Attracting birds to your yard is a rewarding and exciting hobby that has grown in popularity since 1900. Before homeowners decided to attract birds to watch and appreciate them, birding involved not so much observation but killing and collection. Birds of all types were harvested for their feathers used in the thriving women’s hat industry of the nineteenth and very early twentieth centuries. It took the efforts of turn-of-the-century conservationists to educate people that bird watching was a better option to bird collecting for personal or commercial purposes. The fact that several bird species (Passenger Pigeon and Carolina Parakeet included) went extinct at the dawn of the twentieth century was a poignant wake up call. So backyard bird feeding, housing, and watching in America began almost simultaneously.
American goldfinch group. Photo courtesy of Beth Fedorko and Dan Fedorko.
BIRD FEEDERS
Attracting birds to your property begins with providing them food. You can do this by planting native trees and shrubs. The fruits and foliage of these plants naturally attract birds to eat the berries or insects on the buds and leaves. In addition to the plantings you may provide seeds, mealworms, nectar and suet to attract a variety of birds. The types and styles of bird feeders are almost as varied as the birds that flock to them.
Sunflower and safflower seeds attract many different kinds of songbirds from Northern Cardinals and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks to Pine Siskins and White-breasted Nuthatches. Unfortunately, they appeal to squirrels and larger birds like European Starlings, Common Grackles, and Blue Jays that can gorge on the seed and bully the smaller birds away from the feeders. One of our favorite sunflower seed feeders is tube-shaped with feeding ports on the bottom and a weighted perch ring that will allow Cardinals and smaller birds to dine, but once a larger bird or squirrel sits on the perch the counterweight closes the seed ports.
Other sunflower feeder styles include platform feeders with a wooden frame and wire mesh inside. If you hang this feeder six feet from the ground and at least 15 feet from trees, squirrels can’t access it. Another style of sunflower feeder is the hopper that resembles a little house with clear front and back and perches with a counterweight to discourage squirrels and large birds. These are usually mounted on a pole with a 17-inch wide, cone-shaped squirrel baffle positioned below the feeder.
Purple Martins and their "apartment building."
Nyjer (thistle) seed attracts American Goldfinches, House Finches, our wintering Dark-eyed Juncos, and Pine Siskins. Clear tube feeders with many little feeding ports and perches are the most popular style but mesh bags are a good choice too. Over time the seed at the bottom of the tube can get moist and compacted. Dumping out and disposing of these seeds is important each time you add more seed to the feeder — it deters mold that is unhealthy for songbirds. Cleaning all of your bird feeders is essential to prevent the spread of illness in our feathered visitors. Do this twice a year in spring and fall with dish detergent and a long-handled brush, followed by a ten percent bleach solution. Soak and then air dry. Rake, shovel and dispose of seed and hulls on the ground in the spring to prevent mold growth in warm weather.
Pileated Woodpecker on suet feeder. Photo courtesy of Beth Fedorko and Dan Fedorko.
If you want to attract woodpeckers, Downy, Hairy, Red-Bellied, and Pileated, in addition to other birds to your yard, offer suet. Homemade or purchased in cake form, it provides necessary fats to birds. A simple cage suspended from a chain or nailed to a tree is one option. We like the cage that keeps the cakes inside away from squirrels and larger birds, but allows woodpeckers to hang upside down (which they are quite comfortable doing) and eat from the bottom while smaller birds enter from the sides. We’ve noticed that European Starlings and Blue Jays have attempted to fly up and stab at the suet on the bottom of the cage. Purchased suet with hot pepper added doesn’t bother birds but the squirrels stay away!
If you want to attract Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens and other insect eating birds to your yard, offer them dried mealworms. You can place them in a small cup inside a cage feeder or mix them with seed on the platform feeder.
A House Wren pokes its head out of a nesting box.
Nectar and fruit eating birds love sugary treats. Oranges cut in half and skewered on a board attract Baltimore or Orchard Orioles. Grape jelly on orange-hued Oriole feeders is another alternative. Raisins soaked in water overnight and placed on your platform seed feeder attract Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Cedar Waxwings, and American Robins.
A popular warm weather visitor is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Hummingbird feeders can be simple red and clear plastic or fancy glass with decorative metal feeding ports. Alternatively plant red flowering plants such as Cardinal vine, Wave Petunia, and Scarlet runner bean to attract hummingbirds. Do not use red dye in the feeder. Make your own nectar by dissolving one part sugar in four parts boiling water. Clean feeder and replace nectar every few days to avoid mold growth.
BIRD BATHS
In addition to attracting birds to your yard with food, you can bring in more birds, especially those migrating through in spring, with a water source. Birdbaths and fountains are a lovely decorative feature in your yard and are as varied as the birds they attract. Vintage concrete birdbaths are especially popular and can be found at estate sales and flea markets. Glazed ceramic and copper birdbaths are easy to clean and add a note of elegance to your landscape, especially when tucked in among your flowering plants. Heated birdbaths are a welcome winter respite when the temperatures reach below freezing.
Here are some things to consider when adding a birdbath to your property. Have the water move. You don’t need electricity to create an enticing sprinkle or ripples in your birdbath. Solar-powered fountains and battery-operated water wigglers draw in birds that see the sun glinting off the moving water. Water depth should be one to two inches. Have a rock or twigs in or across the birdbath for easy perching and drinking. Baths positioned on stands are attractive to smaller birds where baths on the ground attract Mourning Doves and, if you’re lucky, Northern Bobwhite. Keep the birdbaths clean and free of algae and droppings by changing the water frequently and scrubbing with a stiff brush.
A Blue Jay on a platform feeder. Photo courtesy of Beth Fedorko and Dan Fedorko.
BIRD HOUSES
Now that you’ve attracted birds to your yard with food and water, offer them shelter. Songbirds that nest in tree cavities will be the main tenants of birdhouses. Common yard residents are House and Carolina Wrens, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Tree Swallows, and House Sparrows. Like birdbaths, birdhouses can add a decorative touch to your property and come in many styles, depending on the type of bird you wish to attract.
Wood is the best material for birdhouses. You have your choice among birdhouses that look like your house, lighthouse-shaped houses, barn-shaped houses, houses made from reclaimed wood and antique embellishments offer charming whimsy in your yard and shelter for songbirds. Sources for unique houses are your local wild bird store, garden centers, and craft markets.
Carolina Wren at mealworm feeder. Photo courtesy of Beth Fedorko and Dan Fedorko.
Keep these important bird-friendly considerations in mind when selecting a decorative birdhouse. The size of the opening determines which bird will nest in the house. Wren house openings should be 1-1/8 inches, Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, and Nuthatch openings should be 1-1/4 inches and Bluebirds prefer a 1-1/2-inch opening. Ventilation between roof and wall keeps the air circulating and the heat out. Drainage holes should be on the floor or the four corners. One wall or the roof should be hinged so you can clean the house out after the nestlings have fledged. Place the house on a tall, sturdy pole or tree with the opening facing anywhere from east to south. Perches are not necessary and the lack of them may help keep unwanted predators like snakes from entering the house. If you use a traditional Audubon-style wooden Bluebird house, you must use a snake baffle on the pole or place a tube of hardware cloth (wire mesh) around the opening. We have sadly witnessed black snakes entering a Bluebird house to get the chicks inside. Snake-proofing any birdhouse on a pole is a good idea.
Terra cotta nesting bottle.
Another style of birdhouse associated with colonial America is the clay or terra cotta bottle style. Its origins are from Europe where the bottles were used to lure and trap birds so their eggs could be harvested. In modern times, these decorative birdhouses are hung on the sides of homes or trees as a decorative and practical accent that harkens back to our colonial roots.
The Purple Martin, our largest swallow in the eastern U.S., will migrate in spring and summer to apartment-style houses placed high on poles. Bluebirds and Tree Swallows also nest in martin apartments and will aggressively defend the entire complex for themselves. Martin apartments, in wood or metal, are painted white to reflect light and summer heat. A group of gourds suspended on crossbars on poles are a historically traditional style of martin house. Common knowledge that martins and swallows are good for mosquito control is not entirely true. They do eat mosquitoes, but they also feed on a large variety of flying insects.
Carolina Chickadee in a vintage birdhouse.
Eastern Screech Owls may take up residence in a wooden “owl box” placed high on a tree. Squirrels may try to take up residence first. You can deter them by nailing a large piece of flashing around the opening. Years could go by before you find owls roosting in the box in early spring. Plans for building your own owl boxes can be found online through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Feeding and housing our native birds adds a special magic to your property. Decorative and bird-friendly options are numerous and fun to add to your spring and summer landscape. Add a birdie bed and breakfast haven in your yard, then sit back and enjoy these entertaining visitors and residents.