How to Attract Wild Birds to Your Backyard

How to attract wild birds to your backyard.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A love for wild birds.

1. How can you attract wild birds to your backyard feeders?
   
   Provide Shelter, Nesting, Food, Water, and Flowers

2. Shelter: Birds need protection from predators and inclement weather.

3. Nesting: Birds need safe areas for their eggs and young.

4. Food: Seeds, insects, fruits, nuts, berries, legumes

5. Water: Birds need water for drinking and bathing.

6. Flowers and Plants: Create a backyard habitat by selecting plants that produce seeds, berries, or nectar.

7. There are many types of bird feeders including:
   
   Tube feeders
   Platform feeders
   Hopper feeders
   Nyger (thistle) feeders
   Caged feeders
   Fruit feeders
   Hummingbird feeders
   Window feeders
   Suet and Block feeders

8. The type of feeder you decide to buy will depend on the type of birds that live in your area and which birds you would like to attract. Generally, platform feeders may invite pigeons and doves. Pigeons and doves prefer to eat from the ground or a platform. They are not fond of hanging from tube feeders. How do I reduce the number of pigeons and doves eating from my feeders?

Tips & Warnings

• My suggestion: Purchase plastic tube feeders and shorten the perches. Caged bird feeders (small entry openings for small birds only) and hopper feeders (weight activated spring system) will also prevent larger birds (pigeons, doves) and squirrels from eating from your feeders.
• Small and medium sized songbirds have no problems hanging from hanging feeders. Neither do blackbirds. Blackbirds love to eat! They tend to discourage smaller songbirds from visiting your feeders. Blackbirds can flock by the dozens at a backyard bird feeder. How do I reduce the quantity of blackbirds at my backyard feeders?
• My suggestion: Shorten perches on plastic tube feeders, purchase caged bird feeders for small birds. I have heard people suggest safflower seeds instead of mixed seeds (millet, milo, etc.) however, most types of blackbirds eat almost anything! Generally, blackbirds are not totally comfortable eating from short perch feeders for very long. Depending on where you live ... by attracting more desirable birds to overpopulate your backyard may help to reduce the quantity of blackbirds. Otherwise, do not refill the feeders for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, they will look for another fast food restaurant.

Resources

• Wild Birds

[thetruthseeker]

on 6/24/2009 Excellent practical easy to follow suggestions! Thanks!