Attracting Cheerful Backyard Songbirds

Pexels Photo by Tina Nord

The sound of birdsong can be very peaceful. As various species of birds join in on the chorus, it can make your outdoor space feel like a serene retreat from the day’s demands. If this sounds like a dream come true, you’re in luck: There are plenty of ways to attract birds to your backyard. Below, we’ll go over a few to help get you started.

The first thing to do is look up which bird species are in your region. Knowing what you expect to see throughout the year can help make the space as welcoming as possible. It also helps in attracting your favorites. For instance, some birds will only pass through your area during migration, and putting out food specifically for them may go to waste. 

Once you have a good idea of what to expect, it’s time to prepare your backyard. While uprooting your landscaping isn’t necessary, there are native foliage and flowers you could add to make the space more welcoming to birds and the insects they eat. As prey, birds will be drawn to a space with shelter, such as protective shrubs and evergreen trees. Some species have specific preferences, especially regarding meeting their nesting needs. Another consideration is replacing a small portion of your lawn with tall grasses and meadow plants to offer birds seeds and potential nesting spots.

Speaking of seeds, a bird feeder stocked with food is one of the easiest ways to lure in some feathered friends. There are a lot of designs to choose from when it comes to feeders. If squirrels are abundant in your area, consider squirrel-proof models. You can also buy a version designed for a certain species of birds, such as a hummingbird feeder, or one designed for all sorts of species, like a hopper feeder which draws in finches, jays, cardinals, sparrows, and more.

In addition to picking the right feeder, you may need to be mindful of the food blend. Depending on the birds in your area, a simple seed blend containing millet and cracked corn or a bag of black oil sunflower seeds should do the trick. However, if you want woodpeckers and nuthatches, you can opt for suet, especially in the winter, to help them thrive when food is scarce. You could also do an assortment of feeders and food to invite a menagerie of wild fowls.

A birdbath or fountain is another top recommendation for enticing wildlife. Like us, birds need access to clean water for drinking and bathing. Be sure to keep these features, as well as the feeders, clean. Otherwise, mold and mildew may form, and it could even spread disease. A few last pointers include keeping cats away from the yard, removing obstacles birds might fly into, and avoiding using pesticides and other hazardous chemicals where they bathe, feed, or nest. 

By providing the necessities of life, you can transform your backyard into a paradise for both you and the birds you would like to hear sing. Want to learn more about attracting songbirds? Check out the accompanying resource from Bird-X for further information. 

 

Graphic created by Bird-X.

Resources

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SuMMM-KbXUZlXG3UOdvpPVGyzmPdBmqj/view?usp=sharing

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-best-ways-to-attract-more-songbirds-to-your-property

https://www.perkypet.com/advice/bird-watching/attracting-songbirds/getting-started