Bird Gardening: Bring Nature’s Music into your Garden
By eCountryLifestyle Staff Writer
Do you love to awaken to the sound of bird song? When you look out the window in the early morning light, do you catch a glimpse of color flashing across your backyard? If so, create a bird garden that will attract a wide range of bird species to your property.
With the constant erosion of wilderness areas, bird habitat is vanishing. This is causing the world’s ecosystem to become imbalanced and many bird species are now on the endangered species list. By creating a bird garden on your property, you will provide natural habitat for birds that are native to your area. This will also benefit you by providing nature’s music, comical entertainment and flashes of color that you can enjoy. It is also a natural way to rid your property of harmful bugs and insects. Birds love to dine on aphids, grubs and other harmful insects that love to feast on your flowers because birds can devour hundreds of insects in seconds.
Finches, warblers and wrens dine almost exclusively on bugs and insects. Swallows can wipe out hundreds of bugs and insects during one morning of feeding. This is beneficial to your garden and the environment in general. To create a bird garden, it is imperative that you create a natural bird habitat where bird species are protected from the elements and predators. They also need a place to nest and raise their young and a constant food and water supply for bathing and drinking.
It’s very simple to lure birds to your backyard, but you’ll have to do some research. Take a few days to explore area in your neighborhood where birds take up residence, such as parks and woodland areas. Carry a notepad and record the type of ground cover, vines, plants and shrubs that grow in areas where birds are commonly found in abundance. Also note how many layers of ground cover exist and what types of plants are native to your community, as well as sources of food and water.
Once you’ve taken notes, make a rough sketch of your yard. Label it with the plants, shrubs, trees and vines that already grow in your garden. Include your house and any outbuildings in your drawing.
It’s now time to plan how you can improve your property to include natural habitat for birds. Be sure to include lots of foliage in order to draw large numbers of birds. The more foliage you add, the more bird species will make their home in your yard and garden.
Research shows that in order to lure birds to your property it’s imperative to create a multi-layered ground cover. This should include plants, shrubs and vines. Ground cover can consist of clover, a variety of herbs, such as thyme and woodruff. Lady’s mantle and chamomile will attract bugs and insects that are feasted upon by towhees, juncos and wrens. A wide range of bird species are attracted by coneflowers and sunflowers. These include pine siskin and goldfinch. Wisteria vines create a great inner sanctum where chickadees love to hide.
Include an arbor in your garden design and plant an abundance of grapevines to draw robins to your yard. Nuthatches love to flock to vibernum shrubs.
If you have a large yard, plant cherry and crabapple trees as well as hawthorn and oak. A variety of bird species are drawn to fruit trees when fruit ripens. Blueberry, currant, holly, gooseberries and raspberries attract thrush, robins and waxwings. Create a hedge using different varieties of trees and shrubs for an eye-appealing effect. Juniper, mulberries and mountain ash provide a good food source for birds, as well as shelter and branches for nesting. You don’t have to plant huge, towing trees to create and arboreal effect. Aspens, dogwood, dwarf cherry, poplars and peach and plum trees will make your yard very appealing to birds.
Always add perennials to your yard and garden. Use fences and trellises to grow grapes, honeysuckle, grapes, ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbing plants that will provide birds with a place to nest and to hide from predators. Asters, golden rod, liatris, poppies thistle and ornamental grasses produce seeds that will encourage bird species to flock to your yard. Add annuals close to the house and outbuildings and plant taller trees to create an upper canopy in your yard if space allows.
Migratory and songbird species will take up residence in your yard only if you provide an abundance of food. Place feeders at strategic spots throughout your property. Birds enjoy a variety of foods. Fill feeders with a wide range of seed such as Niger, black oil sunflower seeds, mixed birdseed, white millet and more. Hopper feeders attract blue jays, grosbeaks and cardinals. Tube feeders are favored by chickadees, finches and nuthatches. Niger is a delicacy for red poll, siskin, goldfinch, scarlet tanger, waxwing and orioles.
It is important for you to provide water for bathing and drinking. Add at least one birdbath to your property. Fountains, ponds and streams also attract a wide range of bird species if space allows. If you have limited space, add a container or bubble fountain. This lures birds to your property that are not drawn by feeders. The soothing sound of water attracts birds from all species.
Don’t rake leaves in the fall or cut down dying or dead trees. In summer dead-head flowers to bring on an abundance of blooms but once fall arrives, leave the spent blossoms on the plants. The seeds lure birds to your garden. Brush piles are used by some bird species to hide from predators and for nesting. Vines and berry bushes that are not pruned provide nooks and crannies where birds will feel safe to rest and eat their fill of fruit. The hollow in trees are perfect places for bluebirds, owls and woodpeckers to nest. These hollows contain insect larvae and a variety of tunneling insects that are a natural food source for a wide variety of bird species.
Once you’ve provided all the comforts of home for the birds, you will be amazed at how many feathered friends take up residence in your yard. Now that all of the hard work is done it’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy the music, color and entertainment that the birds will provide.
