I'd be lying if I said I've never had trouble with birds in the garden. I've watched out the window as they scratch and search for the seeds planted earlier that morning. I've discovered to my dismay, little seedlings plucked from the earth by their birdie beaks. However, these inconveniences are well worth living with for the great number of benefits birds can bring to your landscape! Allow me to share with you all of the reasons I love to have birds in the garden and how you can safely attract them to yours too!
An Ecosystem in Balance
Most of the issues we have with invasive or overpopulated species have to do with an imbalance in the affected ecosystem. When you look around you, it is easy to come to the realization that very few ecosystems in our modern world are actually intact. Backyards, parks, and farmland are all examples of natural spaces that have been heavily disturbed, so it is no surprise that it is these same places where pests tend to become a problem. The solution to these pest problems has typically been to eradicate them using physical, chemical or biological methods. The eradication of one species tends to result in the loss of multiple species thus creating further imbalance and opening up the opportunity for yet another new species to become a pest.
When we instead concentrate our efforts on building a balanced ecosystem in our own backyards, we can add layer upon layer of natural checks and balances to prevent any one species or group of species from getting out of control. We need to imagine a late-succession forest in which every niche is filled and try to apply those same principles at home. It can take a couple of growing seasons to see the positive effects of the changes we make, but the end result is so much more effective and less time consuming than attempting to take on and remove all living organisms other than our desired plants.
Attracting Birds to the Garden
While the seed and fruit eating birds tend to get a bad rap for stealing our seeds out of the dirt and pecking berries off of our bushes, it is important to remember the hundreds of species of insect eating birds that could call our yards home! Spending day after day in the garden picking insects and insect eggs off of your plants is probably not something you enjoy doing. But if you are an insect eating bird, that might look like the perfect day to you! Welcome these feathered friends into your life and try not to worry about the damage done by their berry-loving counterparts. With time and a few tips and tricks, a balance will be achieved, and you will start to experience the joy these little creatures can bring!
Set the Stage
In order to make your property a place for native birds to stop and stay a while, you need to make it look enticing to them. Even though I live in a small town, our house is right on Main St. and the environment surrounding us feels pretty urban. There is a lot of cement, many old homes and buildings stacked right up next to one another, and an abundance of empty, grass-filled backyards separated by wire fences. More than 90% of the birds I see in my neighborhood on a daily basis are invasives from Europe. There is the plentiful House Sparrow and the noisy, congregating European Starling. Both of these species are very well adjusted to living around humans and in the environments that typically accompany our dwellings. We cannot blame these birds for filling the niches we have created when the reality is that they are some of the only species of bird that can tolerate this sort of disturbed habitat. Rather than try to eradicate the species that are already thriving in these broken environments, the first step to attracting native birds is simply to change the ecosystem of your yard into one that is more appealing to a wider variety of species.
Take time to observe. Observation is the first step to creating a bird-friendly habitat in your garden. Spend some time in natural settings near your home and research the native plants that are abundant in your area.
Use multi-purpose plantings. If you have limited space, be sure to focus on plant species that can benefit both wildlife and humans. For example, select trees and shrubs with berries that are edible for birds as well as people. Perennial flowers that have herbal uses and that also produce seeds for birds would be another good choice.
Imitate natural habitats. Try to design pockets throughout your yard to resemble the natural habitats of more diverse species of birds. Add a variety of perennial species with multiple layers of vegetation - think trees, shrubs, and groundcovers.
Don't remove dead or rotting wood. Leave hollow branches or trunks, otherwise known as "snags" standing in your yard. Many birds are cavity nesters and will require rotting stumps and branches to live in. Other birds such as woodpeckers will feast on the insects living in the rotting wood.
With the stage set, the birds will arrive to check out what you have designed. Chances are, you will begin to notice more and more species passing through your yard. Also, don't be intimidated by the long wait time between planting some of these trees and shrubs and the point at which they finally reach maturity. Getting started now is better than never!
Provide Housing
In order to attract a breeding population of native birds to your property, you will need to provide safe housing for them. Many birds enjoy dense shrubs or evergreens, others will use hollow branches, and many will be happy to try out a birdhouse. Always be sure to consider the safety of the birds when providing housing for them. For example, stray cats are abundant in my neighborhood. Setting out a birdhouse that is within reach of a cat would be more detrimental to the birds than having no house at all. Be sure if you provide homemade birdhouses that they are clean, leakproof and safe from predators. The Audubon Society has lots of great birdhouse designs that can be used as a reference! Be aware that birds will get creative with their nesting materials and will gladly help themselves to the straw you spread as mulch or even to bits of twine you have used to stake your plants. Try to enjoy their presence as they hop among your garden beds in search of the perfect piece of material to bring back to their nest!
Provide Food
When most people think of feeding the birds, they immediately think of birdfeeders, however, if your goal is to attract insectivore birds to your garden, a birdfeeder would be doing just the opposite. By allowing your property to flourish in the likeness of nature, there is sure to be a variety of insects filling every niche, giving way to a variety of birds.
Plant extra. Always grow more than you plan to eat so that if some of your harvest is lost to birds or other wildlife, you will still have plenty left. When there is plentiful food and a wide selection of niches for wild birds, they will be much less interested in the fruits and veggies that you are growing for you and your family.
Grow a variety of crops. It is very unlikely that birds or other "pests" will decimate every type of food you are growing. By planting a variety of species, you will be setting yourself up for success even if one crop is a complete loss. Also, a variety of species will attract a variety of birds and that is always the goal with permaculture design.
Mix your plantings together. When you grow a row of blueberry bushes or clump up any one type of fruit producing plant all in one spot, you may as well be painting a giant target on your harvest. Try to mix many plant species together so that the birds and other wildlife who come to share your garden will not find all of your food at once.
Grow some for the birds. Be thinking of the birds as you design your gardens and even as you maintain them. Plant some trees and shrubs just as a food source for them and locate these plants near a window where you can watch and enjoy! Leave seed heads on your flowers in the fall and never feel the need to buy birdseed again. It is not a waste for our food to be eaten by our feathered friends when we feel delighted by their presence!
By following these steps, you will find that you have more than enough food produced on your property for both you and the birds that call it home. It is entirely possible to coexist with birds and to feel excitement rather than dismay at the sight of one feasting on fruit in your garden!
Provide Water
Just like all living creatures, birds require water to live. Adding a water feature to your yard is an integral component to attracting birds, otherwise they will have to leave your property to find it. Unheated birdbaths can be great, simple additions. Place them so they are not beneath trees, or they will fill with decomposing leaves and fruit. Clean them regularly to prevent the spread of disease. Fountains or ponds can also be great sources of water for birds. Try to keep the areas surrounding them open in order to prevent predators from having the ability to sneak up on the birds while they stop for a drink or a bath.
In Conclusion
Before you go running for the scarecrow this year, remember all of the benefits to having birds in your garden! When we welcome a diverse set of species into our space, we get to enjoy the benefits of having an ecosystem in balance. With less work to do in the garden, we can find more time to sit and enjoy these little feathered friends as they fly about and fill the air with their song. Just as two wrongs don't make a right, eliminating one species after another does not fix our problems with pests. Instead, embrace biodiversity and grab your binoculars!