Attracting birds

You can hang a feeder in the garden to see who comes to visit, but also consider what else the birds might need. Flowers with nectar, seeds they like and berries for winter food. Birds like to drink at water features and cool off in birdbaths. They need trees and shrubs for perches and protection from wind. Native plants attract birds and supply some food as well.

 

 

Many birds help by eating flying pests in your garden. Nature lovers and birdwatchers can view birds simply by providing food and shelter for them all year round. Some birds stay the winter and will keep visiting if food is near. Start to place some seed out in fall just before winter sets in. Continue to fill the feeders every week until spring. That's when the birds can find plenty to eat on their own. By planting evergreens like pine, spruce and cedar you can provide nesting and roosting sites. The seeds from ornamental grasses are eaten by finches and chickadee. They will nest in the tall grass. They like native plants like thistles, Coneflower, Milkweed so leave the flower head on the plants to provide some seeds. Dill, parsley, corn, fennel and carrot all provide good seeds for birds. It's simple to add a hedge row of raspberries, serviceberry, choke cherry, highbush cranberry, crab apple or grape to provide a wind break as well as food and shelter for birds. Cut off the whole head of your sunflowers and tie to a fence or hang from low branches of trees to feed the birds. Use recycled objects to fill with suet and seeds for hanging bird feeders.

 

Thick rows of rose bushes, dogwood, snowberry, currents or willow added to a hedge to provide food and perches for birds. Always leave the trimming and cleanup until spring. Common birds like Blue Jay, Cardinal, Goldfinch, Junco, Grosbeak, Chickadee and Sparrow all enjoy most sunflower and mixed seeds. Add these to bacon fat and peanut butter to coat logs or pine cones. Hang the treats out on branches close to a window and watch them enjoy. Hummingbirds are so fast and so tiny you might not know you have some visiting unless you're looking for them. By planting their favorite nectar plants and choosing red and orange bloom colors you will have success in attracting some hummingbirds. They feed 3 to 5 times a day on nectar from tube shape flowers like coral bells, trumpet vine, columbine, Salvia, Penstemon and Canna lily.