Bird Friendly Backyard (1 Viewer)

Can anyone give me any tips and advice as to what to do to make my backyard from inviting to birds? Thanks.


Bird Poster Art
http://www.accessv.com/~email/art

Hi Emc,

Main things to provide are shelter, food and fresh water.

Food can be on the ground for the ground feeding birds and on suspended feeders with fat type food and in particular I find sunflowers hearts.

A bird bath is ideal for both bathing and drinking and can be as simple as a shallow dish or plant pot stand to something more grand.

By shelter, I mean situate your feeders / water close to some natural cover such as a dense bush or tree. Many species will perch on them before landing on the feeers. Others will grab something to eat and retreat to some shelter to eat eat, though many will happily sit on the feeder to eat. The feeders should be fairly sheltered out of the prevailing winds.

I'd advise puting up the feeders and once the birds have located them you will gradually see increasing numbers.

Our feeders

don't forget your local clubs

Local birders or rare plant hobbyists can tell you the best plants for attracting birds in your area. I am lucky in that where I live, there are a number of advanced hummingbirders who can offer advice and even businesses such as Mizell's in Folsom that specialize in selling plants that attract birds. Sometimes someone will even give you a good plant or two, for instance, I was given a mulberry branch which has taken root and will (I hope) attract migrating birds. I don't do seed feeders, just hummingbird nectar and suet, but this is because if I put out seed, in my area, I would quickly be over-run. There needs to be protection from feral cats, which are a menace in my area -- at times I have had to erect electric fencing around bird areas to give the cats a hint that they should be hunting elsewhere. If your feeders are suspiciously quiet, I would keep a watch for predators.

Thanks for all the info. I would really like to attract hummingbirds to my yard but I've only seen them a couple of times a few years back. I have a hummingbird feeder but I was thinking I may have more success if I plant flowers that would attract them. My backyard on the other hand does have a lot of cardinals though, and I didn't do anything to get them to come.

Bird Poster Art
http://www.accessv.com/~email