How to Encourage Birds to Nest in Your Back Yard

While we all have birds that will come and go in our yards, actually getting them to nest in your yard takes a little bit of effort. Birds require three main things to attract them to nest in your yard. The first, is a food source. While birds will have no trouble finding food on their own, providing them with a constant supply of readily available food will go a long way in convincing them to actually stay. The type of food that you put out is of course, dependant upon the type of birds that you have. Once you have that information, you can place feeders in spots around your yard, making sure that they are wide spread enough that the birds will not have to fight over them. You also need to remain consistent with filling the feeders, because if you are not, the birds may very well leave.

Water is the second necessity for birds. Birds not only require water for drinking, but for bathing as well. Bird baths or small, shallow ponds work great for attracting birds to your yard. Bird ponds should be shallow, as birds do not like deep water. It is also important that you maintain the bird baths or ponds, and make sure that they stay clean and free of debris. Never add any chemicals to the bird baths or ponds, because they can be harmful to the birds. Bird baths or ponds should be placed in areas where the birds will not have to worry about predators such as cats or dogs. You will also need to make sure the pond is functional during the winter time, either by breaking up any ice that may form in it, or adding a bird bath heater to it.

A place to nest is the third thing that you will need for your birds. Different birds prefer different style bird houses, so you will have to know which type of birds you have or want to attract, and buy accordingly. Bird houses should also be placed in areas that the birds will feel secure and safe from predators. Providing nesting materials, such as an ample supply of twigs, grasses and pine needles or even cotton pieces, material and dog hair, is another great way to encourage birds to nest in your yard.