How to Make Your Backyard a Bird Haven

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

Instructions

Step 1: Identify plants & trees Identify which plants and trees in your yard already attract local birdlife.
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.
Step 3: Include water in your yard Include water in your yard—a birdbath, fountain, stream, or pond will do the trick.
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.
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.
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.
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.