For the Birds: Planting a Garden to Attract Your Fine Feathered Friends

Gardening and bird watching go hand in hand. The right plants, trees and bushes are necessary in order for birds to feel safe and protected. To attract birds to your yard you need to provide three basic things - food, water and shelter. The right combination can bring you a summertime garden filled with the sweet chorus of your happy feathered friends.

"Birds like to have a bush to dash to for cover so they are a good thing to put next to your bird feeders," said Master Gardener Kristi Condy of Grand Island, Nebraska. "Also, add a water feature or bird bath to attract the most birds."

Condy, an avid gardener and birdwatcher, has been doing both for more than a dozen years. Recently she moved from her longtime residence in Grand Island, Nebraska to Wichita, Kansas.

"I have to start over," she said, "Not only with my house, but with my garden."

She suggests filling your yard with trees, shrubs and annuals suited to your favorite bird. You will need to check with your local nursery to see which ones are best suited to your climate.

Robins, cardinals, bluebirds and purple finches love flowering dogwoods. Pines will attract nuthatches, chickadees, warblers, titmice, bluejays and warblers. Other popular bird-loving trees are black cherry, mulberry, hackberry, red cedar and beech.

Shrubs provide both food and sanctuary. Try bayberry, blackberry, pokeberry and privet. These will attract a variety of birds such as juncos, sparrows, catbirds, oriolea, cardinals and robins. The birds can hide themselves easily in the tight branches of a bush making it harder for predators to catch them.

Annual plants are also a good choice to entice birds to your garden. Cardinals, goldfinches, sparrows, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, and towhees are especially drawn to abelia, aster, blessed thistle, buddleia, California poppy, centaurus, cosmos, forget-me-not, love-lies-bleeding, marigold, portulaca, prince's feather, sunflower and zinnia.

If you are looking to lure hummingbirds to your home, you might try chinaberry or bead tree, columbine, coral-bells, evening primrose, honeysuckle, jewelweed, morning glory, nasturtium, phlox, rhododendron and bee balm.

You can also hang bird feeders filled with seed in the boughs of your trees. Sunflower seeds are the most important food supply for wild birds. Cracked corn or mixed seed is also good.

"Goldfinches like thistle seed best," Condy said. "They also like a special feeder with very small holes, which won't attract the more aggressive birds like blue jays."

Be sure to provide good clean water for your bird buddies. They prefer to bathe in a sunny spot away out in the open. A birdbath on a pedestal will help slow the cat and allows the bird plenty of time to fly off the moment it is threatened. Don't forget birds have short legs so make sure to use a shallow bath with gently sloping sides.

Birds are definite creatures of habit. Once you start feeding them, they will continue to return faithfully. Remember to be consistent and you'll be able to enjoy their antics all summer long.