Birds appreciate year-round seed feeding from a clean, well-kept
feeder, but there are other useful methods to
attract them to your yard.
Water
Birds' fondness for a mist or trickle of moving water encourages them to gather at backyard
ponds or to sip from grass after you turn off your sprinkler.
A
birdbath increases the likelihood you'll catch a glimpse of birds cleaning themselves or frolicking.
In northern regions, where natural water sources freeze in the winter, an open
(de-iced) birdbath can attract more birds than a feeder.
Shelter
Non-migrating species need places to
roost, perch, and escape predators during winter. If your yard does not already include thick hedges, shrubs or vines, now is a good time to plan for next year.
Leave dead trees standing unless they are a hazard to people or property. They shelter woodpeckers and other cavity dwellers, and their bark provides a wealth of insects and grubs to forage on.
Try putting up
roost boxes, which provide wintering birds warmth and shelter on cold nights.
Landscaping
Resist cutting back flowers in fall. Instead, leave the dead seed heads intact for a songbird feast.
Rather than bagging up all your leaves and grass in fall, keep some as mulch. This mix contains insects for ground-foraging birds and provides nesting materials come spring.
In an inconspicuous portion of your property, construct a small brush pile to protect and shelter wintering ground-dwellers.
Plant trees and shrubs containing berries that remain throughout winter, such as American holly, American cranberry-bush viburnum, and juniper.
