The key to attracting birds to your garden can be broken down into three main categories: Food, Shelter, and Water. One of the best times to supply these resources in your garden is during the cold winter months. This is when birds could use the most help as the weather is harsh and natural food sources are not as abundant as during other times of the year. Not only will it help the individual birds in your neighborhood, but it can be quite fun to watch wildlife out your back window in the comfort of your own home.

Food

There are many choices when it comes to choosing the type of seed mix and type of feeder. Rather than a tree branch which can easily be climbed, A shepherds hook is a good way to secure the feeder from pesky squirrels. It will keep the feeder off the ground and very difficult to climb. When choosing the location, try to select a spot far away from any high objects.

Different types of seed will attract different types of birds. One of our favorite choices is a quality wild bird mix composed of sunflower chips, peanuts, oil sunflower, raisins, dried cranberries and hulled pumpkin seeds. A high- energy mix of nuts and real fruit pieces with no filler ingredients would be optimal. This will attract both nut and fruit eating songbirds. Try to avoid the general mixes in supermarkets and hardware stores that contain a lot of filler.

Water

With the feeding provided, a water source is also a quality addition for helping out our feathery friends. A bird bath is a good choice that adds an element of tranquility to your yard. For a long lasting presence, a granite birdbath is a great choice for low maintenance as it doesn’t need to be taken in for the winter. Most plastic and cement birdbaths need to be taken in for the winter to prevent cracking.

Shelter

A proper bird shelter will provide both safety from predators and protection from the harsh weather. Choose a bird house that will provide a windbreak, insulation and shielding from the rain or snow. A quality birdhouse will also be very useful for nesting birds; protecting the nest and hatchlings are priority one for mother birds.
Nurturing the birds during the winter, will give them a reason to stick around during the summer. Birds in your yard during the summer are a great addition to help with insect control, making the yard much more habitable for those summer BBQ’s.
Some of the most common native birds on Staten Island are robins, mockingbirds, cardinal and mourning doves. The invasive species are pigeons, starlings and English sparrows. Get stated on assembling your bird habitat to provide hours of viewing enjoyment. Any questions feel free to contact us athttps://wiesnerbros.com/contact/. Happy Birding!