(Gen’s note: I use this feeder which has multiple barrels so I can attract different kinds of birds with only one feeder.) Chickadees love sunflower seeds, gold finches love nyjer thistle, and for even more variety, hang a suet cake and watch the woodpeckers come. A surefire hit with most birds is black oil sunflower seeds. If you put a type of seed the birds don’t like, they’ll just pitch it on the ground, which attracts rodents. But if you want to use a feeder to bring them up close where you can show them to your kids and appreciate their splendid qualities, choose a high quality bird seed ( more on that here – and some DIY recipes). Many people recommend against using feeders because it’s best for birds to find the nutritious natural food sources. (More on great wildlife-attracting plants for the coastal Northwest here.) Not only do native plants provide nectar and berries at the right times of year, but they also host the native insects which birds use as a major food source, especially when nesting and raising the baby birds who become next year’s flock. Try snowberry, evergreen huckleberry, elderberry, flowering currant, and Oregon grape for nectar or berries but pretty much any native will be a win. (More about providing water for wildlife here.)įood: The best way to feed the birds is to use as many native plants as possible in your garden. Place it away from cover so cats can’t lurk, but near enough to trees for birds to have a safe place to scope out the joint before moving in. Make sure you wash the bath out once a week and refresh the water daily. If you birdbath doesn’t have gently sloping sides which make an easy “beach” for birds to land and gently get in, adding some smooth rocks or pebbles can help make a landing perch. The birdbath you chose should be pretty shallow, with most of it an inch or shallower for smaller birds. Having a bird bath in your yard will attract not only the birds that are at your feeders but other wildlife as well, such as dragonflies and peaceful honeybees. A birdbath or fountain is the simplest way to start, and it makes a great addition to the backyard or garden, since they come in all shapes and styles. At any rate, supplying water can be as simple as a birdbath or as elaborate as a pond with a waterfall. But few realize how important bathing is to keep their feathers in shape. Water sources: Birds need water for two main reasons: drinking and bathing. So how can we, as gardeners, provide these necessities for the birds who visit us? So what exactly do you need to do to keep birds hanging around your yard and garden?īirds basically need three things to survive: water, food and shelter. But hanging up a few feeders isn’t enough to create a true backyard habitat for birds inviting them to come and “stay a spell” takes careful consideration of their needs. Watching birds swoop and listening to them sing are some of the many joys of gardening.
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