A summer backyard filled with birds is one of the season’s simplest pleasures. From cardinals perched in the trees to goldfinches visiting the feeder, a steady stream of feathered visitors can make any outdoor space feel more lively and inviting.
Fortunately, attracting birds doesn't require a major landscaping project. A few thoughtful additions—from fresh water and native plants to safer feeder placement—can help create a welcoming haven for backyard birds.
A few simple changes from feeder placement to eliminating backyard hazards, can help turn your yard into a bird-friendly habitat that keeps feathered visitors coming back all summer long.
Upgrade Your Feeders
A good feeder setup can bring a variety of feathered friends. Tube feeders often attract finches and chickadees, while platform feeders are popular with cardinals and doves. Hummingbirds, of course, appreciate nectar feeders, and woodpeckers often stop by suet feeders.
While you should always keep feeders clean and filled with quality seed, placement also matters. Place feeders in the open where birds can see them, but near enough to cover for a quick escape. Mount them about 5 feet high, 7 feet from fences or decks, and 9 feet from overhanging branches to help keep predators and squirrels away.
Provide Multiple Food Options
Different birds have different tastes, so the food you offer can play a big role in who shows up at your feeder. Black-oil sunflower seed is a favorite for chickadees, finches, and cardinals, while nyjer seed is especially appealing to goldfinches. Suet can bring in woodpeckers and nuthatches, and nectar is essential to attract hummingbirds. Halved oranges or a small dish of grape jelly can lure in Baltimore and Orchard orioles, tanagers, or grosbeaks. For the best results, set these treats away from your seed feeders to give birds a quieter spot to snack.
Create Shelter and Cover
Birds need more than food and water—they also need places to rest, cool off, and raise their young. Open lawns may look neat and tidy, but they don't offer much protection from the elements.
Shrubs, hedges, and small trees provide valuable places for birds to perch and nest, while dense plantings can offer welcome shade during the hottest parts of the day. Even a brush pile or slightly wilder corner of the yard can create a more inviting habitat for feathered visitors.
Keep Backyard Birds Safe
Once your yard becomes a favorite stop for feathered visitors, a few simple precautions can help protect them from common dangers. Keeping cats indoors is one of the most effective steps you can take, since domestic cats are among the leading causes of bird deaths in the U.S.
When placing feeders, leave enough open space nearby so birds can spot approaching predators. If squirrels or raccoons are frequent visitors, a baffle can help keep feeders more secure. It's also worth making windows more bird-friendly. Decals, patterned film, or other visual markers can help prevent collisions by making glass easier for birds to see.
Add a Fresh Water Source
Food gets birds to notice your yard, but water is often what makes them want to stop and stay awhile. A shallow birdbath can quickly become the neighborhood's most popular gathering place during hot summer weather. The key is keeping it clean and full. Fresh water helps birds drink, cool off, and bathe, especially when natural water sources dry up. Want to make your birdbath even more irresistible? Add a small fountain, dripper, or bubbler. Birds are drawn to the sound and movement of water and can hear it from surprisingly far away.
Plant Native Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees
If you want to create a backyard birds truly love, native plants are one of the best investments you can make. They provide natural food sources like seeds, berries, and nectar, while also supporting insects that many birds rely on during nesting season. In summer, parent birds often seek out protein-rich insects to feed their young, making native plants important part of a thriving backyard habitat. As a bonus, native plants are often easier to maintain because they're already adapted to local growing conditions.
Offer Nesting Support
Summer is still an active nesting season for many species, so providing nesting support can help attract birds needing a home for their babies. Nest boxes are especially helpful for cavity-nesting birds such as wrens, bluebirds, and chickadees. You’ll want to choose the right box style and place it in a suitable location for the species you hope to attract. You can also make your yard more nesting-friendly by leaving out natural materials like small twigs, dried grass, or bits of plant fluff that birds can gather for their nests.
Keep Feeders Clean
A clean feeder is a safer feeder—and one birds will be happy to revisit. Keep in mind: summer heat can cause seeds to spoil more quickly, and dirty feeders can spread disease among birds. So, you should clean them regularly and remove any old or wet seed. If you notice sick birds in your area, check local wildlife recommendations about temporarily removing feeders.
Skip the Pesticides
Many birds depend on insects as a major food source, especially when feeding their young. Pesticides reduce those natural food supplies and can disrupt the backyard ecosystem that supports birds, butterflies, and pollinators alike. The more life your garden supports, the more birds you're likely to see!
A birdbath here, a few native flowers there, and before long, your backyard may be filled with cheerful birdsong, colorful visitors all summer long.
Macie Reynolds is the assistant editor of E-Commerce and SEO for The Pioneer Woman.
