The best gardens are the densest ones, so embrace nature’s mess! Plant at different heights to create layers and lure a variety of visitors; tangles of vines, hedges and trees will appeal to winged shelter seekers. To up the ante, invest in a birdhouse. Make sure it’s well ventilated, and the perch isn’t located under the entrance hole (that way, eggs will be protected from intruders). Fill the house with bits of cotton, wool, lint and feathers to kick-start the nesting process. ?
2. Give Them A Place To Bathe
The most sought-after tubs aren’t of the claw-foot variety: they’re shallow, with rocks or pieces of driftwood acting as safe landing strips, and sloping sides so the chirpers can wade. Place baths in open areas to allow birds to spot wily neighbourhood felines before they get too close. And be a good host—scrub the facilities down with a strong-bristled brush (but no chemicals) and replace the water once a week.
3. Give Them A Place To Eat
When stocking up for your flock, pick food that will appeal to a large cross-section of birds. Black oil sunflower seeds are a favourite ?of cardinals, blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches and some woodpeckers. White millet will attract sparrows, buntings, doves and blackbirds; while niger thistle is catnip for finches. Avoid mixes that feature fillers such as red millet and milo near the top of their ingredients lists. Keep seeds fresh by storing them in a cool, dry place, and don’t hoard—they will spoil. Remember that presentation really is everything.
4. Know Your Audience
Find out what the birds you want to attract are attracted to themselves. Here are a few favourites:
? Hummingbirds - honeysuckle, bleeding hearts, blue irises and?red flowering currants.
? Blue jays - cherries and berries of all kinds, if you’re willing to share. Pine trees are tops, as they offer shelter from the wind.
? Finches - sunflowers, goldenrods and dandelions, so think before? you weed.
? Cardinals - shrubs and climbing roses for nesting; and pines, spruce trees and evergreens for roosting.
Photo Credit: readersdigest.ca