How To Feed Your Backyard Birds Through Fall And Winter

Whether you're an experienced birder or just want to provide a source of sustenance for birds over the winter, backyard feeders can be a source of enjoyment for you and an important part of a well-landscaped garden. Are you planning on selling your home soon? Bird feeders are also a great way to add curb appeal and interest to your backyard. The birds will love these recommendations from our real estate agents!

• Provide a variety of feeders and feed.
  Not only do different kinds of birds have different diets, but they also prefer different types of bird feeders. The most successful birding backyard will have various types of feeders offering a variety of feeds to invite as many kinds of birds as possible into your backyard. Tube feeders and hopper feeders are common, but you can widen the variety of birds in your yard by including suet feeders, thistle feeders, and even ground feeders. The feed can range from the typical seed feeds such as black oil sunflower seeds, safflower, cracked corn, peanuts, and a well-mixed seed, to suet, mealworms, and even fresh fruit.
  
  
• Provide access to fresh water.
  In addition to feeding, it's important to provide fresh water for your winged visitors. A birdbath works well if it's replenished with fresh water often. Choose one that won't be susceptible to cracking if it freezes and place it in a sunny location in your yard. Frozen baths will need to be thawed and refreshed each morning, or you can invest in a small, immersion-style heater that turns off automatically if the water level gets too low. Cold birds aren't likely to bathe, but you can help them stay hydrated by ensuring they have something to perch on while they drink from your birdbath.
  
  
• Don't forget shelter.
  The yards that attract the most birds are the ones that offer not only food and water but also somewhere safe and (relatively) warm to rest. There are a variety of ways you can provide shelter to birds in the winter. Evergreen trees and bushes, for example, help to provide year-round places for birds to find shelter from the weather as well as from predators. As an added bonus, South Bend homes for sale that have evergreen landscaping tend to show better in the winter months when everything else is dead and brown. If evergreen landscaping isn't an option, you can also invest in roost boxes or pockets where birds can rest and get warm in your backyard come winter.
  
  
• Protect birds from pests and predators.
  One of the most common complaints from backyard birders is the thievery of squirrels and other pests that eat from the bird feeders. If you have squirrels in your neighborhood, look for squirrel-proof bird feeders. Shelters and perches should be kept in safe, isolated areas or far away from shrubbery that makes good hiding places for cats and other predators.

Your garden doesn't have to become a dead, desolate place in winter. By landscaping with some evergreen species and inviting birds into your yard, you can keep your outdoor spaces alive all year round. For more information about successfully staging your home for sale, or to start the search for your dream home while the market is less competitive, contact us today.