Backyard Bird Watching Tips

Backyard Bird Watching Tips and Facts

Bird watching is a simple, fun, and relaxing hobby. Any urban backyard can be a place for backyard birdwatching, with a little attention to detail, can become a nesting ground for birds. If you want to provide a cozy little haven where birds will come to feed, pass though, and eventually live, here are a few things to do:

First, having a garden is a huge help. Birds and butterflies will gravitate towards a natural setting. An over abundance of steel and concrete lawn strikes most animals as a hostile environment because of the lack of food, water and shelter.  Lacking the space for trees, at least heavy shrubs and/or ferns, will make birds feel much more secure and at home. But you will notice that indeed birdwatchingtips can be really interesting in every seasons.

Backyard Bird Watching Tips

With foliage in place, your next step is to ensure that birds will come to your back yard. Animal needs are simple - food, water, and shelter. Addressing the first two needs is important;  birds will not consider nesting in a place where these are scarce. Set up feeders in your backyard. These don't have to be elaborate - something as simple as a row of plastic cups filled with birdseed will do. If you want to keep the setting as natural looking as possible, you can opt to use wooden troughs or can carve grooves and hollows in a tree.

You can also opt to grow plants in your garden that naturally grow seeds and berries that supplement the feeders. Look into growing a variety of plants which provide food no matter what the season, or grow groups of plants that bloom in different seasons so that your little guests have food all year round.

Backyard Bird Watching Tips and Advice

Water is the next consideration. You don't need to have an expensive birdbath or fountain. Shallow pools of water will do. Try dishes or trays, if you want to keep things simple. Remember to place perches so the birds can use them as they drink. Or, if you want to follow a natural looking theme, dig a small pool in the center of your garden. Make it shallow, no more than 1 to 2 feet deep. If the pool is fairly wide, add small rock outcroppings in the center of the pool where birds can land. Time to get your binoculars for some great backyardbirdwatching!

Lastly, birds that become comfortable with your territory will build nests there. Shelter for birds in a natural setting is provided by thick, dense foliage; so if you've got a garden, cultivate it to grow. Heavy brushes and trees with thick leaf coverage will attract birds the most, as they will equate the cover with both camouflage and protection for their young from predators. If your garden can't support this, there's the classic approach of building your own little birdhouses. All in all, backyard bird watching can be a great family activity or a nice quiet solo one as well.