When you have a garden, you may want to fill the space with the sound of songbirds, which can make the space enjoyable to sit in on a warm day and also give you a front-row seat to observe nature.
However, you need more than an outdoor space to get your feathered friends flocking, as even the humble pigeon has quite specific tastes when it comes to visiting a garden.
So, here, you will be guided through some of the best ways to make your garden prime real estate for wild birds.
Put Out Food
A surefire way to get birds to come to your garden is to put some food out for them. Make sure you use the right birdfeeders and that they are elevated off the ground to prevent rats and mice from getting hold of the food. You can go online and explore wild bird food collection ideas, as some foods will work better than others to attract birds at different times of the year.
Add Water
The source of all life in a back garden is water, and if you are eager to attract birds, add some to your outdoor space. This can be in the form of a wildlife pond, a water feature, or even a bird bath. If the water is moving, it will prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in it and will also keep it fresher, but in hot weather, you will need to top it up more often.
Also, while it sounds obvious, don’t add any chemicals to the water in a water feature. If it turns green, just empty it and replace it.
Plant Trees
A simple way to get birds flocking to your yard or garden is to plant trees. These don’t have to be huge; even a 6 or 7-foot tree in a pot will do the trick.
Trees that bear fruit are ideal for birds in the spring, as many birds enjoy pecking away at apples and pears when they can. Ideal options include a crab apple tree, a mulberry tree, and even a holly tree. Just make sure that if you are planting the tree in the ground, there is adequate space for the roots to spread. The last thing you want is to have to replace the foundation of your house because the roots have cracked it!
Hedges Work Too!
In some cases, you may not have room in your back garden or yard for an oak tree. Indeed, if you are renting your property or simply don’t have the space for a large tree, you may want to look into planting a hedge.
Yes, there are many species of birds that love to nest in hedges as well as hunt for bugs in them. Some of the most notable birds in North America that frequent hedges include the Northern mockingbird, the American robin, the Eastern towhee, and the house sparrow. If you are in the UK or Europe, hedges are the favorite nesting spots of robins, dunnocks, blackbirds, the tit family, and the sparrow.
Leave Some Lawn Unattended
Another way you can make sure your yard attracts birds is to leave part of the yard wild. Why? Well, wild areas of grass and flowers attract insects, which in turn attract birds. Also, many species of birds like to dig for worms and feel safer doing so in the long grass as they are hidden from predators. So, aim to make sure that a segment of your outdoor space is wild.
