How to Encourage Birds to Nest in Your Garden
When birds come to nest in your garden, you get to see their life cycle from a ringside seat. You’ll hear beautiful birdsong as your garden birds woo one another. You’ll see nest building taking place. And you may even get to witness fledgling birds taking their first solo flight.
So how can you encourage birds to nest in your garden? Here are a few top tips:
Provide Food
Birds are attracted to gardens with a ready supply of food. They certainly won’t nest anywhere that doesn’t meet their basic needs. So that means providing bird food all year round. This could be a mix of bird seed, berries and fattier foods in winter months.
Ensure a Constant Water Supply
As well as food, birds need a reliable supply of drinking water. A bird bath or any shallow water-tight container will do the trick. You’ll need to change the water regularly to keep it clean. And remember that birds will feel much more comfortable taking a drink if they are in a raised position. That way they can easily spot any approaching predators.
Provide Shelter
Birds won’t want to visit your garden unless they feel safe. Perfectly manicured lawns, decking and bare fences don’t provide the cover from predators that birds look for. Provide some kind of shelter in the form of shrubs, trees and climbing plants. Hedgerows are another popular bird hideout if you have the space.
Maintain a Welcoming Bird Box
Birds can be pretty picky about where they choose to nest. This means just hanging a nest box isn’t necessarily enough to attract a courting pair. Put up nest boxes as early in the year as you can as birds sometimes scope out nesting spots during winter. And place them in a sheltered spot, away from feeders and the reach of cats.
Leave Out Nesting Materials
To really give nesting birds a helping hand, you can leave out some the materials they need to build strong, stable and cosy homes. You may be able to find wool scraps, feathers, twigs and even pet hair lying around the house. By forming these into a wreath or leaving them in an empty plant pot, you’ll provide a veritable DIY warehouse for nest builders.
Getting birds to nest in your garden means covering all of their needs. If your garden feels safe, provides food and water, and offers some cosy nesting spots, garden birds are much more likely to set up home there.
- Nikki Boxwild
