Bird Gardening

Bird-friendly flowers all in a row

Although you can attract birds by a number of different methods, including providing food, housing and water for them, one of the best ways to entice certain birds into your garden is to plant flowers that they would feed from in the wild. Birds are first and foremost wild creatures, so they will be attracted to their own natural food sources before they will eat birdseed from a feeder. You can ensure that your garden is the number one food stop for the birds of your choice by doing your research and providing a smorgasbord of their favorite eats.

What kind of birds do you want to attract to your yard? Depending on the bird, you might be going to the plant nursery for shrubs, green plants or flowers. Creating a bird garden takes time and thoughtful planning. You need to view your yard from a bird's eye view and consider the main elements of what a bird needs before planting anything.

Consider:

• The proximity of shrubs and brush around your yard. Do birds have enough shelter from the elements and from predators?
• The number and height of the surrounding trees. One of the top priorities for a bird is a good nesting spot. Different birds have different nesting requirements, so do your research. Remember, you can always install a few nesting boxes to entice a brooding bird-mom into your yard.
• Whether or not there's an adequate food and water source. This can be natural or installed - a feeder and a bird bath will do for most birds during the cold months.

When planting a bird garden, consider the colors and types of flowers you are thinking of putting in. Choosing flowers that will attract birds to your garden will not only create a riot of color, but may even draw more creatures than you had originally bargained for. Often, certain flowers will attract butterflies and most importantly, the insects that your bird population needs to eat.

Be careful about what you plant and provide, however; you are providing a habitat for birds and that means you need to be aware of what could make them sick. You don't want to poison the birds that you've worked so hard to attract to your yard.

When you've planted a garden that's perfect for you and the wildlife in your neighborhood, you can feel good in the fact that you've done a great thing and provided not only hours of entertainment for yourself, but a constant source of living requirements for birds and other animals.