(StatePoint) Did you know that you can create a safe haven for wild song birds in your own backyard? By taking a few simple actions, you can provide birds with vital resources they need to thrive, as well as guard them from common flying hazards.
Protect Them
Before inviting birds to your yard and garden with food and habitat, first take measures to protect them.
Unfortunately, millions of birds die annually by striking glass, making the windows and glass doors of your home a potential safety hazard. Help reduce the risk of bird strikes by applying special decals that reflect ultraviolet sunlight from your home’s windows, particularly those highly reflective of open sky. Virtually invisible to humans, they keep birds safe without affecting your view.
The ones offered by WindowAlert, for example, give the appearance of slightly frosted translucent glass, but glow like a stoplight for birds. For fuller protection, supplement the decals with WindowAlert UV Liquid, making marble-sized dots to create a “visual barrier†across glass surfaces. To learn more, visit WindowAlert.com.
You can limit other hazards to birds by ensuring cats, dogs and other predatory (but otherwise adorable) pets are monitored while outside to prevent attacks. Dogs can be trained not to attack birds. If this proves to be an issue, consider consulting a professional dog trainer on how to break this bad habit.
Feed Them
Birds in transit expend a lot of energy, but you can ease their hunt for food. Avoid the temptation to feed birds yesterday’s bread. Stale breads that have developed mold could be potentially harmful to birds.
Instead, populate your garden with native flowering species and supply a bird feeder stocked with a variety of seeds. Strategic placement of a bird feeder is key in preventing bird strikes. Place your feeder either closer than three feet or farther than 30 feet from windows. Clean your feeder periodically to ensure its contents are fresh and free of potentially toxic mold.
Want to beautify your backyard naturally? By taking a few simple measures, you will give birds an incentive to visit!
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Photo Credit: (c) Steve Byland/stock.Adobe.com
