How to Attract Wildlife

Mother Nature can be wonderful to behold, but getting her little creatures to your backyard to enjoy is often the challenge. With a few suggestions and lots of persistence, you can attract wildlife to your home.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Wildlife guide
• Variety of feeders
• Variety of seeds
• Landscaping plants
• Cracked corn
• Sunflower seed

Making a Plan

1. Search the guide to determine the wildlife that is native to your area. No matter how great you prepare your area, you won’t attract moose in Alabama. You need to know what you are trying to attract before you start attracting
2. Watch out for the bad guys. There are some types wildlife you would rather not attract. Keep these in mind while you are making you plans.
3. Plan for night viewing with some soft lighting. Not everyone is out during the daylight hours.

Getting Started

4. Put your plan into action. Pick the area that you want to make your focus (preferably that is easy to view from the home) and get started.
5. Plant any shrubs or trees that you need. To attract wildlife, the area needs cover, food, and water. Cover is essential and even if you put out all the right foods the creatures won’t come if they don’t feel protected.
6. Make them a bath or a watering hole. A throwing disk with some stones will be just fine (and it will make sure you attract the smaller creatures).
7. Lay out the feast. There are different feeders for different birds. Put out a variety for your area. During the warmer months, be sure to put out hummingbird feeders. Fill all the feeders with a high quality feed (many mixes contain lots of grass seed which most birds just toss to the ground).

Dealing with Squirrels

8. Keeping squirrels out of your feeders is impossible. It doesn’t matter how fool proof the feeder is guaranteed to be, the squirrels will find a way in.
9. Give them their own feast. Put out some cracked corn or sunflower seeds in an area away from your other feeders but easy access for the squirrels. They tend to follow the path of least exertion.
10. Put out a watering source for the squirrels as well.

Waiting can be the Worst

11. Wait patiently. It takes time to attract wildlife, but once they start coming it will seem to never stop.
12. Keep the feeders from going empty. They don’t have to be completely full, but don’t let them go completely empty. You may have to start all over if that happens.
13. Switch out your feeders with the seasons. Some creatures are only around during certain times of the year. Make sure you have what you need to entertain them when they are in town.