Birds can sometimes use an extra wing to lean on for nourishment and shelter. Your birdfeeder and bird house may just be a welcome landing place for our feathered friends.
Birdhouses are important for the birds and can become little safe havens for them. Attention should be paid to which type of birds you want attracted to your garden. It may help to be aware of the particular types of birds are common to your area, and target those. The type of feed that you put out in your feeder will be the attracting factor.
Clean Feeders, Clean Seed
Birdhouses, feeders, and baths will benefit from cleaning. Use a brush and warm, soapy water for wooden feeders and houses, do not use bleach or any other harsh cleanser with wood structures. Use a mild bleach solution for plastic ones. Rinse them very well and then let them dry thoroughly in the sunshine or wipe them dry with a clean cloth.
Stone and plastic birdbaths do fine with mild solutions of bleach as long as they are well rinsed.
Fill the feeders with clean, fresh birdseed. Before you use the stash you have left over from winter, it’s possible it could be damp or moldy so check it carefully before you use it.
While a general mixture of seed does great for most birds, specific birds have specific preferences. Song birds for example, especially like black oil sunflower seeds. You should start by looking for mixtures with an abundance of these.
Don’t forget about the humming birds, who love the sweet syrups to sip on. Humming birds are attracted to the color red, so use a red feeder or set the syrup near red flowers.
Suet is an excellent source of energy during the spring when migratory birds tend to be stressed. It’s a good idea to offer it for a month or two after they return. If you decide to put out suet when the weather turns warmer or if you live in a warmer climate, look into types designed for hot weather.
Home Sweet Home
Many of the birds who find a nutritious welcome in your backyard will become regular guests, they may even return each year. This is true of those who are only passing through on their journey north as well as those who live in your microclimate all season long.
Those birds will raise their young near your feeder and these babies will grow up to think of your yard and its environment as home. They also may bring many benefits to your yard as well such as:
Controlling pests. Since birds eat insects, they will help to eliminate unwanted pests in your yard and may free you from needing to use otherwise harmful pesticides.
Weed control. Birds love to eat weed seeds. Gardeners do not like to weed. A win, win situation for all!
Flower pollination. There are many birds who love to sip nectar from flowers and help to pollinate. With the bee population diminishing, attracting birds who do this is sure to benefit your garden.
Conservation. Birds love native plants. If you grow these and then attract birds to your yard with bird friendly birdhouses, you will find that your gardening chores will diminish.
Property Values. A well maintained home with native landscaping that attracts birds has great curb appeal, which helps with property values.
And so, as time goes by, your birdhouses and feeders will be popular and well populated destinations for all sorts of colorful birds and bring benefits along with them for years to come.
Watching the comings and goings of birds is more than just a relaxing distraction. By listening to their songs and observing their habits, bird watching is something that can be enjoyed with the family, passing knowledge onto children. Time spent this way is not only calming, but can be a therapeutic stress reliever as well.
