How can I attract wild birds to my garden?

I have put a bird table with feeders full of wild seeds %26amp; peanuts etc, but still there are no birds attracted to my garden. It may due to the fact my house is on a new site %26amp; it may take time for the birds to come. Any ideas?

How can I attract wild birds to my garden?
You are right, they will take time to find your garden. Apart from putting out food, make sure there is plenty of natural food for them, by growing a variety of plants not only for seeds and berries but also to attract insects. There are plenty of books for ideas, and the RSPB. Any shrubs and trees provide nesting and shelter. Also provide some water for bathing and drinking and don't forget that not all birds feed from tables and feeders but prefer the ground.





Don't be too tidy in the garden, or at least an area of it, if possible. A lot of birds will love searching up and down branches and under leaves for insects and spiders. Blackbirds love the berries on cotoneaster, and they turn over leaves on the ground for tasty morsels.
Reply:You can send off for a free booklet from the RSPB on attracting wild birds to your garden. http://www.rspb.org.uk/gardens/booklet/


Have you protected the seeds from squirrels? Are there any cats near by? Have you got suitable nesting places?


It could be due to the fact that the site is new, but keep up your efforts and you will soon have lots of birds :)
Reply:no 1: trees





no2: any sort of still water





no3: wild seeds and berries





no4: somewhere to hide, ideally ivy or thick shrubs





no5: lots of insects in your garden





no6: leave an area to grow wild with a pile of logs or dead branches to rot down
Reply:bird food and plenty of trees x
Reply:where ever you live just put niger AKA Thistle seed out and the birds will come and put out suet and build nestboxes for whatever birds you want to come to your yard also put out water for any migrating birds to drink from and make sure THERE ARE NO PREDATORS NEARBY to eat or scare the birds


Also put out stale bread


and get some


Bee Balm


Red Columbine


Delphinium and Hollyhock


Butterfly Bush


Catawba Rhododendron


Rose of Sharon


Trumpet Vine and Trumpet Honeysuckle


Cardinal Vine


Lantana and Fuchsia


Silk Tree


to attract Humming birds and put up some humming bird feeders and make nectar using this recipe


Use a ratio of 4 parts boiling water to 1 part sugar. Cool before filling your feeder. Store any unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reply:It took me nearly a month before I got birds to my doorstep feeder. Just be patient.





Try setting up bird houses, make sure there is a lot of cover. It may have to do with the season as well. I have noticed that there are less birds at my feeder right now.
Reply:I have many feeders in the garden but only a few will be attractive to the birds. During the summer although less hungry, they will come in large numbers. I have discovered that the location of the feeders (nuts in particular) has been a big factor in the encouragement of the birds. The hawthorn trees in particular encourage a vast amount of bluetits etc whilst the table and dead tree see very few. Cats too can be a particular problem especially in a built up area and also open spaces. Be patient but also consider the location of the feeders and the shelter around them. Different seed blends are available for different species of birds.
Reply:plant fruit trees, and lots of bright flowers
Reply:be patient, they'll find you
Reply:Smear dog **** all over your garden!...and get loads of cats!.....
Reply:As you say, it is a new site and the disturbance caused by building work has scared them away. Once the birds realise that they are welcome they'll come.
Reply:The parakeets have just found my supplies of nuts, now they are taking over, want me to send them to you.
Reply:They are naturally wary of new things at first but no doubt will arrive soon. Do you have any trees for them to perch in and hide from Sparrowhawks? They need shelter too. A hawk dived into my garden once right outside my window. So maybe a fruit tree like plum,apple or greengage would be attractive to them.
Reply:put some shrubs in the garden and some nesting boxes, also this time of year birds are looking for warmer climates so you may have to wait till spring, that said there are still a number of wild birds coming to ours, we had to encourage then slowly though but its well worth it
Reply:give them time, they will find it.. once they do, you'll have birds there all the time.