Attracting Wild Birds to Your Garden
You can make your garden attractive to wild birds in many different ways. The best way is to provide them with a safe place to eat and the food they love. Garden bird feeders are the best way of providing food for them. They are really helpful to the birds during the winter when food is hard to find.
Many different species can be attracted by providing their favorite foods. Finches love thistle seeds so you can buy a specially designed feeder to hold these tiny seeds. Prevent spillage and keep seeds dry by using tube feeders. Watch the birds feed from the comfort of you home with a window bird feeder.
You can purchase bird feeders specially designed for goldfinches, woodpeckers and hummingbirds. Place close to your bird house somewhere safe. Always check the food in your feeder daily to ensure it is dry and free from mould. Clean up any spilled food around the feeder regularly to deter ants and wasps and other predators.
Feeding during the winter is most beneficial for wild birds but shortages occur during other seasons as well. Help the wild birds by providing food for them all through the year. Put out suitable food for fledglings during the breeding season as they can be severly affected by food shortages.
Provide them with a safe place to bathe or drink by providing water in pans or a garden bird bath. Water at different levels should be provided as some species like to bathe at ground level, others higher. Containers should only be filled to a few inches and should be placed some way away from the noise around bird feeders. Attract the wild birds with the sounds of running water. A water dripper on your bird bath will attract the birds and also deter mosquitoes from laying eggs in the water.
Give the wild birds a sense of security by providing a natural looking environment. Wild flowers and trees can be allowed to grow wild in an area of the garden to make them an attractive and safe place.
