Robert J Dolezal - Birds & Blooms: Birds in Your Backyard

W hats the appeal of watching birds in your own backyard? There are the birds themselvesever active, brightly plumed, changing with the seasons, and boasting personalities that range from timid mourning doves to raucous jays. From the exciting, swift whir of hummingbirds to the glorious colors of cardinals, tanagers, and goldfinches, birds add excitement and enjoyment to your bird garden. Birds will captivate you with their fascinating behavior, from nest building to the feeding of their offspring. Young birds will hatch, develop, and depart the nest, absorbing hours of your attention.

Feeding backyard birds is a burgeoning hobby enjoyed by millions of enthusiasts. They are drawn by the possibility of observing many of the 600-plus species of birds found in North America and the opportunity to contribute to the environment.

Bird feeding started as an offshoot of the farm-feed industry. In the 1980s the hobby took off. Today, garden centers throughout the continent stock their shelves with seed, feeders, birdhouses, and field guides.

In the following pages youll discover birds, their needs, plants and features to attract them, and insights about their behaviors.

Begin your bird-watching hobby by becoming aware of the diversity of birds that visit your backyard. Each bird can thrill with surprising action, a show of unexpected color, or a response to you, your plants, and the features found in your garden.

White-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) have personality to spare.

Bird-watching can take many forms, from casual observation to scientific precision. Whatever your level of interest, bird-watching provides intriguing glimpses of worlds often seen but too seldom appreciated. Whether as a hobby, a form of artistic expression, or the subject of scientific inquiry, bird-watching is an enjoyable way to invite natures spectacle into your life.

Birds are among the most beautiful and intriguing of all living creatures. They are approachable, often living surprisingly close to our dwellings. In contrast to other animals that hide in a forest bower or swim unseen in the seas, birds frequent and interact with people. Youll appreciate their many aspects.

Binoculars and a comfortable bench are all you need for a close-up view of the activities and frequently comical antics of birds in your backyard.

Lively and Watchable. Each bird has a distinctive shape, beat of wing, mode of flight, manner of behavior, and distinguishing array of plumage and color. Birds delight or startle with songs, trills, warbles, chirps, and a symphony of other sounds.

Familiarize yourself with each birds appearance and habit and youll start to perceive each species diversity.

Whether your objective is to identify and learn about birds, photograph them, recognize their songs, or simply let their antics entertain you, enhance your pleasure with a garden fit for the birds needs.

Birds and Backyards. Birds will visit yards with trees, mixed shrubs, seed-bearing flowers, and grasses. Theyll crowd birdbaths, fountains, and ponds. Theyll nest in birdhouses, and theyll eat at feeders. Create a garden with these plants and features and birds will flock to your yard.