The Porch Paint Color You Should Avoid If You Want To Attract Birds To Your Yard

Do you want to attract more birds to your yard? Believe it or not, the color you choose to paint your porch can affect how many birds visit your property. So if you love birds and plan on painting your porch soon, you should familiarize yourself with the hues that they appreciate versus the ones they avoid. For instance, white is more likely to repel these animals than attract them.

"Large amounts of white, like a white house, might be less appealing to non-white birds (most birds) because their own coloring will contrast starkly, making them more visible to predators," Anne Marie Johnson, Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Project Feederwatch assistant, told Martha Stewart. This means a higher likelihood of birds being predators spotted against a white background, so they'll probably want to avoid your home to prevent a dangerous — and potentially deadly — situation.

Some believe that blue porch ceilings will have a similar effect as white. In fact, many people in the South paint their porch roofs blue. "There are numerous benefits of painting exterior ceilings blue, the obvious being the feeling of height and airiness it creates — but we also like to think the Southern tradition stating blue porch ceilings ward off spirits and even bugs and birds holds true," Christian Ladd Interiors' namesake told Southern Living. Ellen O'Neill, the director of strategic design intelligence at Benjamin Moore, told Today this could be rooted in truth, though she mentioned nothing of birds. "If an insect perceives that a ceiling is really the sky, it instinctively wouldn't nest there," she said. "It depends how deep you want to go into the brain of an insect ... but it's not unlike how ladybugs will land on a white house. It's a visual trick."

However, Sherwin-Williams suggests this is likely a myth — though the composition of older blue paint might have contained insect repellent. In fact, a blue porch might attract bluebirds such as blue jays. It can give them an excellent chance to camouflage from predators, and bluebirds in general tend to like the color.

On the other hand, bird lovers should paint their porches red. This will give red birds or birds with reddish-leaning tones a chance to camouflage. Also, are you a fan of birds but not a fan of insects? That would be all the more reason to opt for a red porch, as birds typically enjoy the hue, while bugs can struggle to view it well. In addition to inviting birds and potentially repelling bugs, a red porch will make a bold statement, creating a fun and welcoming vibe.

Red is not the only hue to consider painting your porch if you want to attract birds, as earthy options are also ideal not only for porches but for birdhouses, too. So, consider choosing "natural and earth tones that match the surroundings," Robyn Bailey, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's NestWatch project leader, told The Strategist. Therefore, if you want more birds to visit your yard, reach for red, brown, or earthy greens instead of white or light blue.