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One
of the benefits of a garden
is the wildlife it attracts.
And, most birds are voracious
eaters that are glad to
keep the insect population
down. Did you know that
one bird can eat 500 to
1,000 insects in an afternoon?
So anything you can do
to attract birds will
make your garden healthier
and you’ll be entertained,
too!
To
attract birds to your
garden, you’ll simply
need to meet a few of
their needs:
Consider
placing a variety of bird
feeders and food in your
garden. Platform feeders
attract ground birds,
hanging feeders are for
perching birds while suet
holders entice insect-eating
birds. Suet is especially
important during the winter
as this helps birds maintain
their body temperature
by adding fat to their
diet. Hang plastic mesh
bags of suet or pinecones
dipped in suet (or peanut
butter) from the limbs
of trees. White millet
and black oil sunflower
seeds will attract the
most common seed-eating
birds. Add other species-specific
seed like niger seed (to
attract goldfinches, pine
siskins and purple finches)
or peanuts (to attract
chickadees and tufted
titmice). Various gourmet
mixes are available like
Lyric Supreme, Delight,
Chickadee, Woodpecker
and Finch Mixes.
Birds
feel more secure if they
have shelter to protect
themselves from the weather
and other predators. Plant
native trees and shrubs.
You may also want to add
nesting boxes or bird
houses and other materials
for birds to raise their
young. This should be
done in early spring.
Clean houses or boxes
after each nesting season.
One
of the most important
things to include in your
garden is water. This
is especially true during
the winter months. Use
a bird bath heater to
keep water from freezing.
Ideal water sources are
3 inches deep and 3 feet
off the ground. Moving
water is a magnet for
most birds and will attract
them from great distances
for a drink or bath. A
mister, dripper or circulating
pump can be added to a
bird bath or other water
feature during most of
the year.
Because
birds live in many different
habitats, the greater
variety of plant material
you can offer in your
backyard will determine
how many birds are attracted
to your garden. Consider
native plants, plants
with berries, fruits,
sap and nectar for year-round
food sources as well as
nesting materials.
We carry a complete line
of bird feeders, houses,
seed mixes and suets as
well as garden accents,
accessories and plants
you will need to start
attracting birds to your
backyard. Stop by today!
Suet is a high-energy
formulation of animal
fat and other ingredients
to attract insect-eating
birds. Suet is a quick
source of heat and energy
for birds and has been
used as a good substitute
for the insects that birds
usually feed upon, but
are not plentiful in cold
weather. Suet can be offered
all year long but is especially
important in winter.
Providing
suet in a wire basket
or mesh bag is an easy,
low-maintenance bird feeder.
You refill only once every
week or so, you never
need to scrub the feeder,
and you can leave it in
your yard year round.
Presenting suet in your
backyard will also attract
a greater variety of birds
for your enjoyment. Some
of the backyard birds
that enjoy suet include:
Woodpeckers, Chickadees,
Bluebirds, Mockingbirds,
Warblers, Kinglets, Titmice,
Nuthatches, Jays, Robins,
Starlings and Wrens. Be
sure to suspend your suet
feeder close to the trunk
of the tree approximately
5 to 6 feet from the ground.
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