Creating a bird paradise in your yard is easier than you may think. And, turning your yard into an eco-friendly bird paradise may be more important than ever.
According to the American Bird Society, in less than a single lifetime, 2.9 billion breeding adult birds have been lost from the United States and Canada across every ecosystem, including familiar birds: the Dark-Eyed Junco (one of my favorites) has lost an incredible 175 million individuals from its population. As they succinctly state, “the biodiversity crisis has come to our backyards”.
Luckily, this is where we have the power of individuals. Creating a bird-friendly environment in our yards is not difficult and is a delightful way to enjoy wildlife and contribute to conservation efforts.
Here are ten solutions to create a bird paradise in your yards focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable practices:
Creating a Bird Paradise in Your Yard
1) Plant Native Plants
Why: Bring all the birds to your yard with native plants. They provide natural food sources, shelter, and bird nesting sites annually.
How: Research local plants native to your area and plant various species that flower and fruit at different times of the year. There are many native plant blog posts here as well. You can also visit local botanical gardens, join native plant societies and Facebook groups, or utilize online native plant databases. Make sure you also choose a mix of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants. Consider native plants for nectar and fall/winter seeds and berry-producing shrubs for food.
In addition, simply planting native plants and making sure you practice #2 below, you will immediately attract food in the form of insects and caterpillars that birds require when raising their broods. Greater than 95% of our native birds raise their broods on insects and caterpillars. These food sources do not exist without the native plants they co-evolved with.
The Black-Capped Chickadee needs an astonishingly large number of caterpillars to raise a single brood of three chicks; an estimated 6,500-9,000! Native plants attract moths and butterflies that they’ve evolved with for centuries, and that is the only place these caterpillars can come from. It’s simple – plant native plants.
Additionally, by leaving your native plants in the fall and winter, you will attract birds because those dried and dead plants are loaded with seeds! Each seed head can house hundreds of seeds. Some of my favorite plants for birds (and I see them frequently on these plants, even favoring them for the birdfeeders) include Evening Primrose, Purple Coneflower, Anise Hyssop, and Black-Eyed Susan. They love sunflowers, too, but those seeds are typically gone as soon as they’re ready and don’t make it much into the winter.
We also need to understand the food web, even if just the basics. Birds like the seed and suet we put out but they can not, and do not, raise their babies on any of these foods. They need caterpillars. Caterpillars need host plants to feed on and the butterflies and moths need those plants to lay their eggs.
Caterpillars also need soft landings under their host trees so they can fall off the trees when ready and hibernate and overwinter in the ground and leaves under those trees. Mowing around the tree and mulching with a little mulch ring are not habitable environments for these caterpillars.
Learn more about keystone plants and plants that are ideal for attracting birds that provide host plants for caterpillars, hence, birds.
- Audubon Society Plants for Birds
- National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder
- National Wildlife Federation Keystone Plants by Ecoregion
2) Avoid Pesticides
Why: Pesticides can harm birds directly or eliminate their food sources.
How: Embrace organic gardening practices and use natural pest control methods. Use companion planting to deter pests naturally. Attract beneficial insects like ladybugs and dragonflies for pest control. Employ physical barriers like netting or row covers to protect plants.
Using pesticides will destroy your efforts when planting native species and removing invasive species. You will be directly affecting the food sources they need at the critical time of raising their babies. Allow the birds, bats, and beneficial insects to be your natural pest control.
3) Remove Invasive Plants
Why: Invasive species often outcompete native plants vital for birds and provide less habitat for beneficial insects that birds use for food.
How: Identify and safely remove invasive plants from your yard, replacing them with native alternatives. Regularly monitor your garden for invasive species. Hand-pull young plants and use eco-friendly methods to remove mature ones. Follow local guidelines for disposing of invasive plants.
Invasive plants such as Amur Honeysuckle and Bradford Pear do produce fruits that birds eat, but they subsequently crowd out a lot of native species as they are spread, and they provide far less nutritional value than fruits from native species. They also do not attract the moths and butterflies that rely on native species for their caterpillars.
Just get rid of them. Replace them with native plants, and you’ll be amazed at the difference.
4) Reduce Lawn Size
Why: Lawns offer little to zero benefit to wildlife. Reducing lawn space will increase biodiversity.
How: Replace portions of your lawn with native plant beds, shrubs, or wildflower meadows. Plan a phased reduction of your lawn. Start by converting edges and corners into flower beds or shrub borders. Use native ground covers or native grass mixes that require less mowing.
Create under-tree plantings called soft landings.
Allow sections along fence lines to re-wild, where you can also create brush piles. I allow a few of these spaces on my property where I no longer mow what was once turf grass.
I mow them once a year to keep out unwanted woody invasives while allowing valued species to grow and take hold. In one area along one fenceline, I have created a brush pile and let it go wild (once again, I mow once a year and physically remove invasives). I have been rewarded with volunteer plants such as Red Oak, Hackberry, Black Walnut, Black Cherry, and Purpletop Tridens. I would have never known these were there if I had mowed it twice a week.
In addition, the area frequently attracts birds looking for food and enjoying the shelter of the brush pile, none of which existed when it was turf grass.
5) Provide Water Sources
Why: Birds need water for drinking and bathing without traveling long distances to find it.
How: Install a birdbath or a small pond and keep them clean and filled. Place birdbaths in shaded, safe areas. Consider adding a dripper or fountain to keep water moving and more attractive to birds. Clean the water sources regularly to prevent algae and bacteria growth.
During winter months, if you live in areas that frequently freeze, just install a birdbath heater, and you will be rewarded with a lot of birds queuing up to take advantage of the water source. These are more technically deicers. You won’t be heating up the water for a bird hot tub, these literally just ensure the water doesn’t freeze over in the birdbath.
One of the items I use is just large pot saucers or water trays. Since they are plastic, they hold up well, and they are very inexpensive compared to concrete or breakable birdbaths. I simply elevate them on a couple of bricks to get them slightly off the ground and place a shallow rock in the middle. They are also extremely easy to clean. Here, you can get a 4-pack (basically four birdbaths) for $10/birdbath.
6) Install Birdfeeders
Why: Feeders supplement natural food sources, especially in winter.
How: Use a variety of feeder types and foods to attract different bird species and keep them clean to prevent disease. Use feeders that are specific to the types of birds in your area. Offer a variety of food like seeds, suet, and nectar. Place feeders in safe, sheltered locations away from predators.
Statistics vary on actual dollar amounts, but bird feeding is a multi-billion dollar industry including the equipment purchased by the 45 million+ bird watchers in the U.S. alone. I have offered black oil sunflower and a woodpecker blend suet for decades. I occasionally add a “treat” such as peanuts into my sunflower mix, and I have had success over many years attracting Cardinals, Blue Jays, Nuthatches, Black-Capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmouse, Juncos, Doves, and woodpeckers from Downy to Red Headed to Pileated varieties. You can even get a hot blend suet mix to keep squirrels out, and I prevent starlings from destroying it by simply using an upside-down suet feeder.
My other recommendation for bird feeders is if you use a pole feeder without much cover or any cover around, to simply add a few branches at the base of the feeder. I frequently see Juncos use this cover, and I have seen an increase in feeder activity with this simple addition of protective cover. I do have a Red-Tailed Hawk and a Sharp-Shinned Hawk who like to cruise my property, and I’ve seen a feeder full of birds dive into this brush before when they cruise by.
7) Offer Nesting Sites
Why: Birds need safe places to raise their young.
How: Put up birdhouses or leave dead trees standing (if safe to do so) as natural nesting sites. Choose birdhouses suitable for the bird species in your area. Install them at the right height and in safe locations. Leave natural materials like twigs and leaves in your garden for nest building.
You’d be surprised where birds may end up nesting, so be aware when you go to water that hanging plants or trim bushes during nesting season. I also use Eastern Bluebird houses, and I have successfully attracted bluebirds, but you also have to be diligent in removing House Sparrow nests. By providing food and water sources, planting native plants, and banishing pesticides, you will attract birds, and they will find a nesting site!
I have had success with Nature’s Way bird houses (Wren and Bluebird) and have a bat house where I am still awaiting residents.
8) Create Layered Vegetation
Why: Different bird species prefer different heights for feeding and nesting.
How: Plant a mix of ground cover, shrubs, and trees to create a multi-tiered habitat. Plant ground covers under shrubs, and shrubs under trees to mimic a natural forest floor. This will also lead to a “soft landing” for caterpillars and other insects under trees and shrubs which will naturally attract birds as well. Include plants of varying heights and densities to cater to different bird species’ preferences.
Plant a native shrub thicket if you can as well and you’ll have a flurry of activity.
9) Ensure Bird-Friendly Windows
Why: Windows can be a significant hazard for birds.
How: Apply window decals or use bird-safe glass to prevent collisions. Apply static-cling decals in a grid pattern on your windows. Install external screens or use bird-safe window treatments. Position feeders either very close to or far away from windows to reduce collision risk. I have had to use some window decals on some of my larger windows even though I have blinds inside that I assume would deter window strikes. Sadly, I learned the hard way, and I now use these bird-shaped window clings. Twenty clings for under $10.
10) Educate Yourself and Others
Why: Understanding birds and their needs helps create better habitats.
How: Learn more about local bird species and share your knowledge with the community. Join local birdwatching groups or online forums. Attend workshops or webinars about birds and their habitats. Share your experiences and learnings with neighbors and community groups to encourage widespread bird-friendly practices.
Final Thoughts
Creating a bird paradise in your yard reaps rewards quickly. Remember, every small action contributes to a more significant impact. By following these tips, you can enjoy the beauty of birds in your yard and play a crucial role in wildlife conservation and promoting biodiversity.
Even taking some small actions like planting native plants, removing invasive plants, banishing pesticides, and reducing some of your mowed turf grass can start to reap rewards for attracting birds. You’ll subsequently make a substantial positive impact on native pollinators, butterflies, dragonflies, and more by implementing some of these practices to attract more birds.
Happy birding! Let’s go native!
Related Resources
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Need Help Going Native?
There are a lot of “rules” we’ve been told over the years and some hard-and-fast beliefs that we’ve developed as homeowners and gardeners. If you’d like help to understand a more eco-friendly, natural, and beneficial method, please reach out to learn more, and we can go native together!