For nature-lovers, attracting wild birds, butterflies, bats and other wildlife into your backyard garden can be very rewarding and won’t cost the earth. Whether you have a large backyard, a small city garden or even an apartment balcony, you can transform a wildlife wasteland into a bustling haven, alive with color, spectacle and birdsong that can be enjoyed all year by you and your family. When planning how to attract birds, consider offering bird feeders, bird baths and bird houses.

Bird Feeders

It is recommended that you don’t scatter feed on the ground for reasons of bird safety and health. Bird feeders are an ideal choice and come in many varieties. The type you choose and the feed you provide will determine which birds will visit. To avoid waste, it’s a good idea to invest in a number of specially-designed feeders – otherwise birds will discard unwanted seeds whilst searching for their favorites.

Bird Baths

Don’t forget that birds need access to clean water all year round. A bird bath not only allows birds to drink and bathe, but can serve as a pleasing decorative ornament. Solar bird baths are excellent because they circulate the water, preventing stagnation and discouraging mosquitoes. Powered by the sun, they save electricity. They can be placed in any sunny spot because they require no plumbing or wiring. What’s more, birds are attracted by the sight and sound of the movement of the water.

If you live in an area that suffers cold winters, bird baths can be heated to ensure that the water does not ice over. Birds will flock to enjoy your bath. Not only fascinating to watch, but combined with feeders, it could be a lifeline for your backyard visitors.

Bird Houses

Combined with the right feeders and feed, bird houses are another way to attract your favorite birds and encourage them to stay, offering both warmth and shelter. More than fifty species of birds will use bird houses, including finches, nuthatches, bluebirds, wrens, owls, woodpeckers, sparrows, starlings and chickadees, to name but a few. Each bird prefers a certain style and size, so choose your bird houses according to which birds you want to attract.

And why not set up a butterfly house for that extra splash of garden color, or a bat house to help keep mosquitoes at bay?