How to Attract Birds to a Small Backyard

Birds are easy to please. Give them the necessities (food, water, and shelter) and they visit backyards of any size, or even balconies and patios, says Laura Erickson, bird expert and author.

Urban areas are as bird-friendly as large suburban backyards. Think about this: Most of our biggest cities are built on rivers or large lakes, which also happen to be migration pathways. As birds travel, especially during spring and fall migration, they’re on the lookout for familiar scenery.

Jam-pack multiple containers with bird-friendly blooms and add a feeder and a birdbath, and your small space will be swarming with birds in no time.

Grow These Small-Space Plants

The key to attracting birds to a small area is to get your space noticed, Laura says. And the first thing a bird sees are plants, which they associate with food and shelter. Shrubs grow well in small yards or containers, and birds use them as nest sites or to escape from predators. Remember that plants are home to insects, which are an important part of a bird’s diet. The more plants you have, the more birds you attract. (Read: Top 10 Shrubs for Your Small-Space Garden)

Select Super Seeds

Black oil sunflower seed is the go-to meal for virtually all birds, Laura says. It’s an ideal option if you have space for only one feeder. Because the seeds are more fragile than striped sunflower, a variety of birds can crack them open easily.

Serve their favorite seeds in an acrylic window feeder if you are tight on space. Buy one with suction cups to attach to a pane of glass, and make sure it has tiny perches for songbirds, Laura says. The small perches prevent nuisance birds, like pigeons, from gaining access to the seeds. (Read: 3 Types of Seeds Birds Love Best)

Buy a Birdbath

Get the biggest bang for your birdbath buck when you add moving water to an ordinary bath. Birds hear the trickling bubbling sound and stop for a drink or a dip, Laura says. It’s as easy as adding a solar-powered pump to a bath in a sunny spot. Laura found that a desk bubbler placed in a shallow pan makes a simple water feature in a pinch.

Set up your backyard with the trifecta and watch birds right from your window. Once birds find your space and adjust to the surroundings, they come back for more. (Read: Make a Simple Homemade Birdbath)

Bonus Tip!

If you don’t have room for a feeder, just skip it! Spread white millet in front of shrubs for ground-feeders like juncos and sparrows. Or smear chunky peanut butter on a tree trunk for chickadees and woodpeckers.