Back in my day, we knew the secret to attracting birds was more than just tossing out a handful of seeds. Our grandparents taught us that creating a bird-friendly yard was an art, passed down through generations.

Today, I’m sharing the time-tested methods that’ll have your feathered friends choosing your yard as their favorite destination, just like we learned from the old-timers who knew a thing or two about living in harmony with nature.

1. Create a Water Feature That Sings

Some people say that the sound of running or dripping water will attract hummingbirds, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be moving water. A regular bird bath will also help create a welcoming environment for hummingbirds and other birds.

You can further enhance your garden’s appeal to many species by adding a water feature of some kind. This might be a fountain feature or a waterfall feature trickling into a pond.

This may also be a bird bath or other water feature somewhere else in your garden.

2. Plant a Living Buffet

Remember, the best way to provide for garden birds is to plant your garden with a diverse range of plants to provide them with their natural food sources and habitat. It is best to choose food-providing plants native to your area that grow well where you live.

You should plant seeds that birds can eat and not cut back or prune too zealously so that plants can go to seed and provide a natural food source. You should also plant to encourage a wide range of insect species in your garden that many birds like to eat.

3. Build a Brush Pile Paradise

You can also build a brush pile close to the ground feeder as a weather barrier and for a place the wild birds can flee to in case of a predator. If there are no trees within 20 feet of your feeder, then a pile of brush will serve as a place for birds to take refuge to hide from predators and for rest, while they wait their turn at your feeder.

4. Offer Multiple Dining Levels

Cardinals prefer a bird feeder that is close to natural cover. Smaller trees and shrubs offer protection at the feeders and on the ground.

Ground-level feeders are their favorite. They will also feed at pole-mounted and hanging feeders, which you can encourage with varying levels of cover plants.

5. Keep Those Feeders Clean

To clean your bird feeders, use a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach. Soak all parts of the feeder in the solution and rinse thoroughly with water.

After, let it dry completely. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology suggests using a solution that’s nine parts water to one part bleach To clean bird feeders.

Rinse all bleach solution off the feeder and give it adequate time to dry before putting it back out for birds, as damp feeders can be a breeding ground for diseases.

6. Create Natural Shelter

Provide shelter. Birds also need a place to rest and take shelter from the elements.

To make your yard more appealing to birds, try adding a birdhouse or two, as well as some evergreen trees or shrubs. Snags – Dead or dying trees create a snag which provides many necessary elements for wildlife survival, by supplying shelter for homes and safety from predators and food.

7. Ditch the Chemicals

In general, avoid chemicals like pesticides and herbicides in your backyard. Cardinals and other birds feed on insects, dead and alive, and these chemicals can be deadly to birds.

Another threat to hummingbirds is pesticides, which are chemicals that humans use to kill insects and other pests. However, these chemicals can also be harmful to birds, especially when they eat insects that have been poisoned with pesticides.

8. Provide Nesting Materials

When a female hummer begins to build her nest, she will gather nesting materials like grasses, small twigs, and other plant materials she can find within the landscape. She builds a nest layer by layer, using spider webs to bind all the materials together.

The female hummingbird constructs her nest from grasses, twigs, and other plant materials, weaving these together and holding them in place with spider silk. She forms the bird nest in layers, tamps down the materials, and shapes them using her feet.

She often uses soft materials like thistledown or dandelion heads to line the nest and lichen or other materials to disguise the outside.

9. Maintain Quiet Zones

Maintain a peaceful environment. Hummingbirds may be more likely to visit a calm, quiet garden that is free from loud noises and sudden movements.

If you have active kids and pets, consider planting your hummingbird garden in a quieter part of your property. They should be placed in a quiet spot, away from other busy feeders and areas busy with human activity.

Too many avian visitors and too much ‘traffic’ can put off some more timid suet-eating birds.

Why birds pick one yard over another

Spec	What our writers say
Water sound	Running or dripping water draws them; a still bath still works
Water types	Fountain, waterfall into a pond, or a bird bath
Food plants	Native plants that provide natural food and habitat
Seed heads	Do not prune so hard that plants cannot go to seed
Brush pile	Near a ground feeder, or within 20 feet if no trees
Dining levels	Ground, pole-mounted, and hanging feeders
Cleaning mix	Nine parts water to one part bleach; dry completely
Shelter	Birdhouses plus evergreen trees or shrubs
Snags	Dead trees supply shelter, safety, and food
Chemicals	Pesticides can be deadly to cardinals and other insect-eaters
Nest materials	Grasses, twigs, spider silk, thistledown, dandelion, lichen
Quiet	A calm garden away from loud noise and busy feeders

Keep reading

• 14 Ways to Make Birds Choose Your Yard This Spring
• 8 Ways to Attract Birds Without Traditional Feeders
• 15 Ways to Turn Your Porch Into a Bird Paradise