We have almost made it through. Soon the sun will be shining, the birds will be singing and it will be spring again. There is something magical about birds calling our yard their home, but if we really want to enjoy them and our garden we need to create a living space for these creatures so they are welcome guests rather then welcome pests.
The first thing we would do with any company is make sure we feed them. When looking at a bird feeder we need to spend a little time finding out what birds are local to our area. Although the design of many bird feeders is similar the way these flying friends eat and what they eat is as diverse as the possible cuisine in your neighborhood. There is nothing more disappointing then buying a bird feeder and looking forward to seeing a certain type of bird only to find out that particular bird never comes around our house, would never eat out of that type of feeder or doesn’t eat the food we served. Just like being sure we are aware of the dietary needs of our children’s friend when they come over we need to make sure first we understand the bird feeder needs of our feather visitors.
Once we start feeding the birds and word gets out we have the food they are looking for the birds will flock (pun intended) to our house. If we want them to do more then just stop buy for a bite we need to provide the birds a nice bird house to live. Since we now know what kind of birds we will have we can use that information to also determine what kind of bird house they need. We can get birdhouses in sizes, shapes, colors, and styles so that the house will make the birds want to nest there as well as become a compliment to décor of our yard and garden.
What bird sanctuary back yard would be complete without a bird bath. As you can imagine a refreshing break from flying around is a nice clean bath to splash in and relax in. Besides pedestal style bird baths we all think of there are bird baths that can be mounted to a deck railing, ones that can be integrated into our garden pond and many other styles to choose from. There are even bird baths that come with heaters and de-icers so that your back yard tenants can use them all year round to get a nice drink and keep themselves clean.
If you are lucky enough to life in an area where the are my favorite is the hummingbird. As we know these speedy little creatures never stop flapping, even to eat. Of course there is a special hummingbird feeder just to meet their needs. If hummingbirds live in your area I would encourage you to get some feeders for them. It is an exciting treat to watch this beautiful little creature flit around our yard and drink from the feeder. You won’t regret it.
No matter what kind of birds you end up with in your yard this year make them feel welcome with these few special things you can do to make your world inviting to our avian friends.