How to Attract Wild Birds to Your Yard

Attracting wild birds to your landscape is really quite simple; provide them with water, a food source, and a safe haven. By following the steps below, you can create an environment that will attract wild birds to your yard.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. NATURALIZE. Plant ornamental grasses, sunflowers, holly bushes, fruit trees and other food bearing plants. These plants will not only feed the birds, but will beautify the landscape at the same time.

2. HANG FEEDERS. Provide birds with extra nutrition by hanging feeders in trees and on poles. Invest in platform feeders for ground feed birds, tube feeders for perching birds, thistle feeders for finches, suet feeders for insect eating birds and liquid feeders for hummingbirds.
   
   Like every living thing, birds need water so don’t forget the birdbath. (See step 3)

3. RUN A BATH. Birds love to frolic in water. Place birdbaths, drip trays and other shallow containers throughout the yard. If the birdbath is deep, throw in a rock or two for small birds to perch. Rocks will also provide some grit in a slippery container.
   
   Install an immersion heater to keep birdbath from icing over in the winter.

4. PROTECT THEM. Protect birds from their four-legged enemies. Plant thorny plants such as roses, cacti, barberry and holly around birdbaths and feeding stations. Dangle hanging birdbaths from trees. Place feeders and birdbaths next to trees and shrubbery to give them a sense of security.

5. LET IT DRIP. Birds like the sound of dripping water. Add a dripper or mister to a birdbath or water feature. Invest in a fountain. Turn on the sprinkler.

6. PROVIDE NESTING MATERIAL. Nature provides numerous nesting materials such as leaves, twigs, bark, moss and pine needles, but it never hurts to lend a helping hand. Yarn, string, feathers, and pet and human hair are all good supplements. Hang material in a suet feeder or basket to keep material from blowing away.

7. HOUSE THEM. Make or buy birdhouses and nesting boxes. Hang in shady and protected areas where birds have a straight and easy path to the entry.

8. COLOR IT. Most birds have a keen sense of color. Plant bright flowers such as zinnias, cosmos, marigolds, asters, bee balm and sunflowers. Hummingbirds are especially fond of tubular shapes and like red, pink and orange.

[kristara]

on 8/21/2009 Great tips for attracting birds 5*