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Quit hogging your own backyard. Make it a haven for your fine feathered friends.

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  Step 1: Identify plants & trees

  Identify which plants and trees in your yard already attract local birdlife.

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  Step 2: Add native trees, bushes, & flowers

  Add native trees, bushes, and flowers that provide seeds, berries, or nectar for wild birds. Consult your state’s horticultural or Audubon society for suggestions, or ask a local nursery.

• Tip

  Think twice before getting rid of dead or dying branches and stumps, which provide shelter to many birds. Consider adding logs to your landscaping.

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  Step 3: Include water in your yard

  Include water in your yard—a birdbath, fountain, stream, or pond will do the trick.

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  Step 4: Replace lawn w/ wildflower meadow

  Consider replacing some of your lawn with a wildflower meadow. Even a small patch of wildflowers and tall grass will attract wild birds.

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  Step 5: Hang bird feeders

  Hang bird feeders close to trees so birds can be sheltered—and ideally in sight of a window, so you can enjoy watching them.

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  Step 6: Build or buy a birdhouse

  Build or buy a birdhouse and then put it up. Check with your local library, fish and wildlife department, or Audubon group to see what birdhouses suit your local species.

• Tip

  Keep your cats inside. It is estimated that house cats cause up to 100 million bird deaths each year in the U.S.

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  Step 7: Leave nests in place

  If a bird builds a nest in your yard, leave it in place even after the babies have flown. The birds might return next year.

• Fact

  A study by the National Audubon Society showed that many common birds, from meadowlarks to field sparrows, have recently suffered major population declines.