Building a bird sanctuary in your own backyard can be a rewarding project that provides a safe haven for our feathered friends. With some planning, effort, and creativity, you can design a space that attracts a variety of beautiful birds to visit and live in your yard.
Why build a bird sanctuary?
There are many benefits to building a bird sanctuary:
- Birds add beauty, color, and life to your outdoor space
- Watching birds is an enjoyable, calming activity
- A bird sanctuary supports conservation by providing habitat for birds
- Birds help control insects and pests naturally
- Designing and building it allows you to connect with nature
By putting in some work to create an inviting sanctuary, you can reap all of these rewards and more. Your backyard will become a special place to relax and watch your new feathered neighbors.
Site selection
When choosing where to put your bird sanctuary, look for a site that has these features:
- Some existing trees, shrubs, or other vegetation
- Water source like a pond, birdbath, or fountain
- Protection from strong winds
- Varied heights and layers of planting
- Adequate sunlight and shade
- Seclusion from disturbances and predators
The ideal spot will allow you to provide food, water, shelter, and nesting sites while keeping the birds safe. Focus on working with your existing yard layout and features to find the best location.
Food sources
Providing good sources of food will ensure your sanctuary receives a lot of bird traffic. Different species have different dietary needs. Offering a variety of feeders and plantings will attract more types of birds. Good options include:
- Seed feeders – Platform, hopper, tube, and tray feeders filled with quality birdseed mixes will entice finches, sparrows, doves, and more.
- Suet feeders – Nutritious suet is beloved by woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and others.
- Fruit feeders – Oranges, grapes, apples, and other fruits will lure orioles, tanagers, bluebirds, and other fruit-loving birds.
- Nectar feeders – Filled with nectar, these feed hummingbirds.
- Insect feeders – Mealworms and other live bugs will attract robins, wrens, and other insect-eaters.
- Berry bushes – Plant things like holly, juniper, dogwood, elderberry, and viburnum to provide natural berries.
- Nut and seed plants – Trees like oaks, maples, and pines or plants like sunflowers will provide seeds and nuts.
- Nectar plants – Flowers with ample nectar, like trumpet vine, fuchsia, and columbine will nourish hummingbirds.
Choose a mix of feeders and plants to ensure your sanctuary caters to many different birds’ diets. Maintain and fill feeders regularly, prune plants, and replace old fruits and nectar.
Water sources
Like all animals, birds need access to clean water for drinking and bathing. Some options for providing water include:
- Birdbath – Choose a shallow basin style, kept clean and filled with fresh water.
- Dripping or mister – Add a dripper above a basin or install a mister to create habitat and keep birds cool.
- Garden pond – Integrate a wildlife pond into your sanctuary for larger birds.
- Fountain – The moving water will help attract more birds.
Change birdbath and fountain water at least every other day to keep it clean. Add a few rocks or stones so birds have a safe perching place to drink and bathe without drowning.
Shelter
Birds need places to hide, nest, perch, and get out of the elements. You can provide shelter by:
- Planting dense shrubs and bushes
- Leaving dead trees and prunings for roosting
- Putting up nesting boxes and birdhouses
- Adding a brush pile of branches and sticks
- Letting vegetation grow a bit wild and untamed
Focus on native plants suited for your area and natural materials for nesting spots. Cater to the specific needs of target bird species with your shelter provisions.
Native plants
Incorporating native plants suited for your region into your sanctuary is key. Native species provide the most natural food and shelter options because local birds evolved alongside them. Some great native plants to include are:
- Trees – Oak, maple, pine, birch, dogwood, beech, spruce, fir, hemlock.
- Shrubs – Lavender, elderberry, sumac, blueberry, viburnum, hawthorn.
- Vines – Trumpet vine, Virginia creeper, clematis, passionflower.
- Herbaceous plants – Coneflower, asters, goldenrod, Joe pye weed, milkweed, sunflowers.
Research specific plant species native to your region. Talk to native plant societies or extension offices for the best selections. Avoid invasive species.
Landscaping design
The landscaping design and features you add to your sanctuary space can really maximize its suitability for birds. Some key elements to include are:
- Layers and heights – Add plants of varying heights for more dimension. Have ground covers, medium shrubs, and tall trees.
- Variety – Plant diverse species to provide more food and shelter options.
- Places for birds to perch – Add benches, stones, stumps, old logs, and other multifunctional elements birds can perch on.
- Seating – Having benches or seating amidst the garden provides a place for you to sit back and birdwatch.
- Trails or pathways – Circular paths through the space make it accessible and engaging.
Think about how humans will interact with the sanctuary too. Strike a balance between an engaging space for you and a natural refuge for birds.
Additional elements
Depending on your goals, budget, and space, you may wish to incorporate some additional elements into your bird sanctuary design, like:
- A dry creek bed or rain garden to collect stormwater
- Butterfly breeding plants to attract other pollinators
- Bat houses for insect-eating bats to aid your birds
- Beekeeping boxes if space allows
- A viewing or photography blind for birdwatching
- Signage and educational materials to teach visitors
These types of additions can broaden the benefits and usage of your sanctuary. But keep the birds’ needs front and center when adding supplemental elements.
Controlling predators
Unfortunately, birds sanctuary can also attract predators, so you’ll need to take some steps to protect your feathered residents. Methods of controlling predators include:
- Locating feeders and houses at least 5-10 feet from vegetation and fences where cats and other predators hide
- Installing predator guards or baffles on birdhouse entrance holes
- Using fences, thorny shrubs, and repellents to deter cats and other predators from entering the space
- Installing pond covers or netting to protect from predatory birds
- Regularly cleaning up fallen seed and fruit to avoid attracting mice, rats, and other predators
With persistence and vigilance, you can strike the right balance and minimize risks. Be prepared to adapt your approach over time too.
Seasonal maintenance
To keep your bird sanctuary looking good and providing for local birds year-round, some seasonal maintenance is required. Follow this schedule as a guideline:
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With some diligent care and attention provided throughout each season, your sanctuary will thrive year-round.
Bird species to attract
Depending on your location, climate, and sanctuary design, you may be able to attract a wonderful diversity of bird species. Some of the most popular species welcomed in backyard sanctuaries include:
- Chickadees
- Cardinals
- Finches
- Orioles
- Warblers
- Hummingbirds
- Jays
- Wrens
- Tanagers
- Sparrows
- Woodpeckers
- Nuthatches
Research your local and regional species to see who might visit your space. Part of the fun is seeing who shows up! Adjust elements of your sanctuary over time to make it as attractive as possible to native species.
Being a responsible sanctuary steward
When you take on the responsibility of creating a bird sanctuary, you also accept the role of becoming a steward of that space. Some key aspects of responsible sanctuary stewardship include:
- Providing clean, fresh food and water consistently – Birds come to depend on the resources you put out.
- Following leave no trace principles – Keep space clean and view birds from afar to avoid disturbing their habits.
- Controlling invasive species responsibly – Remove problem plants and animals humanely.
- Letting some areas grow naturally – Allow birds to find natural food sources amidst the vegetation.
- Educating visitors and birders – Promote respectful birdwatching practices when people visit your sanctuary.
By maintaining your sanctuary properly and sharing it responsibly, the space can flourish and provide enjoyment for many generations of birds to come.
Conclusion
Welcoming lovely songbirds into your green space takes planning, effort, and a commitment to stewardship, but the rewards are well worth it. By providing food, water, shelter, nesting sites, and native plants, you can create a beautiful backyard bird sanctuary. Maintain your sanctuary year-round and make adjustments to attract more species over time. With some patience, creativity, and a passion for nature, you’ll find joy in watching your new feathered friends visit your sanctuary.
