GardenFoundation LLC Birds In The Garden Judy J. Crawford

Birds Add Life To A Garden!

There is just nothing like bird watching from the comfort of your own garden. Many people enjoy watching birds by going on bird walks. With a little planning and creativity, you can enjoy an amazing variety of birds in your own garden. Imagine going for a bird walk right in your own backyard!

Is Your Garden Bird Friendly?

Does your garden offer the basics that birds require, such as shelter/cover, food, and water?

Do you make sure that you don't use harmful chemicals that could poison birds who accidentally injest them, such as insecticides or herbicides?

Are birds in your garden safe from predation or harassment, either by indigenous wildlife or domestic animals?

Birds Are Helpful As Well As Beautiful!

Birds can be of great assistance in ridding your garden of pest insects. As a matter of fact, in my own garden they are my Number One approach to controlling my pest problems, from slugs to leafhoppers, European Crane Fly larvae to cucumber beetles.

If birds are eating your strawberries or other food crops before you have a chance to harvest, you can use netting as a protective cover. Remember, if you use fake owls, loud sounds, flashing devices, or other fright tactics, you may scare them away from the rest of your garden entirely.

Bird-Scape Your Backyard!

Birds will begin to flock to your garden if you create a habitat that makes them feel at home. Introduce water features, such as bird baths (avoid metal if you live in a freezing climate) or ponds. Make sure that the water depth does not exceed 3", as birds cannot swim. Running or dripping water will also be irrisistable to birds. Make sure that your planting scheme incorporates the needs of ground-feeding birds as well as tree-top dwellers and those that prefer meadows. There are a wide variety of landscape plants that will provide birds with food throughout the year, either through nectar, fruit, nuts, seeds, or the insects they attract.

In addition to creating a garden habitat, you can also attract birds by putting up bird feeders. It has been my experience that best results will be obtained by offering several different types of bird food, each in its own feeder. Oftentimes, when two or more foods are combined in the same feeder, birds will pull out only what they are hungry for, and will toss the rest onto the ground. My personal observations tell me that black-oil sunflower seed is the most popular food I offer, followed by thistle (niger) seed and sunflower hearts. Other foods I offer are millet, walnuts, filberts, raw peanuts in the shell, suet, and dry cat food that our housecats will not eat.

NEXT: Using Bird Feeders In The Garden - a detailed, informative, multi-page section.
COMING SOON: Birdscaping Your Yard, How-To's Of Bird Baths, & much, much more!
Be sure to visit the Bird Store !

PHOTO CREDITS - Cherie Marie Leck - http://home.att.net/~designsbycml
© Copyright - Judy J. Crawford - GardenFoundation LLC
Last revised: January 04, 2002