How to Attract More Birds to your Backyard

Bird feeders that are kept regularly stocked with the right kind of food are magnets for many bird species.

Many species of birds flock to backyards looking for food, water, and shelter. By making sure your backyard is supplied with the appropriate seed, feeders, birdbaths and plants, you can substantially increase the chances that they will frequently grace your property. Attracting more birds to your backyard requires research and patience, but it is well worth the effort.

Things You'll Need

• Seed
• Feeders
• Birdbath

Instructions

1. Purchase bird seed that matches the taste preferences of the birds you want to attract that live in your area. Choose black sunflower for birds that eat seeds, like jays, corn for corvids and quails and peanuts for woodpeckers, for example. Purchase feeders that match the chosen birds; some birds prefer hanging feeders, others like feeders that rest on the ground, while still others eat seeds scattered in the dirt.

2. Hang feeders, or scatter the seed, in your backyard. Place the feeders around the yard in different locations so you can observe which ones receive the most attention. Place the feeders near vines, bushes, trees or other backyard features that can shelter and protect the birds if predators are near. Plant evergreen plants and bushes like boxwood in your backyard for extra cover.

3. Install a birdbath to provide drinking and bathing water for birds in your backyard. Try to modify the birdbath with a pump or garden hose to make the water flow. Birds are more attracted to moving water than to still water, so a birdbath with moving water, like a oven pan hooked up to a hose, will substantially increase visits from your feathered visitors. Make sure the water is shallow enough to allow the birds to stand up in the pool.

4. Observe your backyard for several days or weeks and find out which kinds of seed and feeders attract the most birds. Replace seed when it gets too old and replace stagnant water every morning.

Tips & Warnings

• During the winter, try placing a peanut butter sandwich on a windowsill or wire platform to attract hungry local birds.

References

• Wild Birds Forever: Attracting More Wild Birds to your Backyard
• Surfbirds: Attracting Birds
• All About Birds: How to Attract Birds to your Yard