Backyard Birding

Male Cardinal resting in my crabapple tree

*All photos are my own. Affiliate links are used in the content of this blog post.

Getting started

Welcome to the wonderful world of backyard birding!  This has to be one of my favorite pastimes that is not only entertaining, but therapeutic.  Before you delve into this hobby, I recommend you ask yourself how involved you wish to be, as there are many levels and forms of backyard birding.  I will walk you through the basics.  Keep in mind that you can modify these basics to suit your needs or level of birding you wish to achieve.

What you’ll need to consider, first

To enjoy birds in your backyard, a few considerations must take place.  What kind of area is your residence?  Rural?  Suburban?  Do you live near natural shrubbery, woods, and/or trees?  Is it mainly city dwelling?  These factors are important into understanding what, if any birds will come to your area.  I would hate to set anyone up for disappointment that may be trying to attract birds to their area that simply may not be found in that area for the simple factor that it isn’t conducive to them.

Another consideration to ponder is what types of birds are native/local to you.  Many birds are found across the continental U.S.  However, there are birds that have species, which indicate the areas they’re found.  For example, Eastern Bluebirds are only found in the eastern range of the United States; well east of the Rockies on eastward.  Mountain Bluebirds are only found along the mountain range of the United States.  Western Bluebirds are only found due west, in and around California.  Each species looks, resides, behaves, mates, and generally survives with variation within the species.

The final consideration is to understand that simply because a bird species can be or has been found in a certain range, this doesn’t mean they’ll be prevalent in your backyard.  Attracting birds takes patience, persistence, and even with that may not ensure you’ll see them.  Birds are finicky and particular and even with a Thanksgiving feast being provided to them, things like natural shelter, water, and predation are all factors that interfere with their presence.

Your milkshake won’t bring all the birds to the yard… but these will. 

Bird feeders

Without complicating backyard birding or confusing you too much, I just want to have you be aware that different birds feed differently.  Some hover eat (eat in flight), some perch and eat to the side, other eat straight-on.  The type of feeder you have will depend on the birds you’ll see at it, as feeders come in many, many shapes, sizes, and forms.  Also, certain feeders are designed to only contain certain types of food. *Next to each feeder type, I will include their corresponding foods.  I am located in the midwest, and am sharing some feeder types that attract common-to-my-area backyard birds.  These birds are fairly common to central and eastern US, with some presence elsewhere depending on migratory factors.

• Goldfinch feeder  and thistle seed for all finches year-round, and seasonally/occasionally it isn’t uncommon to see juncos, towhees, buntings, doves, chickadees, woodpeckers, and sparrows.
• Blue Jay feeder and in-shell peanuts for blue jays year-round, and occasionally woodpeckers.
• Hopper feeder  and a seed blend that doesn’t contain fillers for most backyard birds, like cardinals, finches, buntings, grosbeaks, titmice, sparrows, and chickadees. It is really important to resist settling for the cheap stuff on seed blends. It is full of fillers that bird’s don’t like. They will kick it out and it will end up being more expensive for you in the long run.
• Suet feeder and suet for woodpeckers, nuthatches, wrens, chickadees, and jays.
• Bluebird feeder and dried mealworms for bluebirds, and seasonally/occasionally chickadees may show interest.
• Hummingbird feeder with ant and bee guards like this one for hummingbirds, and occasionally/seasonally orioles, finches, and warblers.  Recommended is homemade nectar and not store-bought red dye nectar.  1 part table sugar to 4 parts water is all that is needed to feed the hummingbirds.
• Bark butter is another great way to feed the birds without a feeder.  It smears directly on branches and tree trunks and the birds go crazy for it!
• **It can feel like you’re being an asset to birds by throwing bread and/or other scraps out for them.  I strongly discourage this because processed food can be harmful to birds.  In addition, this welcomes a dependency that isn’t natural.  Most importantly, this activity will welcome House Sparrows (a bird species I will touch on further along in this blog post).

There are many, many more elaborate forms of bird feeders out there.  I recommend paying a visit to Wild Birds Unlimited to see some that are more advanced once you feel comfortable.  For the sake of basic backyard birding and simply attracting birds to your yard, the list above is sufficient.

        Bird feeder placement

Equally important to the type of feeder is the placement of it.  You’ll be investing in Squirrels Worldwide stock if they’re not hung from a pole mount system WITH a good, torpedo-style baffle.  I have tried every which way and trust me, those suckers are bound and determined and will find a way.  I don’t recommend hanging bird feeders from or within 10 feet from trees for this very reason; you’ll have open season and spend far too much constantly replacing bird seed to those hungry fellas.  This is the pole mount system I recommend as well as this baffle.  Place this with a 10 foot diameter from any leap-able source, such as trees or rooflines.  Be sure it’s aerially exposed so birds can spot it from flight.

With the exception of the bluebird feeder, which I recommend hanging separately from the rest, each of these feeders can absolutely be hung from the same pole mount system .  The bluebird feeder cage referenced above doesn’t need a baffle on the pole since it is enclosed, only with openings big enough for bluebirds and not squirrels or bigger birds.

 

Water

Like all living things, birds are no exception to needing clean water.  It is exceptionally important for them because they drink it and also use it to clean their feathers and wings from debris, mites, and dust.  I will tell anyone I can that bird baths are just as effective in attracting backyard birds as food.  A solid, relatively shallow birdbath is highly recommended and if you’re in a region that has sub-freezing falls and winters, a heated birdbath is a wise investment.  I see my birds in it every day during the winter.

Birds also love subtle water movement.  Mine go crazy for water movers, like this mist/dripper attachment as well as this solar powered fountain.

 

Shelter is important

When birds are not enjoying the feast you’ve provided for them or bathing away, they’re either in-flight or taking shelter.  Shelter is so crucial for backyard birding because unless they have a haven to rest in between feeding and bathing, they may not risk being there.  Watching birds for years now, I’ve observed habits such as these.  They are constantly back and forth between my garden shrubs, trees, and nest boxes.  They run major risk of being taken by predators if exposed too long, and they know this.  Picture a feeder in the middle of a farm field that is vastly open over several acres.  Easily spotted for birds, this feeder will likely never be touched.  Birds need relatively close access to shrubs and trees to perch, rest, and simply stay hidden.  You can support their need for shelter by planting native berry shrubs and low-growing trees.  Berry-producing such as holly, viburnum, serviceberry, evergreens, and crabapples are some of my most recommended.  If these are native to you, these would make excellent backyard additions to serve them both as food and shelter.

A bit of responsibility

Now that you’re actively pursuing bringing birds to your yard, it is important to know that your intentions will require some responsibility.  Birds will essentially now be considering your yard space a reliable source.  Like house pets, they will continue to need to be fed or they’ll move on.  Keeping the feeders full is especially important in winter when their natural food supply is so low with the dying back of plants and flowers and the hibernation of insects.  Feeding them provides them with the essential proteins and fats they need to survive the winter.

Perhaps the biggest responsibility that falls into your hands is keeping the feeders and the bird baths clean.  This should be done monthly to prevent bacteria and mold.  I like to empty my feeders once they’re naturally down from the birds clearing them out and giving them a good rinsing with diluted vinegar.  Do be sure to thoroughly rinse and let dry the bird feeders before re-introducing them to the birds.

To clean the bird bath, I use this non-toxic and bird-friendly cleaner and scrubber brush.  I also recommend this nectar defender, which significantly increases the life of the nectar inside my hummingbird feeders, preventing it from getting nasty so quickly.  That stuff really works!

Nest Boxes

I hesitated adding this to a beginning backyard birding blog post since it is a more advanced form of having birds in your yard.  However, some of you may have or express interest, which in that case I’d like to ensure you have the tools you need.

 

Adding nest boxes to your yard is always encouraged with a few notes to be mindful of. Different birds require different nest boxes.  Not every bird is a cavity nester; unless a bird is, it will not use a nest box (i.e., American Robin).  The purpose of nest boxes is to provide birds with a nesting source since their loss of natural habitat through land development is a true concern.  It is important to know which types of birds would be using a potential nest box before buying it.  Ornamental nest boxes like the ones you see in stores are pretty, but don’t always serve birds the way one might expect.  They often aren’t sized appropriately for birds to enter nor are they composed of wood/material that is appropriate to withstand outdoors over time.  Many times, in addition to those concerns, they’re painted or otherwise treated with chemicals which pose a concern for birds’ use.

It is often the heart of the homeowner to think they’re doing good by adding cute bird houses, hanging from tree branches, on shepherds hooks, etc.  If you become serious about backyard birding, you will learn soon that this is often discouraged because it does more harm to them than good.  If usable, they get taken up by invasive species, like the house sparrow.  House sparrows are non-native birds that were introduced to the U.S. by mistake.  They are now found across the entire continental U.S.  House Sparrows attack the nest sites of our beloved song birds.  They’re extremely territorial and attack birds, nests, and eggs around them.

Should you decide that you want to pursue being a landlord to birds by putting up nest boxes, this is what will draw on the utmost responsibility to you to monitor and maintain so that it serves birds the way they should.  I am an active bluebird landlord, thus have a nest box up for them.  You are welcome to see my sister blog post on Raising Bluebirds if you are interested in this.

 

Do I need anything else?

For backyard birding, I recommend having a good bird book on hand.  You are going to be so excited with every new bird you see visit your yard because YOU did that.  You welcomed them and now get to enjoy them.  This book is great for backyard birding.  I also recommend this book to document what you see as you see it.  I love writing down dates and where I saw certain birds so I know when I can expect them year after year.  This journal comes highly recommended, along with this one.  You’ll also want to get a pair of binoculars.  I recently added a second pair, so that if I spot a bird from another window, I don’t have to run through the house and end up missing it.

That’s it, for now! You should have some basic tools to begin backyard birding.  Thank you for checking out this post; I hope you find it useful!