If you want a busier backyard, the temptation is to buy another feeder. Sometimes that works. But a feeder solves only one part of what birds are looking for. A yard becomes more attractive when it offers several resources at once and birds can use them without taking unnecessary risks.
Audubon’s bird-friendly yard guidance emphasizes locally native plants because they provide insects, berries, nectar, seeds and refuge. That gives us a useful blueprint: build habitat first, then use feeders to supplement it.
Seven ways to attract more birds
1. Offer a food birds already recognize
For a general seed feeder, black-oil sunflower is a strong starting point for many familiar seed-eating birds. If your feeder is new, keep the food fresh and give birds time to discover it. Start with what birds eat black-oil sunflower seeds and our guide to how long birds take to find a new feeder.
2. Add water
Birds need water for drinking and bathing, including species that may never care about your seed feeder. Audubon recommends including a bird bath or other water source and notes that moving water can be particularly attractive. Keep the water fresh and the basin clean.
3. Plant native food instead of relying only on bags of seed
Native plants can supply seeds, fruit, nectar and the insects birds feed on. Audubon specifically highlights native trees, shrubs and flowering plants as food and refuge. Use a regional native-plant resource rather than assuming a plant that is native somewhere in North America belongs in your yard.
For U.S. readers, Audubon’s native plant database is a useful starting point. Canadian readers can use provincial native-plant societies and local conservation organizations to choose species suited to their region.
4. Give birds layers of cover
A lawn with one feeder is food in an exposed room. Trees, shrubs, lower vegetation and seed-bearing plants create different heights for perching, foraging and hiding. Audubon recommends planning bird habitat with varied plant structure and shelter in mind.
5. Make windows safer
Attracting birds closer to your home also means taking responsibility for glass. Reflections can look like open sky or vegetation. If birds regularly approach windows, use proven window-collision prevention measures and pay particular attention to glass near feeding areas.
6. Keep cats away from feeding birds
A feeding station should not become an ambush point. Keep pet cats indoors and avoid positioning food where roaming cats can hide immediately beside or beneath feeding birds. Safety is part of attraction: birds that repeatedly encounter threats may spend less time in the yard.
7. Keep feeders and water clean
More birds concentrated in one place means hygiene matters. Clean feeders on a regular schedule, remove wet or spoiled food, and refresh water. Audubon’s backyard feeding resources emphasize feeder care and safety alongside attracting birds.
A simple backyard plan
| If your yard currently has… | Add next | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One seed feeder | Clean water | Helps seed eaters and non-seed eaters |
| Feeder + water | Native shrub or seed/berry plants | Adds natural food and cover |
| Food + water + cover | More plant layers | Creates more usable habitat |
| Busy bird activity | Safety audit | Check windows, cats and feeder hygiene |
Want a particular bird? Build around what it needs
“More birds” eventually becomes “more of the birds I love.” Goldfinches respond to seed-bearing plants and sunflower/nyjer. Hummingbirds need nectar sources. Woodpeckers may respond to suet, mature trees and natural foraging habitat. Blue Jays use different foods and spaces than tiny finches.
That is why this page should be your starting point rather than the final answer. As Backyard Bird Answers grows, this section will branch into species-specific questions such as how to attract goldfinches, chickadees, Blue Jays, cardinals and woodpeckers.
Expect the yard to change with the seasons
A busy feeder can become quiet when natural food is abundant, migration shifts local populations, or birds change feeding patterns. That does not mean your yard failed. If activity suddenly drops, use Why Did Birds Stop Coming to My Feeder? before buying more equipment.
What I would do this weekend
- Clean the feeder and refill with a modest amount of fresh food.
- Put out a shallow, clean water source.
- Identify one locally native shrub, flower or tree that provides food or cover.
- Look at your windows from outside and check for strong reflections.
- Make sure cats cannot stalk the feeding area.
- Spend 15 minutes watching which birds are already using the yard.
The last step is underrated. You attract birds more effectively when you know who is already passing through.
Sources & further reading
- Audubon — How to Make Your Yard Bird-Friendly
- Audubon — Native Plants
- Audubon — Bird Feeding and Care
- Project FeederWatch — Food Types
Think of your yard as habitat, not decoration
Birds experience a yard vertically. The ground, low flowers, shrubs, small trees and canopy all create different opportunities. A yard with several vegetation layers can support more foraging and shelter choices than a large open lawn with one ornamental tree.
You do not have to redesign everything at once. One native shrub, one patch of seed-producing flowers and one reliable water source can begin changing how useful the space is.
Four kinds of natural food to think about
| Food source | What provides it | Who may benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Insects | Native trees, shrubs and flowers | Many adults and especially nestlings |
| Seeds | Sunflowers, asters, coneflowers and grasses | Finches, sparrows and other seed eaters |
| Fruit | Regionally native berry-producing shrubs/trees | Thrushes, waxwings, orioles and others |
| Nectar | Native tubular flowers | Hummingbirds and pollinators |
The exact plants should be chosen for your region. “Native” is local; a plant native to Arizona is not automatically appropriate for New Brunswick or Maine.
Make the water easy to use
A bird bath does not need to be elaborate. Prioritize clean, shallow water and a location where birds can see their surroundings. Refresh it often enough that it does not become dirty or stagnant. In freezing climates, winter water requires equipment and practices designed for cold conditions.
A slightly less tidy yard can offer more
Seed heads left standing can provide food. Leaf litter supports insects and other invertebrates. Shrubs provide cover. The goal is not neglect; it is recognizing that a perfectly sterile landscape often removes the very resources birds use.
How to know whether your changes are working
Keep a simple list for a month: species seen, approximate number, where they fed, and which yard feature they used. You may discover that the bird bath attracts species that never touch the feeder, or that a shrub is more important as cover than as food.
FAQ
What attracts the most birds to a backyard?
A combination of natural food, supplemental food, clean water, cover and safe habitat attracts a broader range of birds than a feeder alone.
Do I need a bird feeder to attract birds?
No. Native plants, water, shelter and natural food can attract birds even without a feeder.
How long does it take to attract more birds?
Some birds may notice food or water quickly, while habitat improvements such as native plants become more useful over months and years.