Tips for attracting backyard birds
Become a wild bird feeder! Attracting backyard birds is easy when you feed them well.
Picture, above: a woodpecker occasionally visits our wild bird feeders
Help your local wildlife - starting with the birds
There are loads of ways that you can help your local wildlife, birds in particular. Birds are an asset in any garden or backyard. They sing melodiously (OK, they wake you up at four in the morning!) and they look amazing. They are often entertaining to watch and kids love them.
As part of the wider environment, birds contribute to the eco-system, so attracting them to your yard or garden - or even to your windowsill - can be a part of green lifestyle.
What's here?
Read on for the best and easiest options for a wild bird feeder for your home and for good sources of food for the birds.
Become a wild bird feeder!
What can we do to encourage birds?
The first thing to do is to feed them. Regularly.
Many birds are under threat as their natural habitats shrink, thanks to human activities. Many birds we cannot help much at home because they do not normally visit. Such birds as wheatears for example are rarely seen in gardens, except in the hills or more remote areas.
But plenty of our visiting garden birds are under stress and they will benefit from being fed. A good quality wild bird feeder helps with this aim.
We can also attract backyard birds by giving them more suitable habitat places to feed, roost and breed.
Whats the best way to feed birds?
Picture above: One of the best ways to feed the birds is by planting the best trees and shrubs so that they can feed themselves. Here Mahonia berries are ripening and nearly ready in the early spring snow.
The very best way to feed the birds is to provide good natural food sources, as above. Fruiting shrubs and trees are natural wild bird feeders! However, birds will still benefit from supplementary feeding with commercial bird feeds and kitchen scraps.
This is a big subject because all birds have their own natural diets. But in practice, its quite simple.
Supplementary feeding with many of the things we eat can be part of that of their diets. We can also supply them with many kinds of seeds and grains. Birds will generally select the best types for themselves from what you provide.
Become a wild bird feeder!
Suitable scraps for feeding the birds
Scraps from the table can be used (especially if you are eating , wholegrain foods) but don’t put out meat, or meat fat. Those birds that eat meat, eat it raw.
Old bread and left-over crackers can go on the bird table. Dont put out anything that is mouldy. Wholemeal products are better than white. Organic food is better for birds, just as it is better for us.
Bread which has gone rock-hard will be easier for the birds if it is soaked first in water.
Left-over cooked rice and other grains...
Click here to read more from Green Footsteps
