Backyard Birding Tips

With many people spending so much time at home during the coronavirus pandemic, you may be noticing the birds that visit your backyard more than usual. While cardinals and robins are common in my neighborhood, I’ve recently noticed hawks and woodpeckers near my home for the first time. If, like me, you’ve found yourself unintentionally taking up backyard birding and find it enjoyable, here are some tips to attract more birds to your yard.

1. Learn the Birds in Your Area

Depending on where you live, you could see more than 200 species of birds come through your backyard. Do some research on the birds that are common to your area so you can start keeping an eye out for them. This information will also help you figure out what plants, food, and birdhouses would be best to install in your backyard. (1)

Additionally, you may want to research which bird species migrate through your area and when. This will add some variety to your daily birdwatching and help you spot birds you may not have noticed otherwise. (1)

2. Grow Native Plants

By growing native plants in your yard, you’ll not only attract more birds to it but you’ll also provide them with food sources as they’re challenged by climate change. The National Audubon Society recommends focusing on plants that will provide the food categories of bugs, nuts and seeds, fruit, and nectar. If you’re not sure what plants are native to your area, the NAS has you covered! Their native plants database will help you figure out what to grow to support and attract your local birds. (2, 3)

3. Let Things Be

Many of the things you can do to attract birds to your yard involves just leaving things alone. For instance, not raking in the fall is actually good for our feathered friends! Fallen leaves and debris work as a natural mulch, preventing weeds from growing. They also provide a place for insects and moth caterpillar pupae to live and grow. One pair of chickadee parents requires between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars to feed their babies every spring, so leave your rake in the shed this fall! (1, 2)

You can also forget about deadheading flowers. Leftover seed heads provide food for birds throughout the fall and winter. (2)

4. No Backyard? No Problem!

If you live in an apartment or in a home without a yard, you can still birdwatch from your balcony or window! Grab a pair of binoculars and wait for one of the many birds that inhabit urban areas to fly past your lenses. If you want to attract birds to your home, suction cup a feeder to your window. (1)

5. Be an Early Bird 

The majority of bird activity happens in the morning, so if you want the best chance of observing them, set an alarm. While birds tend to be the noisiest and most active in the early hours, putting feeders in your backyard will ensure visits from birds throughout the day. (1)

6. Involve the Kids in Birding

If you have kiddos in the house, involve them in your backyard birding endeavors, too! Children will enjoy looking through binoculars for their favorite species. And they can keep a birding notebook to draw birds and write down observations they make about them. They may even alert you to new birds that visit your yard. (4)

Hopefully, you’re feeling ready to take on backyard birding. While it may be a hobby that you’ve stumbled on because of the pandemic, I’m sure it’s one that you’ll appreciate for long after!