How to Turn Your Yard into a Haven for Birds
There’s a lot more to landscaping than manicured lawns and trimmed hedges. You can get much more out of your landscape by creating a wild bird paradise in your yard. Not only will the plants and flowers help to increase the property value of your home by creating an appealing yard, but you can also help the local wildlife in your area with just a little bit of effort. Wild birds, in particular, are a popular addition to suburban yards, and creating a friendly environment for them will do more than just provide entertainment from watching all the different varieties around your birdfeeders. There is a great deal of benefit in attracting birds to your yard. Here’s what you need to know about creating a bird-friendly environment on your property, and why taking the time to do this will be well worth the effort.
Benefits of Attracting Wild Birds
Wild birds in your yard can provide a number of important benefits. One benefit that homeowners might not have considered is that birds can offer excellent pest and weed control. In addition to feasting on the nut and berry mixes you might place in your bird feeder, many wild birds eat a large number of insects, some of which you might not want to see in your garden. For instance, birds love to eat beetles, earwigs, moths, spiders, aphids, and mosquitos among other insect varieties. Lots of wild birds in your yard can help with pest control. Many species of birds, including sparrows and finches, also enjoy feasting on the seeds dropped by weeds in your yard, making them fairly effective at weed control, as well.
Like bees, birds that sip nectar are great pollinators for trees, flowers, and other plants in your yard. These can include hummingbirds and orioles. Other species will also naturally spread pollen as they fly around to different trees and plants. Consider also that if you curate an environment to appeal to local wild birds, you are also likely going to be planting native plants and using other available local resources, making your backyard birding a form of environmental conservation. Native plants are a great choice for any yard since they often require less water and maintenance and are more resistant to disease than exotic varieties, but they are also extremely appealing to local wild birds and other wildlife in your area. Many species of birds, as well as other wildlife, are also experiencing a marked loss of natural habitats. Making your yard an oasis for these creatures can help preserve these populations of birds not only on a local scale, but also on a national and even global scale.
Providing the Essentials
Attracting birds to your yard is not as difficult as you might think. If you provide birds with the essentials they will need for survival, the birds will come. There are three essentials you’ll need to focus on: water, food, and the right shelter. Birds are particularly attracted to water that is moving, so if you already have a birdbath in your yard, consider adding a solar-powered bubbler to attract the birds. You might even consider going further and adding a water feature to your yard. Consider an outdoor fountain to add interest and movement, or even a small pond with a bubbler or a waterfall. You’ll add beauty and interest to your yard while attracting local birds at the same time.
Providing food for your birds is also essential. You can add some bird feeders in your yard to provide a source of food, but in particular, try keeping your bird feeders up and filled during the colder months. If you have multiple bird feeders, you can fill them with different types of seeds, nuts, fruit, or even insect mixes to attract various species to your yard and provide something for everyone. Don’t forget to also consider adding fruit or seed-bearing plants to your landscape, as well. Not only will these plants provide a food source for birds, but they will also provide interest and beauty in a variety of different seasons. Plants like butterfly bush, forsythia, winterberry, honeysuckle, and trees like dogwood, birch, and crabapple all provide some elements that birds crave. Whether it’s simply the shelter of the branches or the fruit or seeds the plant produces, plants can add interest to your yard and attract a large variety of native birds, as well.
You might also consider offering birds a birdhouse or two, providing them with a safe place to shelter. Not all birds will use a birdhouse, and they tend to attract specific species like sparrows, chickadees, or bluebirds. However, the birds you attract will depend on the size of your birdhouse, so choose accordingly.
With just a little thought and preparation, you can turn your own landscape into a bird-friendly backyard paradise. Get started, and soon you can enjoy the local wildlife all year-round.
