Appeal to Songbirds With a "Birdscaped" Yard

When it comes to making a home and yard more appealing to people, homeowners understand the value of landscaping. Making yards more attractive to birds and other wildlife takes a slightly different type of planning.. we'll call it "birdscaping."

People typically make their landscaping choices based on what looks good and is easy to maintain. If you take the next step and consider how those choices affect your feathered friends, you can create a backyard habitat that will support birds, and will welcome pollinators.

Birdscaping focuses on offering a combination of food, shelter, water and places where birds can safely raise their young.

Attracting a variety of birds takes a variety of foods. The best way to provide that food is through vegetation that produces nuts, berries, fruits, seeds and nectar. You can supplement the plants you have with feeders. 

In order to meet your birds’ needs, it is important to have at least one foundational feeder that dependably provides food every day. Studies have demonstrated that a constant, and reliable source of supplemental food helps to improve the overall health and body condition of wild birds.

This foundational feeder should be able to accommodate many birds at one time like our hopper, tube or cylinder feeders. It should have a quality food that attracts the widest variety of birds like our No-Mess Blend or No-Mess Cylinder. It should hold enough food for at least four days giving birds a reliable food source, ensuring you’ll have more birds to watch! Be sure it works for you, too, by placing it where it is easy to fill and easy to see.

Having a foundational feeder in your yard that never goes empty is key to helping birds improve and maintain their overall health and helping you enjoy more birds. 

Depending on the species, anything from small shrubs to brush piles to mature trees will provide that shelter, so having several types will serve the needs of many birds. Use plants that are native to our local climate and suitable for your yard’s type of soil.

Having a clean source of water will also attract a wider variety of birds. Birds need water just as much as they need food, because their high metabolic rate and respiratory system drains moisture from their bodies quickly. Birds use water for more than just a thirst quencher; they also use it for bathing and preening their feathers. Clean feathers are important for birds’ health and optimum flying ability.

The final element ensures the viability of your yard as an ongoing habitat. As more natural habitat is destroyed, it’s important that we provide usable replacements such as nesting boxes.

Many bird population have substantially declined over the past few decades. Enjoy more beautiful birds in your yard and learn how you can contribute to saving the songbirds.

 https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds/