Posted on: April 30, 2007
Here a Tweet, There a Tweet
Build a bird-friendly backyard by allowing nature into your landscape
By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features
When roses are blooming and the lawn is lush, the sights and smells of a garden are nearly complete. For many gardeners, however, one backyard challenge remains: inviting the sounds of nature to join the outdoor party.
Nothing announces spring better than birdsong, and in order to lure feathered friends to the backyard for a chirping concerto, gardeners need to do a little more than hang a feeder.
“The first thing is to take inventory of your yard and its value to the native birds,” says Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest, a national bi-monthly magazine. “If it’s a lawn and a fence and a sapling, it’s not very useful or attractive to birds.”
Whether living in the balmy South or the unpredictable Midwest, birds need four basic things to thrive: food, water, shelter and a place to raise their young, says Thompson. He suggests a trip to a wild bird store, or contacting a local bird club or state conservation office to obtain knowledge of the specific birds in your area and their natural habitats.
Although adding trees and shrubs can help attract birds, there are several less-expensive options to make a yard as natural-looking as possible. For starters, Thompson suggests letting a corner of your backyard grow wild. Also consider creating small piles of brush, wood and rocks for shelter.
While some birds prefer to raise their young in trees, Thompson says as many as 85 different species, from wrens to chickadees to hawks and even owls, will nest in birdhouses. The best, most functional birdhouses provide access and protection, and are not necessarily the cutest model or one hand painted by an artist.
According to Thompson, feeders are more for human benefit than that of the birds.
“Bird feeding is about bringing the birds up close where you can see them,” Thompson points out. “Birds don’t really need us to feed them.”
To meet the desires of both bird and bird-watcher, try not to put the feeder too far from natural cover. Also, don’t spend an exorbitant amount on gourmet seed before consulting your local wild bird store, club or state conservation expert to ensure it will attract local fliers.
And while it might sound less than appealing, hanging a clothesline for the birds allows their droppings – complete with digested seeds – to fall to the ground below, causing birds to literally plant their own food.
As for water, Thompson knows a surefire way to attract birds to your bird bath.
“Moving water drives birds crazy,” he says. “Birds will drop a half-mile out of the sky to visit moving clear water.”
Take an empty milk jug, poke a hole in the top and bottom and fill it with water. Then hang it so the water will drip into the birdbath.
If you want the birds to hang around your bath, make sure it isn’t too slippery or deep. Stay away from the big, glazed ceramic bird bath more than five-inches deep.
“Birds like a big, wide, shallow basin,” Thompson says. He adds that a small layer of pea gravel at the bottom of the birdbath topped with two inches of water makes an excellent bathing experience. It’s important to clean your birdbath regularly and change the water every few days.
Before you know it, the birds will be singing your praises in your own backyard.
