Songbirds bring color, joy, and music to your backyard, making it a lively and beautiful space. These small birds also play an important role in natural pest control and pollination.
By creating an inviting environment with food, water, shelter, and nesting options, you can attract a variety of songbird species to your backyard. Here’s how to make your backyard a songbird haven.
Provide Songbird-Friendly Food
Songbirds have different dietary preferences, so offering a variety of foods will help attract a range of species.
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds: These seeds are a favorite of many songbirds, including finches, chickadees, and sparrows. Black oil sunflower seeds have thin shells, making them easy for small birds to crack open. You can offer these seeds in tube feeders, hopper feeders, or platform feeders.
Mixed Seed Blends: To attract a variety of songbirds, try a mixed seed blend containing sunflower seeds, millet, and safflower. Avoid cheap seed blends with filler ingredients like wheat and milo, which most songbirds ignore. Place mixed seed blends in a platform or hopper feeder.
Suet for High Energy: Suet provides essential fat and protein, especially in winter when natural food sources are scarce. Suet cakes can attract insect-eating songbirds such as woodpeckers, wrens, and nuthatches. Use a suet feeder or place suet crumbles on a platform feeder.
Fruit and Nuts: Certain songbird species, like blue jays, orioles, and tanagers, enjoy fruit and nuts. Offer apple slices, orange halves, grapes, and shelled peanuts on a platform feeder or a shallow dish. This variety adds nutrients and flavor to their diet.
Nectar for Hummingbirds and Certain Species: While hummingbirds are the primary nectar drinkers, some songbirds, like orioles, are also attracted to nectar. Use a nectar feeder with a sugar-water mixture (four parts water to one part sugar). Be sure to clean the feeder regularly and avoid using food coloring.
Choose the Right Feeders
The type of feeder you use can attract specific songbird species, so it’s helpful to use a variety to accommodate different feeding preferences.
Tube Feeders: Tube feeders are ideal for small songbirds like finches, chickadees, and titmice. They have multiple feeding ports and keep seeds dry and secure. Place tube feeders in open areas, but near trees or shrubs, so birds can quickly find shelter if needed.
Platform Feeders: Platform feeders are versatile and can hold seeds, fruit, and suet crumbles. They are open, allowing birds to perch easily, and can accommodate both small and larger songbirds. Platform feeders work well near natural cover where birds feel safe.
Hopper Feeders: Hopper feeders provide a sheltered area for food, keeping it dry and protected. These feeders are great for larger songbirds like cardinals and blue jays. Fill them with sunflower seeds or mixed seed blends, and place them in an area with both sun and shade.
Suet Feeders: Suet feeders are usually made of a metal cage that holds suet cakes. They are particularly attractive to woodpeckers, wrens, and nuthatches. Hang suet feeders in a tree or on a feeder pole for easy access.
Nectar Feeders for Hummingbirds and Orioles: Nectar feeders are designed to attract hummingbirds, but they can also appeal to nectar-feeding songbirds like orioles. Choose feeders with small perches and keep the nectar fresh by replacing it every few days.
Provide Fresh Water Sources
In addition to food, songbirds need access to fresh water for drinking and bathing. Adding a water source will make your yard more inviting.
Birdbaths: A shallow birdbath with gently sloping sides is perfect for songbirds. The water should be about 1–2 inches deep, allowing them to drink and bathe safely. Place the birdbath near trees or shrubs, so birds can perch and feel secure.
Moving Water Features: Songbirds are attracted to the sound of moving water, which signals a fresh and clean source. Consider adding a small fountain, dripper, or water wiggler to your birdbath. Moving water also helps prevent mosquito larvae from developing.
Keep Water Clean and Fresh: Regularly change the water in your birdbath to keep it clean and free of debris. This will help attract more songbirds and keep them safe from bacteria or algae buildup.
Create a Safe Feeding Environment
Songbirds are cautious and prefer to feed in areas where they feel secure. Creating a safe environment encourages them to visit more frequently.
Place Feeders Near Cover: Position your feeders near trees, shrubs, or tall plants that provide shelter. This way, birds can quickly escape to safety if they feel threatened. Dense bushes or trees with thick branches make great hiding spots for small songbirds.
Control Predators: Keep cats indoors or away from feeding areas, as outdoor cats are a significant threat to songbirds. If there are outdoor cats in your neighborhood, place feeders on poles or raised areas that are less accessible to predators.
Use Squirrel Baffles: Squirrels can scare away songbirds and eat large quantities of food. Use baffles on feeder poles to keep squirrels from reaching the food. You can also opt for squirrel-proof feeders to help ensure food remains available for the birds you want to attract.
Plant Songbird-Friendly Vegetation
Natural vegetation provides food, shelter, and nesting sites for songbirds. Choosing native plants is especially beneficial, as they attract insects that songbirds rely on.
Native Trees for Insects and Shelter: Trees like oaks, pines, and maples attract a variety of insects, which are a primary food source for many songbirds. These trees also provide perches, cover, and nesting opportunities. Plant native trees to create a habitat that supports local bird species.
Berry-Producing Shrubs: Shrubs that produce berries, such as elderberry, serviceberry, and holly, are perfect for attracting songbirds. They offer food and shelter, and their flowers attract pollinators. Plant these shrubs around the perimeter of your yard or near feeders to create a natural food source.
Include Nectar-Rich Flowers: Flowers such as trumpet vine, bee balm, and honeysuckle attract both pollinators and nectar-feeding birds. Plant these flowers in sunny areas, and enjoy the added bonus of attracting hummingbirds and butterflies.
Create Layers of Vegetation: Designing your landscape with layers—ground cover, shrubs, and trees—provides a more natural and attractive habitat for songbirds. The layered environment offers various levels of shelter and foraging opportunities.
Provide Nesting Sites and Materials
Providing nesting materials and suitable nesting sites can encourage songbirds to breed and nest in your yard.
Install Nest Boxes: Nest boxes are designed to attract specific songbird species, such as bluebirds, chickadees, and wrens. Place nest boxes in areas with little disturbance and monitor them for use. Be sure to clean them out at the end of each breeding season.
Offer Natural Nesting Materials: Many songbirds use natural materials like twigs, grass, plant fibers, and even pet fur to build nests. Scatter these materials around your yard, or hang them in a small mesh bag where birds can easily access them.
Leave Natural Cover for Shelter: Areas with tall grass, dense shrubs, and fallen leaves provide natural nesting sites for ground-nesting songbirds. Avoid over-trimming these areas, and consider designating part of your yard as a wildlife-friendly zone.
Maintain a Naturalized Area in Your Yard
Creating a naturalized area helps attract insects and provides additional foraging opportunities for songbirds.
Designate a Wild Section: Leave a section of your yard unmanicured to encourage native plants and attract insects. This area can provide songbirds with a more diverse food supply and a safe place to forage and shelter.
Let Seed Heads Remain on Plants: Allow plants like sunflowers and coneflowers to go to seed in the fall. These seed heads provide food for songbirds and attract insects, which are essential for birds during migration and breeding seasons.
Add Brush Piles for Foraging: Brush piles provide shelter, attract insects, and create a foraging area for songbirds. Place a small pile of branches or twigs in a quiet part of your yard to create a mini-habitat for songbirds.
Be Consistent with Food and Water
Consistency is key when attracting songbirds. By maintaining a reliable source of food and water, you encourage songbirds to visit regularly.
Regularly Refill Feeders: Songbirds are more likely to visit if they know food is consistently available. Refill feeders as needed, especially during migration seasons and colder months when food sources are scarce.
Check Water Daily: Keep your birdbath or water source fresh by checking it daily, especially in hot or freezing weather. Songbirds rely on a consistent supply of clean water for drinking and bathing.
Change Up Food Offerings Seasonally: Songbirds have different dietary needs throughout the year. Offer a variety of foods, including seeds, suet, fruit, and mealworms, to meet their changing needs and attract a greater diversity of species.
Observe and Enjoy Songbird Behavior
Attracting songbirds allows you to observe their fascinating behaviors and enjoy their songs and calls.
Listen to Their Songs: Different songbird species have unique songs, which can help you identify them. Take time to listen for their calls, which add a natural soundtrack to your yard.
Watch Their Foraging Habits: Songbirds have various feeding styles, from hopping along branches to pecking at insects. Observing their foraging behaviors can help you understand their preferences and learn more about each species.
Appreciate Their Diversity: A variety of songbird species may visit your yard throughout the year, each bringing its own beauty and charm. By providing a welcoming environment, you’ll enjoy the colorful diversity and lively energy they bring.
Conclusion
Attracting songbirds to your backyard is a rewarding experience that brings nature closer to home. By offering a range of food, fresh water, safe feeding areas, and natural habitat, you can create a songbird-friendly environment that supports local wildlife. With a little effort and consistency, you’ll be able to enjoy the sights, sounds, and vibrant activity of songbirds right outside your door.