How to Create a Bird Friendly Garden
You’ll be amazed to see how many beautiful birds that will show up just
by tossing a few bread crumbs or seed onto the ground. You don’t even have to
ring a dinner bell; somehow, birds just know when it’s meal time.
Planting flowers and vegetables that will eventually go to seed will tremendously helps to feed the bird population. The next time you grow flowers or a bit of lettuce, be sure to allow a plant or two to go to seed for the birds to eat.
1. Asters - Add asters to your garden and you'll definitely attract birds. Asters grow in almost all regions. Cardinals, Chicakees, Goldfinches, Indigo Buntings, Nuthatche, Sparrows, Towhees and Wrens all love aster seeds.
Planting flowers and vegetables that will eventually go to seed will tremendously helps to feed the bird population. The next time you grow flowers or a bit of lettuce, be sure to allow a plant or two to go to seed for the birds to eat.
1. Asters - Add asters to your garden and you'll definitely attract birds. Asters grow in almost all regions. Cardinals, Chicakees, Goldfinches, Indigo Buntings, Nuthatche, Sparrows, Towhees and Wrens all love aster seeds.
2. Black Eyed Susan - black-eyed Susans are a prairie garden staple and they grow just great in the desert southwest. Keep a few standing during the winter months and you'll American goldfinches, chickadees, cardinals, nuthatches, sparrows, and towhees, and wrens.
3. Marigold - A staple in any border or vegetable garden to ward off pests. Dried marigold seed is a tasty treat to almost all birds.
4. Coneflower - Add height, color into you garden by growing cone flowers. Birds love them and they grow in the worst soil.
It’s a great feeling to be able to feed your local bird population. Local
habitats are being turned upside down. What was once natural ecosystem is now
residential homes or strip malls.
5. Zinnia - These little flowers are like the cherry on top. They're sweet and beautiful and birds absolutely love them!
Folks who aren't used to the Southwest simply see the desert and sandy
planes simply as dirt fields. Most of us desert rats know if you look closer, relax your eye and just breath it all in and you’re going to see much wildlife even on what seems a baron piece of property.
Where there are bugs, there are usually birds. The natural and rural landscape
is slowly changing to urban life and so, birds can use a little help in finding
food. The winter months are usually when birds need the most help in finding
their next meal.
Attracting birds to your property is easy breezy. I've never met a bird
who doesn't like bird seed or bread crumbs. If you live in an urban area with
very little native vegetation, birds would sure appreciate the hand out of
simple crumbs. Because your neighborhood is missing the native plants, the
birds will have a hard time finding natural food.
Without having a reliable food source, your local birds will soon leave
to find food elsewhere. Some communities around the world have lost native bird
populations due to urban planning.
Feeding birds can be very therapeutic. Feeding your local bird population will give you peace and pure satisfaction of knowing that you're contributing to the animal kingdom's survival.
The best way to attract a few birds is with consistency and color. Feed
birds regularly and try to do it at the same time each day. I would recommend
mixing a bit of bird seed with bread crumbs, dried cereal, apples, raisins, crackers,
oats etc.
Birds are attracted to color, shapes and size. Depending upon your circumstances, and if
you don’t have berries, nuts or seeds to offer. Then be colorful if offering
your dried or stale bread, popcorn, and cereal, raisins, cookies etc.
From experience, I've found
that all birds seam to truly enjoy Rice Krispies and Cheerios. I don’t blame
them. I usually give them the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. You know when
you get down to the bottom of the box and you have either broken bits of cereal
or cereal dust and no one wants to eat it? Give it to the birds! They love it.
WARNING: DO NOT FEED BIRDS DRIED/UNCOOKED RICE!
This may
harm their digestive system and cause fatality. Particular birds are attracted
to raw uncooked rice in the natural environment. Rice isn't a natural food to most species. Cooked rice is fine to feed your feathered friends.There's a reason why weddings stopped tossing rice at the bride and groom. Once birds start to notice that bird food is being left for them, soon others will follow. The first birds to show up are usually sparrows and wrens. They’re so funny to watch. They like to hop about pecking for small bites. Every now and again you’ll see them rolling in the dirt to ward off mites and just to have some fun in the sun.
You can either drop some bird food of your choice into a bird feeder or simply scatter it on the ground. Birds don’t seem to care where their next meal comes from as long as it’s visible and in a safe place.
Don’t scatter or put a bird feeder where cats tend to roam. I
would recommend feeding birds in a wide open area. This will give birds a heads
up and running chance at getting away from a cat. *Birds don't care if you toss food on a driveway, put it in a bird feeder or scatter it in the grass. Birds were born with skills beyond belief. They're going to find that bird food no matter where you put it as long as it's in the open and away from predators.
After you start feeding birds on a regular schedule you’ll then start to notice
more and more birds stopping by to feed. You’ll attract a variety of birds that
you don’t usually see. This is when things get good. Every now and again you may
see a colorful bird, or a big bird, or a tiny bird. If you're lucky, maybe you'll see an exotic bird on its way
to Canada or Argentina. It’s always fun
to see birds that you've seen before.
Different bird species actually seek out and eat different sorts
of foods. Most people don’t have berries to nuts to toss out; however, you can
find bird feed easily at any store and you can even order online. I've purchased bird feed at Walgreen's to Stater Bros. grocery store. While you're there.. . look for flower seeds. They're bound to have them hidden in some nook for only 20¢
Another thing to know about feeding birds is that different birds come
and go. There are certain birds that are always around and then a few species
that are only around for a few weeks or a season.
I've also notices that sparrows usually disappear whenever a crow shows
up. You have to be adamant about not feeding crows if you plan on attracting
pretty little birds or even pigeons and doves. Crows can be a problem for you
and other birds. They're just down right bossy and seem to take over.
If you’re regular about scaring crows away.. they’ll usually get the idea
that it’s dangerous for them to stop to eat at your place.
Just know when your birds run out of something to eat, they’ll
soon fly off to another feeding ground. Don’t take it personally.
Even if you’re not able to set out bird food at a particular time
each day, it’s great if you can at least feed the birds daily, no matter the
time.
I come from a long line of bird feeders… meaning that my ancestors have
always feed birds. The women in my family usually toss out crumbs, fruit, scraps of
bread, dried cereals, oats and grains, etc., etc. Why toss it out when your scraps of grain can go to the birds? Every little bit helps in helping to
feed the local bird population.
Whether its summer or winter, or you’re in country or city dweller, keep
feeding the birds. It’s much appreciated.
U.S. State birds.
Listed by State
Alabama -Yellowhammer
Alaska - Willow Ptarmigan
Arizona - Cactus Wren
Arkansas - Mockingbird
California - California Valley Quail
Colorado - Lark Bunting
Connecticut - Robin
Delaware - Blue Hen Chicken
Florida - Mockingbird
Georgia - Brown Thrasher
Hawaii - Nene
Idaho - Mountain Bluebird
Illinois - Cardinal
Indiana - Cardinal
Iowa - Eastern Goldfinch
Kansas - Western Meadowlark
Kentucky - Cardinal
Louisiana - Eastern Brown Pelican
Maine - Chickadee
Maryland -Baltimore Oriole
Massachusetts - Chickadee
Michigan - Robin
Minnesota - Common Loon
Mississippi - Mockingbird
Missouri - Bluebird
Montana - Western Meadowlark
Nebraska - Western Meadowlark
Nevada - Mountain Bluebird
New Hampshire - Purple Finch
New Jersey - Eastern Goldfinch
New Mexico - Roadrunner
New York - Bluebird
North Carolina - Cardinal
North Dakota - Western Meadowlark
Ohio - Cardinal
Oklahoma - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Oregon - Western Meadowlark
Pennsylvania - Ruffed Grouse
Rhode Island - Rhode Island Red
South Carolina - Great Carolina Wren
South Dakota - Ring-necked Pheasant
Tennessee - Mockingbird
Texas - Mockingbird
Utah - Common American Gull
Vermont - Hermit Thrush
Virginia - Cardinal
Washington -Willow Goldfinch
West Virginia - Cardinal
Wisconsin - Robin
Wyoming - Western MeadowlarkListed by Family Genus
Baltimore Oriole - Maryland
Bluebird - Missouri
Bluebird - New York
Blue Hen Chicken - Delaware
Brown Thrasher - Georgia
Cactus Wren - Arizona
Common American Gull - Utah
California Valley Quail - California
Cardinal - Illinois
Cardinal - Indiana
Cardinal - Kentucky
Cardinal - North Carolina
Cardinal - Ohio
Cardinal - Virginia
Cardinal - West Virginia
Chickadee - Maine
Chickadee - Massachusetts
Common Loon - Minnesota
Eastern Brown Pelican - Louisiana
Eastern Goldfinch - Iowa
Eastern Goldfinch - New Jersey
Great Carolina Wren - South Carolina
Hermit Thrush - Vermont
Lark Bunting - Colorado
Mockingbird - Arkansas
Mockingbird - Florida
Mockingbird - Mississippi
Mockingbird - Tennessee
Mockingbird - Texas
Mountain Bluebird - Idaho
Mountain Bluebird - Nevada
Nene - Hawaii
Purple Finch - New Hampshire
Ring-necked Pheasant - South Dakota
Rhode Island Red - Rhode Island
Roadrunner - New Mexico
Robin - Connecticut
Robin - Michigan
Robin - Wisconsin
Ruffed Grouse - Pennsylvania
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Oklahoma
Western Meadowlark - Kansas
Western Meadowlark - Montana
Western Meadowlark - North Dakota
Western Meadowlark - Nebraska
Western Meadowlark - Oregon
Western Meadowlark - Wyoming
Willow Goldfinch - Washington
Willow Ptarmigan - Alaska
Yellowhammer - Alabama
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Howdy!
Thank you very much for your comments and questions.I will be sure to reply as soon as I can. With Regards ~Emma