A Guide To Designing The Perfect Bird Garden
Hey all you Birders! Do you spend your days sitting at the window, patiently awaiting the next visitor to your bird feeder? Did you know that you can actually attract specific species of birds to your yard solely by incorporating bird-friendly landscaping?
In this blog, we will highlight the benefits of birds in the landscape and dive into our expert tips for creating the perfect bird garden that attracts, feeds, and houses your favorite feathery friends. Get your binoculars ready, because your yard is about to become a bird-lover’s oasis in no time!
Benefits of Birds in The Landscape
Pest Control
Seeds and nuts aren’t the only things your local bird populations consume! Birds eat a wide variety of insects, many of which are not welcome visitors to the garden! When you attract birds to your garden, you can enjoy the natural elimination of aphids, mosquitoes, earwigs, beetles, and more! Skip the harsh chemical sprays and pesticides this season and let the birds take care of unwanted visitors.
Pollination
Another critical benefit that birds provide to a landscape is the crucial act of flower pollination. As birds travel from flower to flower, often sipping nectar from the vibrant buds, they aid in the process of pollination. Additionally, many birds naturally spread pollen as they move between trees and bushes.
Aeration
As birds peck into the ground and scratch for their next meal of seeds or insects, they work to aerate the soil! Aeration creates more space in the soil, allowing oxygen, water, and nutrients to more easily reach the roots of your plants. This process leads to an all-around healthier and happier garden!
Stress Relief
A final benefit of birds in the landscape is the element of peace and stress relief they bring to the atmosphere. With their peaceful songs and majestic flutters, it’s no wonder that people feel at peace in the presence of birds.
In a scientific study conducted by the Journal of Environmental Psychology, researchers found evidence that birdwatching may be particularly beneficial to mental well-being. Across various geographical regions, participants reported a significant decrease in anxiety, stress, and depression after significant periods of observing birds in nature.
Tips For Designing a Bird Garden
Now that you know the various benefits of attracting birds to the garden, it is time to learn the best tactics for designing a bird-friendly environment.
Plant Native
The first important step to creating a bird-friendly habitat is incorporating a variety of native plants. Plant a variety of native trees, shrubs, and perennials to offer food in the form of seeds, berries, nuts, and nectar. Planting native plants also attracts native insects, which are an important part of a local bird’s diet.
Include a Water Source
Like people, birds need water to survive. Bird baths offer a readily available source of hydration, especially in drier climates or when other water sources are scarce. Additionally, bathing helps birds stay clean, remove parasites, and regulate body temperature. To get the best of both worlds–a garden with a water source- check out our new Plant By Number DIY Bird Bath Garden! Take the guesswork out of measurements, spacing, and plant selection when you use this easy-to-follow planting guideline!
Incorporate Plants To Provide Shelter and Nutrients
To design a multilevel bird-friendly landscape, we recommend planting tall canopy trees like Oaks and Poplars. Beneath these, we recommend some shade-tolerant trees like the native Dogwood Tree and Serviceberry. Then, on the lower levels, we recommend you work to incorporate a range of bloomers and berry producers to provide the nectar and nutrients for your birds.
Embrace a Natural Aesthetic
A final element to designing a bird oasis is embracing a natural aesthetic. Birds will feel more comfortable and are more likely to hang out if they feel sheltered and protected by lush greenery. A heavily pruned or sparse garden often leaves birds feeling vulnerable; thus, it is not a place they will opt to spend a lot of time. To create the natural chaos the birds desire, we recommend including ornamental grasses, heavily foliated trees and shrubs, and dense flowering garden beds.
Favorite Bird-Friendly Plants
To attract birds, you can incorporate a variety of plants into your garden. Below are just a few of our favorites!
Elderberry
If there’s one thing we know about birds, it’s that they love their berries! Specifically, Elderberry shrubs are nutrient-rich and are a significant source of vitamins during migration and winter months. Many bird species, including cardinals, bluebirds, robins, and goldfinches, enjoy snacking on the vibrant fruits of elderberry shrubs.
Echinacea
Echinacea, also known as ‘Coneflowers’, attracts birds like goldfinches, cardinals, and blue jays who feed on the seeds produced by the plant’s seedheads. These vibrant perennials offer a food source during fall and winter when other food sources may be scarce; thus, Echinacea is a valuable addition to any bird-lover’s paradise.
Eastern White Pine
We recommend incorporating a tall evergreen conifer into your landscape to create a bird shelter. The Eastern White Pine is a great native option that birds enjoy for the dense foliage that provides shelter from harsh weather conditions like wind, rain, and snow. This tree also offers nesting sites for various birds such as woodpeckers, grackles, mourning doves, and chickadees.
Monarda
Monarda, or ‘Bee Balm’, is another flowering favorite that attracts birds, specifically small songbirds like hummingbirds, to the landscape.
The tubular blooms on Monarda are extremely attractive to hummingbirds, as they provide a source of nectar that gives the birds the sustenance they need to survive. Various birds, including finches, sparrows, and goldfinches, also eat the seeds of Monarda plants.
Hollies
Many holly trees and shrubs are evergreen, providing local bird populations year-round shelter, nesting places, and berries! The prickly leaves on holly trees and shrubs offer the additional benefit of protection from predators.
Many birds, including robins, waxwings, and bluebirds, seek refuge in the comfort of a holly tree or shrub. It is important to note that while birds enjoy the fruits of hollies, they are toxic to humans and pets.
Shop Bird-Friendly Landscape Plants Online
Whether you are just getting into bird watching or you’re a longtime observer of these magical creatures, it is essential that you provide them with the resources they need to survive! Get a jumpstart on your birding oasis today and shop our vast collection of bird-friendly plants online today!