How to Attract Birds to Your Backyard

Create a Bird-Friendly Environment

Birds are the truest complement to any garden. When they are comfortable, they bring peace and serenity to a yard. Birds are also useful allies as they keep insect and small rodent populations in check.

You can create your own sanctuary to enjoy their colours, songs and habits. Birds are simple to cater to, and if you provide these three essentials, you will have no trouble attracting them into your backyard.

Food

Birds eat to survive. They fill their days feeding themselves and collecting food for their nestlings. Not all birds thrive on the same diet and there are plenty of options at your local store to attract a variety of birds according to their food preferences. Few birds will turn down bread, although it does not produce a balanced diet.

In their natural habitats, birds eat insects, seeds and fruit. We can imitate this diet with:

Grains and seeds: black sunflower seeds are the most popular among our feathered friends, although the black and white striped variety please as well. Corn (preferably ground), millet and thistle, along with sunflower seeds round out a balanced diet for most species.
Nuts and dried fruit: this mix is a particular favourite of blue jays as it is rich and nutritious, albeit a bit more expensive.
Fruits and flowers: your planting choices will dictate what you can provide on the fruits and flowers menu. Shrubs and trees that produce fruit like apples, cherries and oranges will attract species such as waxwings and orioles. Sunflowers are a favorite flower but cosmos, thistle and goldenrod are also popular.

Consider some of these choices to attract a variety of species to your garden.

Seed Eaters	Fruit Eaters	Humming Birds
Crabapple Mountain Ash Sherry Elder Honeysuckle Virginia Creeper Grapes	Sunflower Marigold Poppy Zinnia Ornamental Grasses Maple Birch Oak Cedar Fir	Foxglove Hollyhock Phlox Geranium Nasturtium Zinnia Honeysuckle Morning Glory Azalea Hibiscus

Suet: commercial suet is most often a mix of grains and suet, and is sold in a variety of shapes to fit the feeder type. It can go rancid quickly in heat so it is advised to use only once the cold weather arrives. Suet appeals to insect eating birds such as warblers, tits, and woodpeckers.

Feeders play an important role in the type of food your put out and the species of bird you wish to attract. The Winter months invite increased activity around a feeder so be sure to place it in a visible position.

Tray feeders: are most popular for all birds and consist of a simple wood or plastic tray with a border to prevent food loss. The can hang from an eave or a branch, or be can be perched atop a post. They provide excellent visibility in all directions and therefore provide a safe perch from predators. They attract a wide variety of species and are easy to clean, although the lack of a roof leave them susceptible to drainage issues in rainy weather. A few small holes drilled into the tray should help.
Controlled release feeders: come in a variety of styles and are designed on the principle of a grain silo. As grain is consumed from the feeder openings at the base, gravity releases seed from the reservoir to replace it. Cracked corn expands in humidity so can clog the release feeder, as well, small perch space makes it difficult for larger species to feed from it.
Suet feeders: are most often constructed of metal or plastic-covered metal mesh and resemble a cage. The suet is placed inside the cage and birds cling to the bars to feed.
Nectar feeders: cater to hummingbirds. Many styles are available from the hanging variety to those that can be inserted into garden pots. They should be cleaned regularly as nectar can ferment and become poisonous.

Bird Feeders (view all)
Damask Birdbath $39.99 at Canadian Tire Corp	Brookstone Audubon BirdCam $181.51 at Brookstone	Audubon Recycled Plastic... $16.49 at Urban Nature Store

Water

Birds rely on water for survival but also make a very social practice out of bathing. A well-placed birdbath will attract a multitude of species. Birdbath designs have come a long way and can add a spectacular ornamental piece to your yard. Birdbaths can be an all-season feature with the addition of a special heating element designed specifically for a birdbath. Rippling baths provide a constant rippling motion in the water, which not only attracts birds, but also prevents stagnant water, and therefore protects against mosquitoes and the West Nile virus.

Bird Baths (view all)
Allied Precision Water... $44.50 at For the Birds Nature Shop, Canada	20" Heated Bird Bath with... $98.50 at For the Birds Nature Shop, Canada	Mushroom Birdbath $99.97 at The Home Depot

Safety

Safety can be provided for our delicate feathered friends in a number of ways.

Foliage: conifers provide shelter from bad weather and predators. They are great nest sites and provide nutritional seeds. During the Summer months, broadleaf trees also provide protection and screen birds from predators.
Birdbath: clear vantage points in all directions are key to providing the sense of security that birds need when bathing.
Feeders: once again, feeders need to be in a position with a clear vantage point. Squirrels are fans of bird food too. They can be discouraged with a variety of squirrel proof devices currently on the market, or follow the rule of thumb and set feeders 2m from the ground and 4m from walls, fences or trees.
Cats: collars with bells will provide warning signals for your feathered visitors.