How to Attract Birds to Your Yard

Enjoy bird watching from the comfort of your own home. Set up your home and yard to attract a large variety of birds beyond that of the common crow. Sit back and relax with your favorite pair of binoculars.

Instructions

Attract Birds to Your Yard

1. Provide the trifecta of food, water and shelter, and birds are sure to come your way.

2. Purchase a bird feeder from an online retailer like Amazon or Backyard Birds. Bird feeders come in a variety of sizes and shapes. There are also seed feeders, suet feeders and nectar feeders.

3. Choose the bird food based on the types of birds you would like to attract. Seeds attract the widest variety of birds, including chickadees and cardinals. Suet attracts insect-eaters like woodpeckers and nuthatches. Nectar feeders attract the always enjoyable hummingbird.

4. Place a birdbath in your yard. Water is just as important as food in a bird's diet. Bathing is also a daily bird routine and is often comical to watch. If you want a more upscale birdbath, find one that has running water or a fountain. Be sure that there are dry ledges in and around the birdbath so they can drink in cold weather and not have to get wet.

5. Tack up a birdhouse or two around your yard. If you are lucky you might spot a few fledglings, or perhaps a few generations of birds over the years. Try to keep the birdhouse in a protected location and not exposed and out in the open.

6. Take a more natural approach by building a garden fit for the birds. Lay down plants that have nectar and others that have seeds. Prickly plants or thick bushes are great for shelter. There also plants that attract insects. Trees are also great to have in a garden and provide food and shelter for many different types of birds.

Tips & Warnings

• Always keep your birdbath clean. You don't want to be the source of nasty bacteria or infection.

• Squirrels are extremely acrobatic and daring when it comes to food. Don't let their dogged persistence keep you from setting out bird feeders.