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If you love watching birds, then you want to make sure they return to your yard again and again! If they find a relatively safe habitat with fresh food and water, chances are they will come back - frequently. The best way to attract a variety of birds is by providing the following four elements to create a habitat that will attract birds:
Food: Provide different types of bird feeders, offering a variety of foods and placing the bird feeders where birds prefer to feed. Birds that prefer to feed on the ground are referred to as ground-feeding birds. Other birds that like to cling or hang while feeding prefer to feed from elevated feeders.
There are many varieties of specialized bird feeders available, but most fall into three basic categories:
• Ground-feeding trays or platform feeders.
• Elevated feeders such as wooden hopper feeders and tube feeders.
• Suet feeders.
By providing birdfeeders that recreate the natural feeding preference of birds, you will attract a greater variety of birds to your backyard throughout the year. You can provide fruit and nectar feeders for nectar eating birds. You can add suet feeders for insect eating birds. Peanut feeders will attract a variety of birds such as titmice, nuthatches and woodpeckers.
Shelter: Birds need protective cover just like people need the shelter of a house. Cover can be provided in many forms such as special plantings, hollow logs, and brush piles. Plants that bear a fruit for food are the best. The ideal bird habitat would include plants ranging in size and density from small evergreen shrubs to tall, full-grown trees. This variety will provide birds a choice for feeding, hiding, courting and nesting.
Water: Water is important for the survival of birds in the summer and the winter. Birds need a dependable year-round water source for drinking and bathing. Water can be supplied in a birdbath, small pool, recirculating waterfall, shallow dish or from a dripping hose.
Places To Raise Young: With more and more destruction of the natural habitat, many birds are having trouble finding places to nest. By providing nesting boxes you will encourage birds to raise their young in your backyard and stay in your area all year. You'll enjoy watching the family life of birds while providing the badly needed shelter.
Bird Feeding: