For a long time, if you have only watered your garden in the morning, you may want to consider changing your routine. If you want to entice more birds to your garden, recent studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between how often you water your garden and the amount of birds in your yard. This has caused bird watchers to shift their routines.
Bring Hummingbirds Right To Your Window!
Check PriceThe Morning Rush Hour
Most birds peak feeding activity hours take place during the early mornings. These are the hours that birds have gone the longest without food, so from a survival perspective this makes the most sense. When watering the gardens in the mornings, we are interrupting birds during their breakfast.
Save this article for later so you don't lose it. Enter your email and I'll send it to you now—plus you'll get my favorite backyard birding tips delivered to your inbox.
The Best Time To Water Your Plants
Birds exhibit many different types of behavior during foraging and feeding during different parts of the day, especially during the evening. Gardens getting watered during the evening may make it easier for birds to find food during the morning feeding rush. Moist soil brings insects closer to the surface, and birds are able to find food more easily in softer soil.
Little-known Benefits of Watering Your Plants at Dusk
In addition to your garden, birds benefit from watering in the evening. Moisture will sink into the soil deeply and the morning sun will not contribute to evaporative loss. Soil conditions will be ideal for organisms and earthworms to come to the surface. This will entice more feeding birds in the morning.
Get our free Hummingbird Attraction Guide! Plus, we'll send you our best tips for attracting more birds to your yard.
Watering your garden in the evening can boost the biodiversity in your garden. The moisture draws in nocturnal insects and birds, and worms. This also provides an early morning breakfast buffet for insects and worms to the birds.
Helpful Hints for Making the Change
As you adjust your watering schedule, consider these tips to accommodate your garden's bird visitors.
- Be sure to water your plants about two hours before sunset. This will create some surface moisture that will evaporate.
- Use on ground watering systems instead of over head sprinklers.
- Create different moisture levels in different parts of the garden to attract diverse ecosystems.
- Consider installing a timed drip irrigation system for better consistency.
Een frisse kijk op hoe tuinen te beheren
There is a trend in thinking about our gardens as systems instead of collections of individual plants. This thinking more holistically includes integrating watering systems that take advantage of the interconnectedness of elements in the garden. Additionally, when considering the needs of wildlife such as birds, our gardens can be much more lively, sustained, and interesting.
Don't rush to get the garden hose just yet. Consider waiting until later this evening. Nature's symphony may be in store for you this morning, as the horde of birds that are feeding on your garden as their breakfast buffet will be quite the show. Just a small adjustment to your gardening activities can bring an increase in local wildlife.
Creating a bird-friendly garden means understanding your visitors’ feeding habits and behaviour. Harmonizing your garden with nature’s feeding patterns is the best way to support your local bird population along with a healthy thriving garden.
