Attracting birds is a great way to bring nature up close and into your backyard for your kids. According to the Iowa DNR, more than 200 bird species call Iowa home and more than 420 species spend at least part of their year here. Many of these birds migrate long distances to move between breeding and winter habitats and use Iowa as a place to rest and refuel along the way. As it is easy to attract several different species of birds, making your backyard a little more hospitable to our feathered friends will provide hours of entertainment for everyone in the family.
There are many things you can do to your backyard that will encourage birds to visit it more often and most aren’t that difficult to implement. Just like us, birds need a few basic things to live; food, water, and shelter and if you provide those few necessities, you’ll be rewarded with a visit from our avian buddies.
Here’s five ideas to make your yard more hospitable for birds:
1. Offer food with a bird feeder.
Of course, offering food is a good way to attract birds to your yard. Different types of bird feeders will attract different types of birds. Positioning different types of feeders in various locations throughout your yard will help you attract a greater variety of birds. And please keep in mind that you will need to refill the bird feeders and keep the food “fresh”.
The two main things to keep in mind when deciding where to place your bird feeder are: can you see the feeder well, and is the feeder in a safe location?
- Visibility: After you’ve gone to all the trouble to lure birds to your yard, you’ll want to make sure you can easily see your feeders from your windows.
- Safe Location: You’ll want to make sure the feeder is in a place that’s relatively safe from window collisions and from predators.
Here are a few of the main types of bird feeders to consider using:
- Tube feeder
- Platform feeder
- Ground feeder
- Hopper feeder
- Hummingbird feeder
- Suet cage feeder
2. Provide a Source of Water
All birds need water for drinking and bathing. Below are a few ways you can offer water to birds, hopefully giving you a bird-friendly backyard.
- Standard pedestal birdbath
- Ceramic dish
- Solar fountain
- Bubbler
- Bird mister
- A small pond or artificial stream
3. Offer them a place to stay.
We’ve covered the first two bird necessities, now let’s talk shelter. By putting up a birdhouse or two, you can provide cavity-nesting birds a place to build nests and lay their eggs. Your kids will love watching birds build their nests and raise their young in your yard! But shelter doesn’t just mean birdhouses.
Birds also need some type of shelter that they can quickly dart back and forth to at the slightest sign of danger, namely trees, bushes, shrubs, and plants. A big open yard with a bird feeder right in the middle won’t get as much activity as one with bushes or trees nearby. Open space makes birds nervous, while having cover nearby means they can quickly dash off at the sight of a predator like a hawk or your neighbor’s cat.
4. Create a bird zone in your yard.
Areas of your yard where your kids tend to play are not the most ideal spots to try and attract birds, there’s just too much activity. Birds don’t like getting too up close and personal with humans, especially humans that are running around and making noise. If you have room for it, designate a portion of your yard that can be just for the birds. Place your bird feeders, birdbath, and varying levels of growth in the designated “bird zone”. This way the birds will feel safer and your family won’t have to tiptoe around the bird area.
5. Help birds avoid window collisions.
One of the most perilous threats for birds is a window collision. Birds can’t perceive glass windows: They see through the clear surface to the other side, or see a mirrored reflection of nearby sky or trees. Either way, they can fly right into the hard glass at full speed.
Fortunately, there are a few strategies you can deploy to help birds avoid window collisions.
- Shut doors to break up sight lines through your home.
- Lower blinds or find some other way to break up the view into your home.
- Place a sun ornament or other hanging object in your window, so birds know that it’s there.
- Stick up decals of a hawk or other anti-collision decals to prevent birds from striking your windows.
Additional Resources:
Iowa DNR Resources about Birds:
Creating a better home for birds in Iowa
Create your own backyard habitat oasis for Iowa’s songbirds
7 Cool Things You Should Know About Hummingbirds
7 Ways to Attract Songbirds to Your Yard
Iowa State University Extension: Attracting Birds to Your Yard
National Audobon Society: Audobon for Kids
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