Wild Bird Seed

One of the most important factors in attracting birds to your yard is to offer a variety of foods. Choose different feeders for the different seeds; this will help reduce wasted seed. Birds will toss unwanted seeds out of a feeder to get to their favorite seeds. Fill your feeder before it gets empty – birds will search for a reliable food source, so if your feeder stays full, they will stay close by. Place the feeder in a location that is easily visible to you from inside or outside of the house.

Purchasing specialty feeders that allow only “select” birds to feed will discourage unwanted birds and pests, letting you enjoy the birds you want to see.

Look for feeders with drainage holes in the bottom of both the feed hopper and the seed tray. This will allow seeds and bird droppings to pass through.

Store your bird food in a tight container so mice and other rodents don’t get into it. Mice can carry diseases that can be passed on to birds. Discard food that smells musty, is wet, or has mold or fungus growing on it.

Pick a location that is easy to get to for refilling and cleaning. No matter which type of feeder you choose, there tends to be discarded seed shells, picked through seeds, and bird droppings.

Birds like to be able to have an easy escape from predators. Place your feeder near bushes, trees, plants or tall grass so they can quickly hide.

Some windows present problems for birds. Either put the feeder directly up to the window or considerable distance away. When a bird is feeding and gets frightened, the further away the window, the less likely it is for the bird to fly into the window and become injured.

Cats love birds. Place your feeder in a spot where your cat can see the birds, but where he cannot reach them.

Squirrels are a big problem for feeders. The best advice is to buy a feeder with a baffle, or try placing the feeder where the squirrel will have trouble getting to it, such as on a pole or against the house.

Birds need water for drinking and bathing. Supplying a water source in your yard will keep the birds coming back. You can use something as simple as a bird bath or a shallow dish, or something as grand as a back yard pond. Birds will use water if it is at ground level, but they are more apt to use something that is above ground for a better view of predators and a quick escape. Whatever you use, it shouldn’t have high sides. It should be dull or neutral in color, rough on the bottom, and should only be 1″ to 3″ deep. Keep the water source clean, which will help discourage the spread of diseases.

The outside of a birdhouse may be important to you, but is not important to the bird – it is the inside that interests them. The diameter of the entrance hole determines the type of bird that will use the house. Use the chart below to find the best fit for the birds you want to attract:

Type of Bird	Diameter of entrance hole
Bluebird	1 1/2″
Chickadee	1 1/8″
Finch, House	2″
Flicker, Northern	2 1/2″
Flycatcher	1 1/2″ to 2 1/2″
Kestrel, American	3″
Nuthatch	1 1/4″
Owl, Common Barn	6″ to 8″
Owl, Screech	2 1/2″ to 4″
Starling	2″
Swallow, Tree	1 1/2″
Titmouse	1 1/4″
Warbler, Prothonotary	1 1/4″ to 1 1/2″
Woodpecker, Red-Bellied	2 1/2″
Woodpecker, Red-Headed	2″
Woodpecker, Sowny	1 1/4″
Wren, Carolina	1 1/2″
Wren, House	1″ to 1 1/4″
Wren, Winter	1″ to 1 1/4″

The area below the entrance hole inside the house should be a bit rough so that birds can get a grip when climbing out. A birdhouse should not have a perch in front of the entrance hole; this will only encourage problem birds.

Make sure all houses have ventilation holes at the top of the walls. The houses should also have small drainage holes in the floor in case water gets in the house. There should be either a removable roof or a hinged side to allow for cleaning. Each time a brood is fledged (the baby birds have left), open up the house, sweep out the old nest, and wash the house with water.

Most birds do not like swaying bird houses, except for wrens. Firmly anchor the house to a post, tree, or the side of a building. Location of the bird house is important. Consider the kind of nesting conditions the birdhouse is meant to duplicate. Some research may be needed as to the nesting habitat of a particular bird.