How To Attract A Variety Of Birds To Your Yard With This Habitat Tip

Are you wondering how to attract birds to your garden? Check out any avid birdwatchers' yards and you'll probably see a variety of feeders placed all around. There might be a suet feeder covered in woodpeckers or mealworms on a tray feeder for bluebirds. A nyjer seed feeder will be surrounded by finches, and so on. Different birds have different food needs and the same goes for habitats. If you want to attract many different kinds of birds to your yard — and hopefully have them stay — you need to provide a wide variety of habitats.

Suburban lawns peppered with the occasional specimen tree, well-manicured flower beds, and low-growing groundcovers may work for some birds. However, most need places to nest and hide from predators and bad weather, as well as sources of food and water — and they don't all agree on what that looks like. So, if you want to see many different types of feathered friends, you should consider landscaping with their needs in mind.

Some birds prefer woods and forests, and within that group some will prefer evergreens and conifers over deciduous trees. Other species like open spaces or even marshlands. So, cultivating a garden that provides different kinds of trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers — preferably natives — will ensure many different birds can thrive in your yard. You can see even more environmental benefits by adding a pond to your backyard, but that's an advanced step.

A great way to create a bird-friendly yard is by planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers. Some of us are lucky enough to already have mature trees, but if you don't, consider planting an oak tree. They come in many varieties, and there will certainly be options native to your area. Generally though, these trees are great for biodiversity and are associated with 2,300 species. From the acorns they produce to the shelter they provide for insects — both great sources of food for birds — these trees are a powerhouse for many species. If you don't have room for an oak, consider native flowering dogwoods (Cornus florida), which are an important source of food for many types of birds and other species. Combine this with other fruit-bearing trees and shrubs to cater to even more birds.

Evergreen shrubs like holly provide shelter throughout the year and produce berries that act as a great food source; they are easy to grow in almost any area as they come in many varieties. There are also many perennial flowers that will draw birds to your yard. Purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are popular among gardeners and goldfinches, because they are easy to grow and birds love to feast on the seeds. Hummingbirds, on the other hand, love plants like bee balm (Monarda didyma). So, be sure to diversify your plant choices, whether we're talking trees, shrubs, or perennial flowers.