by Sammy Stein

Created on: January 06, 2010

Backyard birds will come to your garden if you provide the things they need which are shelter, safety and of course, food. Planning plants which help provide all these things is a good idea if you want to attract many kinds of bird to your yard. 

Backyard birds like thrushes, blackbirds, sparrows and doves will be seeking places where they can shelter from the cold, rain and build nests They will also be seeking places where they can roost safely hidden away from predators. Providing a natural hedge is one of the best ways of giving birds shelter as birds of all sizes will benefit, from those like wrens who like the denser foliage to blackbrids and starlings who like to have look our posts and roost in large numbers. Useful plants include hawthorn, blackthorn, berberis and cotoneaster. Many of these also provide berries or fruit which the brids can eat too.

Trees provide places for birds to preen, socialise and nest and several will provide food as well including crab apples (Malus domestica), flowering cherries and maples.

Safety is important for backyard birds because there are predators which will catch them if they are not careful including sparrow hawks, cats, dogs and other pests and providing some low growing plants will offer birds shelter on the ground. Ferns can provide cover in summer and are very attractive to many animals as they provide good overhead cover.Trees and hedging will provide safety and shelter higher up. 

Feeding birds is the most common way for people to attract birds on a temporary basis. Birds will come to feed in many gardens even if they do not roost or nest there and once you start to feed birds it is important you continue to do so because many birds become reliant on their feeding stations and will visit only so many where they rely on the food being there. Using plants around the feeding stations will help add safety and shelter for the birds.

Having plants to provide shelter near the food is important so the birds can feed safely. Birds feed in different ways.Some will feed on the ground, others will feed directly from feeders or tables while others still take food and carry it to a perch to eat. By providing safe places near feeders and places from which birds can easily dart to the feeder and back you will encourage a greater range of backyard birds. Plants such as bay trees, laurel and yew provide cover, dense foliage in which to hide and branches on which to feed.

Water is important for birds too. They use it for drinking, bathing and cooling off in hot weather so make sure water is available from a pond or container near the feeding area. Access to the water is important as it is of little use having fresh water just out of reach in a pond where it is hard for birds to actually reach the water. Use plants to enhance the safety of birds drinking. Provide cover with Gunnera manicata, irises, Caltha palustris and other pond-side plants. 

The great thing about planning a garden for backyard birds is that many plants chosen are attractive and beautiful too. Plants which provide food include Buddleia davidii, which provides nectar for some birds and seed heads full of tiny seeds for those seeking food in the colder weather. Eryngium and Echinops ritro provide seeds which also look great with frost on them from a design point of view.

Using plants to attract backyard birds is interesting and offers a great chance to design plants which benefit you and the birds.

Learn more about this author, Sammy Stein.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.