Do you want to attract more birds to your back yard? Having decorative birdhouses and bird feeders is a great way to introduce your people to nature and something the whole family can share. Having a bird friendly yard has never been more important. Nearly 80 percent of wild habitat in the United States is in private hands and an average of 2.1 million acres each year are converted to residential use.
One way to attract birds is to set your own bird feeder station. Make sure it’s close to your rustic birdhouse so that the birds can come and go to each with ease. Another way is to set up a source of clean water for drinking and bathing in a bird bath. It is fun to watch the birds flapping their wings “bathing” in the water. A third way is to providing nesting materials.
In the next few articles we will pass on to you some ideas we have found about such things as foods that appeal to birds you want to attract. Also hints about food items such as eggshells, fruits and other attractions. We will also take a look at how to provide nesting materials.
Have you ever wondered what started people being interested in birdhouses in their yards? Where did the idea come from? After all, birds have been doing this for a long time. It is believed that one reason is that people just wanted to attract more birds. In fact this has been a popular activity since the days of tribal settlements in North America.
The native American tribes used to hang hollow gourds for purple martins to come and nest in. These purple martins kept away turkey vultures which would raid their meat racks. Rustic birdhouses and gourds developed into decorative birdhouses by bird lovers and birdwatchers that you see today. Include your comment about what you know about early birdhouses.
Drawing a flock of birds to the backyard is more difficult than some people think, but it does require a few common essentials. While not all birds will flock to birdhouses, a few decorative birdhouses scattered around the backyard can’t hurt. However, be warned that most birdhouses won’t have birds for the first year, as birds have to become accustomed to the birdhouse being present. It’s also important to have birdfeeders in the backyard, more so than birdhouses. While birds can build their own nests elsewhere, they will want to live near sources of food. It’s also a good idea to have a birdbath around the yard, both as a source of water, and because birds like to splash around now and then.
During the winter, make sure to fill the birdfeeders on a regular basis. While some birds will migrate south during the colder months, a lot of birds stick around the whole winter, and need to have a reliable source of food.
Have you ever sat on a bench and watch a crowd of people at a fair or a busy street? Have you ever wondered where a person in the crowd is going? Where have they been? Well, what about watching birds in their natural habitat? Like people, birds all have their individual stories. Are the birds going to their own birdhouses or just through the trees to somewhere else?
I have heard one can help relieve a migraine by focusing on a color. I wonder if that might work with a species of birds. What about the Robin, Wren or Woodpecker? What is your favorite bird? During the spring you can spend a lot of time watching parent birds feed their babies. I have always wondered how to attract more birds. Can I use a rustic birdhouse or decorative birdhouse? If they could communicate, what would they say? Yes I believe that bird watching is relaxing, somehow transfer our stress of the day to them or just out there.