What better way to
beautify your garden than to fill it with birds? Birds add color and
life to any garden. If you’re wondering why other’s gardens have birds
galore and yours is lacking residents, follow these tips and you’ll have
a feather filled garden in no time.
Birds, like all
wildlife needs four things to survive.
Food, Shelter, Water and a Place to
raise their young.
Let's start backwards:
The first thing birds need to be happy is shelter, which can be provided
with nesting boxes. Nestboxes can be purchased from many different
stores, but it’s cheaper and often more effective to build your own.
What type of birdhouse you need depends on what kind of bird you want to
attract. Try to place the houses in areas that are more hidden where
birds will feel safe and comfortable. See our
Nest Box page for more information.
Providing adequate shelter for birds also means giving them appropriate
nesting materials; this can help them turn their nest box into a
comfortable home. Birds usually use hard materials for structure and
soft materials to fill in the gaps. Good nesting materials include
string, hair (yours or your dogs as long as the hair is not chemically
treated), twigs, moss, fabric, and even dryer lint (as long as you do
not use dryer sheets). Basically, they’ll use anything long and skinny,
or soft materials that can be pulled that way.
Another essential factor for attracting birds to your garden is water.
Birdbaths are the best option because they are shallow for swimming and
have edges for drinking. If you have a large garden, you can add more
than one bird bath. If you do, try to have them in sunny and shady
places so birds can choose. Along with attracting feathered friends,
bird baths also add a decorative touch. See our Birdbath page for
details.
Another important factor for attracting birds is food. While water and
housing may entice your birds to stay, they’ll probably find your garden
in their search for something to eat. You should provide birds with a
variety of different seeds, fruits, and nuts. They need a balanced diet
just like you do. One thing you might want to consider is whether or not
to feed prepared food. While it’s better for birds to have fresh food,
this may also cause unwanted plants in your garden and surrounding
areas. Just like houses, feeders should be placed in areas where a bird
feels comfortable and safe from predators. Birds also like to feast on
insects, so make sure your garden has good rich soil to promote creepy
crawly critters to stay too.
When trying to attract birds to your garden patience is the key. Even if
you provide all the essentials for birds, they still may not show up
right away. You should give them time to find your garden and then make
a habit of visiting. Even if you don’t get birds right away, keep
trying.
I just found this
really cool product, that I am going to request from Santa this year:
Hawk Eye Nature Cam and Color Video Birdhouse
Color Video Birdhouse View color video of activities inside a wild
bird's nest or at feeders.
A protective weather shield lets you use this camera indoors or
out. Ideal for viewing all the activity inside a nest box or at your
bird feeders.
During the day, the camera sends real-time color video and
sound to your television or computer. At night, Hawk Eye's infrared
lights take over. Simply mount the Hawk Eye in a nest box, next to a
feeder, or anywhere you want to watch wildlife. Run the Hawk Eye's 100
ft cord into the house, plug it into the television, and then sit back
and prepare yourself for the surprising beauty you catch on camera. Hawk
Eye Camera includes 100 ft plug and play cable, weather shield, mounting
hardware and adaptors. Color Video Birdhouse includes the Hawk Eye
Camera, plus a solid unfinished pine house with side opening for
cleanout, 1-1/2" entrance hole, and mounting hook. Attracts bluebirds,
chickadees, titmice, swallows and wrens. Cam: 1-1/2" x 1" x 1" high;
Birdhouse: 6" x 8-1/4" x 12-1/2" high.100 ft.
Website Developed & Maintained
by
Mountain Path Media
