How to build a Bird Sanctuary

Don’t Forget Your Feathered Friends!

I love birds. There’s something about the freedom they posses that attracts me to them. To have the ability to take off in flight and soar above the world, to see what land dwelling creatures can only imagine. I love the variety displayed in this species. Their diversity shows from the majestic eagle to the flitting hummingbird, the graceful swan and the powerful ostrich. Their colors amaze me and their intelligence astounds me. What can I say? I love birds.

In light of that admiration, I was driven to attract as many as I can to our little yard. My Grandma lives in a forested area and always has a wide range of aviary types come to her feeders. From woodpeckers and cardinals to sparrows and chickadees. I could watch them for hours, and I want that for our home. Winter is a great time to set out feeders because the ice and snow covers most of their food sources. So, here are some tips on how to build a bird sanctuary:

Location: You want to set them out in a place where they can feel sheltered.We have this little alcove area between our garage and kitchen. Those windows look into our dining room, my favorite room of the house. Across the driveway from the alcove, is a great wall of hedges that the birds love to hang out in.

A Place to Perch:

This vine trellis was sitting unused in our backyard ever since we bought the house this summer. I set out the birdfeeders, but realized the birds didn’t seem to like to have to fly right onto them. They wanted to land somewhere and then survey the good food that awaited them. Without the trellis, they lacked a good perch to sit upon. It also adds and extra element of safety for the little guys.

Feeders for all types:

Like any good bird watcher, I love to see variety. I used to think, a bird feeder is a bird feeder and will do for any type. My, how wrong I was. Smaller birds like the hanging feeders, while larger ones that usually feed from the ground, appreciate platform feeders. It’s important to place a variety of feeders to suite all your bird species.

There are a ton of cute homemade bird feeders on Pinterest. Someday, I envision this area to be full of one-of-a-kind feeders like those. These will do for now, though.

I’ve found that the platform feeders are popular with almost any type, so I made sure to incorporate these. An unbelievably simple way to add a platform feeder is to stick a chair out there. The seat gives a nice flat area for the birds to stand and eat, while the back allows them to perch a little higher up. This is the feeder that I have to refill constantly because the birds love it so much, and, maybe it’s just my opinion, but I think it’s really cute.

In another area of the yard I made another platform feeder. I’m especially proud of this one, because it adds such a cool architectural element to our landscaping. We had this pile of old bricks behind our shed, so, why not make them useful? I stacked them up into this nice little column without using any concrete, because I figured it would be a waste of time. It’s not like we’re feeding horses :). The platform was made from a piece of plywood found in the shed and some quarter round (found in the garage) to make an edge to keep the seeds on.

Alright, you caught me! So, I’m not a wildlife photographer and edited fake ones into the picture. It’s tough with a baby in one arm and the camera in the other. Birds and babies don’t go well together, at least not at close range. This feeder really does attract a lot of birds and is so fun to watch.

***Update: We finally had a little sun and I was able to get a picture of a real bird!

Isn’t he awesome? I love blue jays, despite their loud caws.

One note on seeds: my Grandma uses black oil sunflower seeds and gets some really cool birds with it. I haven’t had any on hand yet, but I just bought a bag and am excited to see what it will bring.

So, while you are enjoying the holiday season, don’t forget your feathered friends. They are so fun to watch, and if you have kids, I guarantee they’ll love it!