Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

With thoughtful planning you can encourage specific birds to your backyard. Do you have favorite types of birds? You can hang any birdfeeder in your backyard. Perhaps you like it because it is whimsical. Maybe the design follows a particular theme, be it color, shape or size.
But did you know that certain foods and seeds will attract specific birds? Be creative and see what you can attract with a variety of foods. Try popped popcorn (without salt or butter), hulled sunflower seeds, peanuts, soaked raisins, pieces of fruit (orioles like oranges), fruit seeds (melons, apples), grapes, or mealworms.

Bat Houses

Bats are in need of protection if they are to survive. They have proven themselves as valuable members of our ecosystem, and we must increase the awareness of people who have the ability to protect or to destroy these little creatures.
Bats are declining, world-wide, at an alarming rate, due to human misunderstanding. They have typically only one offspring per year, making their comeback slow and in need of our help.
Bats eat an amazing amount of mosquitos. Some experts estimated that one bat can eat between 600 to 1000 insects, mosquitoes included, within a period of one hour. An the guano is a great fertilizer for your garden.

Dead Tree Stumps

Almost everyone that has had a tree taken down wants to remove the stump. They claim it to be unsightly. But what if you only had the tree top portion removed leaving several feet of the trunk standing? It could become quite a focal place in your backyard. Did you know that this would be one of the greatest attractants you could have in your garden? Not only will it attract birds for nesting holes, it will provide a great banquet table for the birds. I will also be a great birdwatching spot.

Decorative Barnwood Chalet

Weeds, an interesting thought, to say the least. Did you know that the number one attractor for birds is the number bane of gardeners? Yes it is the weed! The Bur Marigold, Dandelion, Ragweed, Pigweed, Lamb's quarters, Mulletin, Goldenrod, Dock, and Jewelweed are great for attracting birds. Hummingbirds love the blossom of the Jewelweed and Rose Breasted Grosbeaks feast on the seeds. With a little expert help you can pick and choose which Weeds will be best for your garden.

Titmouse Houses

The Plain Titmouse is the western cousin and lives in the southwestern states. It is a small, gray bird with a crest, but it is all gray, without the rust or white accents.
Both birds hunt for insects by clinging to branches of trees and shrubs and peering into the crevices of the bark. They sometimes forage on the ground as well.
Their calls are similar, a whistled "peter, peter, peter."