right? Of course you do! If you keep their feeders full of delicious seeds and treats, your home will be the go-to location in your neighborhood! The type of food you fill the feeders with will help lure more and different birds to your house and their bright colors and antics will keep you entertained all year long! 

It is full of tips and advice on how to go about making sure that your yard is set up in the best possible way to achieve this.

Birds offer joy and beautiful colors and they also play a role in conservation and helps to provide balance to the ecosystem. So it is a win-win situation. You get pleasure and fun from it, while at the same time you are doing something very worthwhile and useful.

And it is easy too. If you follow some basic guidelines, you will soon have a great variety of feathered visitors. These are my top tips on how to attract birds to your yard or garden…

Use A Variety Of Feeders & Locations
Not all birds like to feed in the same way. Make certain you use a number of different kinds of bird feeders. For example, you should think about using a mix of open feeders with trays or perches, mesh socks, nectar feeders, suet feeders and jelly feeders, to attract a variety of different species of birds. Also bear in mind that more natural-looking feeders will attract more birds.

Different species have different preferences when it comes to the placement of the feeders. Some birds prefer feeders to be higher up while some prefer them to be lower down. So check the feeding preferences of the bird species that you wish to attract most and place your feeders in the best place for those types of birds. If you are in doubt, it is best to place them higher up as this is where most birds prefer to feed because it keeps them safe from cats and other predators.

When thinking about how to attract birds to your yard, it is also important to remember that birds are still wild animals, no matter how beautiful they are. This means that they will be quite wary of humans so do not place your feeders too close to the house if possible. This will obviously depend on the size of your yard but try and place the feeders somewhere that the birds will feel safer. If you are planning on putting your feeder on a pole then try and place the pole near to a tree if possible, to give the birds a quick escape route if they need one.

Place feeders where they will remain dry and protected from the elements. 

Use Quality Seed
Don't skimp on the food source. Look for foods that aren't loaded with "filler" sees that many birds won't eat -- you're wasting money and the birds will discard it on the ground, anyway. 

Different species prefer different types of food. When considering how to attract birds to your yard, think about the types of birds you want to attract. Once you've decided on what you'd like to try to attract, purchase seed that is best-suited to their needs. 

Consider Natural Food Sources
Natural food sources such as fruit trees, plants and berries provide natural foods for many birds. Birds feed on insects, so don't use pesticides to remove them from your garden - leave them for the birds to snack on! Consider placing a piece of dead wood by the feeders so attract insects and provide the birds with a treat. 

Feed Consistently

Never let your feeders stay empty for too long. Birds come to depend on your feeder as a food source -- especially in the winter -- and if it remains empty for an extended period they will go and look somewhere else for food.

Keeping your feeder filled means you need to keep it cleaned and maintained for the health of the birds. Once you have established a feeding routine try to keep to it as the birds will start to visit your garden at around the same time and will be expecting a meal. 

Decide if you want to feed year-round or only in the winter

Keep putting out food all through the winter even if you think there are no birds around. There are winter birds that will not be around in summer that need feeding in the winter. During this time birds need high-energy food sources to maintain their fat reserves during the cold nights so make sure that you feed them high-fat foods.

Protect The Feeders From Predators

When thinking about how to attract birds to your yard, one area that is often neglected is the task of protecting your bird feeders from other wildlife, in particular squirrels. You do not want these other animals to eat all your seeds. Invest in a squirrel-proof bird feeder to keep those pesky squirrels from stealing your feed.

Put Out The Right Food At The Right Times

It is important to provide the right sorts of food at the right times of the year. You should put out high-fat foods during autumn and winter and high protein foods during spring and summer. Avoid peanuts and fat in spring and summer as you do not want the adult birds feeding these to their young because there is a choking risk. If you do use peanuts, make sure they are in a mesh feeder with only small pieces.

Keep Your Feeders Clean

Make sure you keep your feeders clean and well maintained so that they do not become clogged. Damp or moldy seed can harm the birds and spread disease so make sure your seed is always fresh and nutritious. This will not only give the birds a healthy diet but it will also attract more birds.

Never allow uneaten food to accumulate on or around your feeders. If you do have a dirty and/or moldy feeder then remove all the seed, clean the feeder thoroughly and then refill it with fresh seed.

Provide Fresh Clean Water

When it comes to considering how to attract birds to your yard, providing a source of fresh clean water for the birds is one of the most important things you can do. Water not only provides the birds with something to drink, it also allows them to bathe and preen, and so remove parasites from themselves. In addition, it provides a way for them to cool themselves down on hot summer days.

There are various ways that you can provide water. You can use birdbaths, misters, watering trays and ponds and waterfalls.

If you are going to install a birdbath, try and buy one that has a pump if you can, to keep the water moving. It is vitally important to make sure you prevent the water in the baths from getting stagnant by providing a constant source of fresh water. The pump helps with this, and a moving source of water will also attract more species of birds.

Misters are a great way of providing a way for birds to cool and clean themselves. Hummingbirds in particular love misters and will spend plenty of time hovering in them.

If you are going to put a pond in your garden, make sure that you cover the area around it with suitable plants and ground cover. This will make it more attractive to the birds. And it will also provide a good food source, insects in the ground cover, for example.

 

Provide Housing And Nesting Opportunities

You can add birdhouses and other nesting opportunities to your garden for the birds. Birdhouses not only make decorative items for your yard or garden, they also provide a safe haven for birds to roost and nest. There are a variety of different types of birdhouses so consider which bird species you wish to attract and then choose your birdhouses appropriately. For example, a smaller hole keep bigger birds from using the birdhouse.

You can also plant trees and hedges to give the birds somewhere natural to nest. Try and provide a range of heights, for example, taller trees at the back, then smaller trees and hedges and then bushes and shrubs.

If you follow these tips on how to attract birds to your yard or garden, it will soon be full of happy, healthy wild birds bringing you great pleasure. And at the same time, you will be playing an important conservation role in helping to restore balance to the ecosystem.

Enjoy your feathered friends year round!