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Landscaping for Birds
If you are a bird lover and would like exotic birds to frequent your backyard then you should ensure that your landscape has some bird friendly features. By bird friendly features, we mean features that attract birds to your landscape instead of scaring them away. Given below are a few tips that will help you do just that.
Use Feeders to Attract Birds
The best way to attract feeder birds like Goldfinches is by hanging bird feeders in your backyard. You can get a variety of bird feeders from online pet stores like havahart.com. In addition to the bird feeders you would also need to purchase seeds to fill up the feeders. Small feeder birds love hulled sunflower seeds; so make sure you stuff the feeders with them. The feeders can then be hung from trees or from any other appropriate location at several places in your garden.
In addition to using seeds you can also fill feeders with a mixture of sugar and water to attract other birds like hummingbirds. Seeds and raisins may be scattered on your yard to attract robins.
Include berry producing plants
Having berry producing plants in your backyard will certainly help you attract a variety of birds. Berry producing plants such as winterberry (Ilex verticillata), chokeberry (Aronia), serviceberry (Amelanchier), hawthorn, desert olive, American plum, bearberry , Bayberry, cherry, chinaberry, mistletoe, pyracantha, honeysuckle vine and grape vine are easily available and are also fast growing. Many birds like robins, mockingbirds, sparrows, thrashers, bluebirds, tanagers and waxwings are attracted towards berry producing plants.
Provide a supply of worms
You can pick up a damp spot near your garden to empty leftovers like vegetables. This will help attract worms which form a staple diet of many birds. Make sure you dump only vegetable matter and not meat.
Set out a BirdBath
Constant supply of fresh water for birds to drink and bath is extremely important. The best way to ensure constant water supply is by setting up a bird bath. An ideal birdbath is 1 - 2 inches deep and is set at a distance above ground level in an open area to ensure additional protection to the birds from predators like cats and dogs.
Have a Garden Pond
Ponds can serve as a habitat to aquatic plants and wildlife like turtles and frogs. In addition they also help in providing a constant supply of water to birds. In comparison to birdbaths, birds like warblers and vireos (seldom attracted by bird feeders) are more likely to be attracted towards lard fresh water ponds.
Use Wind breaking techniques
If you area experiences harsh climatic conditions, then wind breaks are essential. You can lay out a natural windbreak by designing your garden in a logical manner. Start your garden with tall deciduous trees at the very back followed by mid size trees and then the smaller shrubs in the front.
Help birds to build nests
You can help birds build nests by collecting nest building materials and making them available to the birds in a mess or onion bag left hanging on a fence or a tree branch. Some nest building materials include short hair, lint, smaller threads of yarn, dry grass, hay, bird feathers, snake skins, fur etc.
Frighten away the Predators
Frighten away predators like stray dogs and cats before they frighten away the birds. Always use proper fencing to ensure stray animals have no entry. If you have pets, make sure they are not let loose in the landscape as they will discourage birds and other forms of wildlife from visiting. You can help birds get away from your pets by buying collars with bells that produce noise on movement.
Irrespective of all this, there are no guarantees that birds will enter your landscape. A lot depends on the type of birds in your area and their characteristics. So do lots of research on this before you plan on landscaping for birds.
Related Landscaping Information
Do it Yourself Landscaping
Useful Lawn Care Tips for your Landscape
Problems assoicated with landscaping
Advantages of Landscaping your yard
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