| Topics: Six Ways to Attract More Birds FAQs re: birds Gardening with birds in mind Featured feeders Bird-related Sales items |
Six Ways to Attract More Birds
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Put
Out The Welcome Mat!
Habitat loss is the biggest challenge facing birds. You can help by making your neighborhood more attractive to birds by landscaping with natural plants that provide food, shelter and nesting sites. Providing feeders, nest boxes and water also benefits birds. -
Prepare A Proper Menu
Providing the appropriate foods year round will attract more birds to your yard and help ensure that they have a safe and nutritious diet. Buy better food and you’ll get better birds. It’s that easy. Specifically, look for foods that are clean and feature real nuts and berries. -
Keep Feed And
Feeding Areas Clean
To help reduce the possibility of disease transmission in birds, clean feeders and feeding areas at least once a month. -
Birds And
Chemicals Don’t Mix
Many pesticides, herbicides and fungicides are toxic to birds; avoid using these near areas where birds feed, bathe or rest. -
Keep Cats Away
From Birds
Scientists estimate that cats probably kill hundreds of millions of birds each year in the U.S. This is a big problem, but it’s easy to fix. Many people who enjoy feeding birds also love cats. The best solution is to keep cats indoors. They will lead longer, healthier lives and your yard will be safer for birds. -
Reduce Window
Collisions
Collisions with glass windows kill millions of wild birds every year. Depending on their size and location, some windows reflect the sky or vegetation, and birds are fooled into thinking they can fly through them. Attaching decorative decals or other decorations to the outside surface of the glass can reduce reflections. Feeder birds fleeing predators are vulnerable to window collisions. Consider moving feeders within three feet of windows so that the birds cannot accelerate to injury level speeds while flying away.
* Information from wilddelight.com
- Replace the seed and clean the feeder. The high oil content in many seeds and mixes can become rancid. Make sure the store from which you purchase your food keeps fresh inventory.
- Check your seed mixture. It may be the wrong mix for the birds you want to attract.
- Make sure you have the correct feeder.
- Make sure the feeder’s holes are open and not plugged. Many inexpensive wild bird food products contain high levels of sticks and other debris that will clog holes and ports.
Many people like to feed sparrows. Others prefer not to have sparrows. To avoid sparrows, use foods that do not contain millet, milo or corn.
* Information from wilddelight.com
Gardening for the birds
Gardening and landscaping for wildlife
are great ways to beautify our yards and communities while
still providing for wildlife. Many of the plants that we use
in ordinary landscaping can and do attract wildlife. For
instance, annuals like cosmos, zinnia, and sunflower provide
nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. As a bonus,
ripe seeds of these plants are readily eaten by songbirds.
Perennials such as purple coneflower, cardinal flower, bee
balm, and butterfly milkweed again provide nectar. And,
coneflower seed is a favorite of goldfinches plus the
milkweed is a host plant for the monarch butterfly
caterpillar. Shrubs including serviceberry, dogwood, sumac,
elderberry, and chokeberry will supply food for birds. Trees
(oak, ash, sweet gum, apple, crabapple, and maple) also
produce nuts, fruits, and/or seeds that will be used by
birds and other wildlife. Vines such as American
bittersweet, scarlet trumpet creeper, and grape are equally
valuable.
| Featured feeders | |
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Birds that use this feeder: Cardinals, Chickadees, Finches, Goldfinches, Grosbeaks, Juncos, Kinglets, Nuthatches, Redpolls, Siskins, Sparrows, Titmice, Woodpeckers and Wrens. Specifications:
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American Bird
is a great way to promote Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Veterans Day and Christmas. Birds that use this feeder: Specifications: Seed or Feed Options: Nyjer Seed |
