Are you looking for ways to improve your home’s yard? Making your yard desirable to birds is a great way to bring a bit of life and beauty right in front of your window! Not only are they interesting to watch, but did you know that birds are beneficial to your garden as well?
That’s right! Birds can actually help control pests and other insects in your garden. The right birds can also help with pollination.
Are you not sure how to attract birds to your yard? In the guide below, you’ll discover a few ways to ensure you create a yard for birds to love! Continue reading to find out more.
The Basics
The best way to attract birds to your yard is to offer them their basic needs all in one place.
Just like humans, food, water, and shelter are some basic needs for birds. If you can provide these basic needs in your yard, then you’re already one step closer to attracting a variety of birds. The way you provide these basic needs is important as well.
Here’s a break down of each basic need and how to provide them properly.
A Mix of Healthy Foods
Attracting birds to your yard starts with providing a mix of healthy foods for them. You can always use a basic bird seed mix to attract them, but when you offer them something more special, it attracts them better.
Keep in mind that different types of seeds attract different types of birds also. For example, using black oil sunflower seeds will help attract songbirds to your garden! You can also try millet, safflower, and other types of seeds.
Seeds aren’t the only option you have, however. Nuts and fruits are another wonderful meal to offer birds. Using nectar and plants that offer natural foods will work wonders as well.
Try out a few different food options to see what different kinds of birds you attract! Don’t forget to squirrel-proof your bird feeders either. You can find some feeders that come with squirrel-proof features already intact.
Clean Water Sources
The next step is to provide clean water sources for the birds. In order to keep things less crowded and less messy, it’s a great idea to have more than one source of water in your yard. A hanging birdbath from Nature Niche is a great start!
To improve the quality of your birdbaths, you can add motion to the water. This will better attract the birds. Using a mister or bubbler in the bath will create moving water sounds, which the birds will be curious to discover.
During the winter, you can install a water heater on the birdbaths to offer the birds a warm way to stay clean during the colder months.
Multiple Shelter Options
You’ll also want to offer your birds multiple shelter options. The more safe and secure you can make the birds feel, the more inclined they’ll be to stick around. Birdhouses are a great way to provide this safety and shelter, but there are other options.
Roost boxes are ideal during the winter. They offer birds a warm and comfortable place to rest and escape from the cold. You should also consider planting trees and bushes that offer shelter and food.
Any plants with berries or seeds on them will work well. You can plant new ones in open areas of your yard, or you can add more to an area to add to its density.
Ideal Nesting Areas
Aside from the basic needs, birds will also be on the lookout for nesting areas. Birdhouses work well for nesting areas, but you’ll want to ensure their safety while nesting in the birdhouses. Predators shouldn’t be able to easily access them and the openings of the houses should point in the opposite direction of harsh weather conditions.
You might want to provide ideal nesting materials for the birds too. Grass clippings, dead flowers, and cotton are all wonderful nesting materials that birds will be delighted to find in your yard.
Vibrant Colors
Birds are attracted to bright, vibrant colors. If you can create a vibrant and colorful yard, then you’ll have better luck attracting a variety of birds. You can do this by installing colorful birdhouses, planting colorful flowers, and using vibrant garden decor in your yard.
If there’s a certain kind of bird you want to bring into your yard, then consider their favorite foods. Use the colors of their favorite foods around your yard to get their attention.
A Place for Them to Rest
Although it’s their main means of transportation, flying gets tiring after some time. All birds will find themselves tired and looking for a great resting spot after flying for too long. If you can provide a few resting areas in your yard that are safe from predators, then plenty of birds will thank you.
You can do this by installing perching sticks. Some perching sticks are staked into the ground. Others can be installed on the side of your house or even on trees.
This Is How to Attract Birds to Your Yard
When you know all the best ways to attract birds to your yard, you’ll soon notice a variety of beautiful birds finding sanctuary in your own backyard. Use the advice given in this guide above to help you understand how to attract birds to your yard and create a yard that birds will flock to. Be sure to start out by meeting their basic needs and then offering other items of interest for them as well.
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