9 Ways to Attract A Higher Diversity of Birds to Your Yard
Songbirds, raptors, and hummingbirds need different resources to survive. By catering to all types of birds, you’ll invite a higher diversity of them to your garden. Use these nine simple techniques from native plant gardener Jerad Bryant to lure birds into your yard.
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Gardens aren’t just for gardeners; they’re full of treasures for pollinators, hungry herbivores, and ferocious predators. No animal is an island—all the animals in your backyard are part of a larger ecosystem that includes the plants, wildlife, and surrounding habitats.
When you cater to the small insects, you unknowingly help songbirds. Many avian species rely on moths’ caterpillars as a food source. Others, like aphid eaters, eat insect pests before their populations get out of control. Cater to all the bird types, and you’ll help create a strong, resilient, and diverse ecological habitat in the yard.
The most difficult bird species to attract are the raptors, or birds of prey. They target and eat smaller songbirds, rodents, and mammals. Owls, hawks, falcons, and eagles are the common predatory species. Invite them to your garden by inviting their prey; where there are ample food sources, the animals will show up!
Grow Native Plants
Flowering native plants are the solution! Native species are a boon for pollinators, hungry birds, and predatory insects. Though non-native plants contain pollen and nectar, their flowers often have different shapes or structures than those of our local species.
Because of the different shapes and mechanisms, native animals struggle to access the pollen and nectar inside the blossoms. Native plants, however, evolved alongside our endemic animal populations. When you plant them, you offer a ready source of nutrition for the animals that need it most.
Not only do native plants offer nectar and pollen for pollinating birds, but their blossoms also attract native insects that they like to eat. After pollination and fertilization, many plant species grow seed heads or pods that feed hungry songbirds in the fall and winter. The benefits are endless!
Non-native plants aren’t all that bad, as some offer floral resources for generalist birds that can access different flowers. It’s okay to grow non-spreading garden plants you enjoy cultivating, but it’s a good idea to avoid invasive species at all costs.
Plant Trees and Shrubs
Some bird types live on the ground, while others prefer trees, and still others thrive on rocky slopes. Growing large shrubs and trees provides ample habitats so the flying critters can escape predators. They’ll also use the tall trees to nest, mate, and store food.
Many birds prefer living in cavities during the winter months. They’ll use burrows or holes inside tree limbs that other animals carved out. Woodpeckers, chickadees, and swallows all use these spaces to overwinter, create nests, and raise their young.
The best trees and shrubs are those native to your region, though well-behaved garden cultivars are also welcome. Choose flowering species that sprout many seeds, as the flowers and seeds are nutritious and delicious for local critters. Oaks, maples, conifers, and fruit trees are all good choices.
Plan for All Seasons
Some seasons have scarce resources! Most plants flower in spring or late summer, and there are gaps during the middle of summer and winter when not many food sources are available. When you plant flowering species for all four seasons, you provide nectar and seeds while they’re scarce in the local environment.
Birds will flock to your yard if they see food during winter! Though some avian critters leave cold regions and migrate to warmer ones, others overwinter in place. They rely on seed heads, berries, and flowers that persist from fall into early winter. Some species stockpile the resources, while others continuously forage.
Consider planting early emerging plants like hellebores, spring flowering bulbs, and currants, and late fruiting ones like osoberry, coralberry, or snowberry. The more food is available year-round, the more birds will show up at the site.
Create Habitats
Small gardens or ones without trees may lack the habitat space for local bird populations. To attract a bird, you must think like a bird! If you were looking to hide or create shelter and you could fly, where would you go?
Many bird populations reside on woody limbs above ground, though others prefer nesting in low-growing shrubs. Birdhouses provide the perfect homes for these creatures. They’re available at farmers’ markets and online, or you can make one yourself!
Though birdhouses work well, you can also create natural habitats in your yard. In addition to trees and dense shrubs, tall grasses and perennials create a dense ground cover for at-risk populations.
Leave Pests Alone
The first sign of aphids may have you grabbing pesticides to get rid of them, but did you know they’re an important food source for predators? Yellow warblers eat them readily from spring through fall when they’re abundant. Spraying the aphids coats them in toxic pesticides that may harm the warblers if they eat them.
Other pests, like grubs, caterpillars, and pillbugs, are tender snacks for the avian creatures. They love the protein-rich bugs! When you leave them in your garden, you allow the local bird species to control them so you don’t have to.
Slugs and snails are excellent food sources. You can help provide them by laying down a wooden board near your crops. Pick the board up in the morning, and you’ll find tons of snails and slugs underneath it. Uncover them and place them in the open as an offering to your feathered friends.
Avoid Pesticides and Herbicides
Herbicides aren’t the only chemicals that harm songbirds. Pesticides and fungicides may also cause short or long-term damage to the local animals. It’s best to use prevention and cultural controls before thinking about chemical solutions.
Not only do these sprays harm local populations, but they also cause pest-predator imbalances. Sprays with neonicotinoids are especially harmful, as they are indiscriminate in their killing. They work on bees and predatory wasps just as well as on pests.
If you do decide to target pests or weeds with pesticides or herbicides, choose formulas that are specific to the pest you’re targeting. Specific formulations are often less harmful than generic pesticides, as they target the pests and not the entire ecosystem.
Cultivate a Messy Garden
Messy gardens have ample benefits for attracting birds to your yard! Not only do they help our feathered friends, but they also help the other animals living around our homes. Leaf litter, brush piles, and overgrown lawns are all features of a messy garden. The more things you leave untouched, the more hiding spaces exist for songbirds and raptors.
Leaf litter is perfect for these feathered creatures. Under the leaves lie worms, grubs, and insects that they eat. You’ll see American robins poking under the leaves in search of tasty critters. Lawns are beneficial too, as they offer a worm buffet for hungry birdies. The short grass blades allow them to poke their beaks into the soil where they search for food.
Another aspect of messy gardening is leaving spent perennials, flowers, and seed heads in the garden. Avoid cleaning up the space in the fall or early spring. Stems house bees and insects, while seed heads feed the birdies; when you cut them down, you destroy the resources they rely upon for survival.
Use a Bird Feeder
Bird feeders are excellent sources of nutrition for these feathery creatures! Which type to use depends on the species you’re hoping to attract. Songbirds, warblers, and similar types prefer seed feeders with sunflower, aster, and daisy seeds.
Others, like hummingbirds, rely on sugary solutions to survive. They feed on nectar, which is essentially sugar water that plants secrete. Mix four parts water to one part sugar, and use cane sugar without additives. Replace the solution often in summer and every few days during cold weather.
Suet is the third type of feed available. It consists of beef fat, and it’s a high-energy source of food for feathered critters. Suet spoils in high heat, and it’s best for the winter season when other food sources are scarce. Suet and suet cakes help feed woodpeckers, nuthatches, starlings, chickadees, and jays.
Add Bird Baths
Water helps birds, but it also benefits bees, butterflies, and thirsty pollinators. Putting a bird bath in your garden is a great way to offer a water source to thirsty visitors. Bird baths are a simple way to add water to the site, though ponds, fountains, and water features are all viable options.
For best results, replace the water every three to four days. Diseases and pests thrive in standing water, and replacing it prevents them from growing. Predators may target unsuspecting songbirds in the bath; keep the area clear, and avoid creating hiding spots for neighborhood cats or natural predators.
Bath water is great, but dripping water is better! Birds love dripping water, as it creates a waterfall-like situation where they can clean themselves. Hang a hose up high and let it trickle on low for an easy DIY water-dripping station.
