Category
Backyard birding
26 articles on backyard birding.
How to Attract Cardinals to Your Yard (and Keep Them Coming Back)
Northern Cardinals are easy to attract with the right seed, feeder, and cover. Here's exactly what to offer and how to set up your yard for year-round cardinals.
How to Attract Bluebirds: Nest Boxes, Mealworms, and Open Space
Bluebirds won't visit seed feeders, so attracting them takes a different playbook. Learn the nest box specs, mealworm strategy, and habitat that bring bluebirds in.
How to Attract Hummingbirds: Feeders, Flowers, and the Right Nectar
Bring hummingbirds to your yard with the correct sugar-water ratio, well-placed feeders, and nectar flowers. Plus how to keep feeders clean and ant-free.
How to Attract Goldfinches: Nyjer, Feeders, and Native Seeds
American Goldfinches flock to nyjer (thistle) and sunflower hearts. Learn the feeders they prefer, why they may ignore old seed, and the plants that draw them in.
How to Attract Woodpeckers: Suet, Dead Wood, and Patience
Suet is the secret to attracting woodpeckers, but dead trees, nut feeders, and water help too. Here's how to bring Downies, Red-bellies, and even Pileateds in.
How to Attract Orioles: Oranges, Grape Jelly, and Nectar
Brilliant orange orioles are drawn to fruit and sweets. Learn the timing, feeders, and foods — oranges, jelly, and nectar — that bring orioles to your yard each spring.
How to Keep Squirrels Off Bird Feeders: What Actually Works
Squirrels are relentless, but a few proven tactics — baffles, placement, weight-activated feeders, and safflower — will finally outsmart them.
Bird Feeder Types Explained: Which One Is Right for You?
Tube, hopper, platform, suet, nyjer, and nectar feeders each attract different birds. Here's a clear guide to choosing the right feeders for the species you want.
What to Feed Birds: A Seed-by-Seed Guide
Not all birdseed is equal. Learn which seeds attract which birds — and why cheap 'mixes' are mostly filler that ends up on the ground.
The Only Hummingbird Nectar Recipe You Need (No Red Dye)
Homemade hummingbird nectar is cheap, easy, and safer than store-bought. Here's the exact 1:4 recipe, why you should skip red dye, and how to keep it fresh.
Why Did Birds Stop Coming to My Feeder? 8 Common Reasons
A sudden empty feeder is alarming but usually has a simple explanation. Work through these eight causes — from natural food to predators to spoiled seed.
Bird Bath Guide: Attract More Birds with Water Than Seed
Water draws in species that never visit feeders. Learn the ideal depth, why moving water works so well, and how to keep a bird bath clean and ice-free.
How to Clean Bird Feeders (and Prevent Deadly Disease)
Dirty feeders spread salmonella, conjunctivitis, and other diseases. Learn how often to clean, the right disinfecting method, and the warning signs of an outbreak.
Native Plants for Birds: The Best Way to Help (and See) More Species
Native plants support the insects and berries birds need. Learn the high-impact natives — oaks, sunflowers, dogwoods, and more — that turn a yard into a bird haven.
How to Stop Birds from Hitting Your Windows
Up to a billion birds die from window strikes in the U.S. each year. Learn the proven fixes — spacing patterns, films, and screens — that actually prevent collisions.
Nest Box Guide: How to Attract Nesting Birds to Your Yard
The right box, in the right spot, brings chickadees, bluebirds, wrens, and more to nest in your yard. Learn hole sizes, placement, and predator protection.
Build a Yard List: 25 Species in 30 Days (Without Buying Anything Expensive)
A 30-day plan to attract and identify 25 different bird species in your yard, using a single feeder, a water source, and a good pair of cheap binoculars.
Winter Bird Feeding: How to Help Birds Through the Cold
Winter is when feeders matter most. Learn the high-fat foods, heated water, and shelter that help birds survive freezing nights — and which species to expect.
Should You Feed Birds in Summer? Myths and Best Practices
Summer feeding won't make birds 'lazy' or stop migration, but it does require extra care. Learn the foods to offer, what to avoid, and how to keep things safe in heat.
How to Attract Birds to an Apartment Balcony
No yard? No problem. Learn how to bring birds to a balcony or small patio with the right compact feeders, water, plants, and placement — even in a city.
Ground-Feeding Birds: How to Attract Juncos, Doves, and Native Sparrows
Many birds prefer to feed on the ground, not at hanging feeders. Learn the foods and low feeders that attract juncos, towhees, doves, and sparrows.
How to Keep Bears and Raccoons Away from Bird Feeders
Big nocturnal raiders can destroy feeders and become dangerous. Learn how to bear-proof your feeding station and outsmart raccoons without harming wildlife.
Moldy or Cloudy Hummingbird Nectar? Here's the Fix
Black mold and cloudy nectar can sicken hummingbirds. Learn why feeders spoil, how to clean them properly, and a maintenance routine that keeps nectar safe.
Feeding Mealworms to Birds: A Complete Guide
Mealworms attract insect-eating birds that ignore seed — bluebirds, wrens, robins, and chickadees. Learn live vs. dried, how to offer them, and when they matter most.
How to Attract Robins to Your Yard (They Don't Eat Seed)
American Robins ignore seed feeders but flock to fruit, mealworms, water, and open lawns. Learn the foods, plants, and setup that bring robins to your yard.
How to Stop Blackbirds and Grackles from Taking Over Your Feeders
Big flocks of grackles, starlings, and blackbirds can empty a feeder and crowd out songbirds. Learn the seed choices and feeder designs that deter them humanely.