Designing Bird-Friendly Gardens in the Mountain West

Meet their basic needs to ensure our feathered friends flock to your garden

One of the unexpected benefits of solve from home during the pandemic has been watching what happens in my yard throughout the workweek . It has convey me both delight and peace as I look out a broad variety of skirt and pollinator enjoy my garden as much as I do . I had no idea I had so many visitors .

What can you do to invite our square friend into your garden ? dame require four primary things for selection : intellectual nourishment , shelter , place to nest , and H2O . Here are some things you could do to provide those necessity .

Food sources

Native plants that your local birds are intimate with are the best option to attract them to your landscape . Be sure to utilize dissimilar varieties of plant that will supply dissimilar types of food — ejaculate , crank , berries , and nectar . Each will bring different bird coinage into the garden at different times of the yr .

Another important food source is worm . Did you experience that 96 % percent of soil fowl feed insects to their chicks ? Flowering plants will draw insects throughout the get season . In the off - season , boo expect for insects in heap of leaves and other dust , so keep your garden just a little messy to provide insects twelvemonth - round . And , of course , minimize pesticide usage — the razz will thank you .

Shelter and places to nest

Birds front many threats , including big birdie ( such as bird of Minerva and hawk ) , quat , and other predators . They do not like to be out in the open , where they are most vulnerable . To help oneself them feel dependable and secure enough to attempt temporary tax shelter or build a nest , provide level of dense plantings such as tall nuance trees , belittled ornamental trees , or enceinte shrub . Even small plant such as more - compact shrubs , grasses , and perennials can provide protection . Remember to supply layers and a mix of conifers and deciduous plants ; coniferous tree offer swell protection from predators and bad weather .

Water

Just like us , hiss need water to pull through . Adding a H2O feature ( especially one that makes dissonance ) will draw in birds for washup and drinking .

It turn out that over the year I have done all of the things listed above as I renovated my garden and grounds , and my reward is lots of skirt , butterfly , and other pollinator , which have get more colour and life to my garden . I ’ve tot up rafts of aboriginal plants , removed grand of solid animal foot of sod to extend planting beds , and installed a bubbling stone feature . I have it away watching the birds come to bath in it throughout the growing season .

If you would wish to learn more about make your garden more bird - friendly , arrest outAudubon Rockies , which has a Habitat Hero program that recognizes individuals , organizations , and patronage in Colorado , Wyoming , and Utah who create habitat for birds and other wildlife by planting native industrial plant . The website includes a wealth of information .

— Michelle Provaznik is executive director of the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins , Colorado .

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bird in a shrub

Dense plants are important cover for baby birds who are not yet proficient in flying.Photo: Jennifer Benner

bird in a plant in winter

Plants with prominent seed heads, such as native purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, Zones 4–9), can provide winter food to birds when insects are scarce.Photo: Michelle Provaznik

owl on a pergola