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Backyard Bird Watching: Tips For Beginners

KimA | Jul 13, 2010 |

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If you want to learn about bird watching you don't have to go very far. You can start learning the basics in your own backyard where you will find a surprisingly rich source of local wildlife just waiting to be explored. You need to learn how to properly set up your backyard in order to attract many different varieties and species of birds.

Outdoor bird feeders are a great place to start. You should check into different types of feeders that are designed to attract specific species if you want to get a large variety of birds in your backyard. A good idea is to set up each of your feeding stations a distance away from each other, because some species will scare other species away. Wind, sounds of traffic and other predators are other things to think about when setting up your feeders.

There are certain types of plants, bushes and trees that you can plant to attract birds to your yard as well. Whatever types you choose, make sure you have a mix of shrubs and trees for birds to use to take cover if necessary. Depending upon where you live, a miniature forest or jungle with plants of various heights and sizes will work best.

You should look into different types of bird feed depending upon your local area or the species you want to attract. Not all birds like all types of bird seed, so the feed you choose to use in your feeding stations should be selected carefully. You can easily find sunflower seeds, thistle and cracked corn options at most home or pet stores. In most cases, all three will be included in a variety mix that can just be poured into the feeder. A variety like this will attract several different types of birds to one location. Some birds don't like seeds and prefer to eat suet, which requires a special suet feeder for this purpose. If your area has hummingbirds, you probably know that they eat nectar and some smaller, soft insects. It's easy to buy a hummingbird feeder that will also add a decorative touch to your yard.

Once you set up your feeding stations and get the proper feed, you want to choose a vantage point that will give you the best opportunity for bird watching. If there are any obstacles or tree branches that block your view from your chosen location, you should remove them. Do this right away before you get birds in your yard to feed because they can be easily disrupted by any changes to the environment.

Backyard bird watching doesn't require a lot of equipment to get started. You might want to eventually mount a scope near an optimal window inside of your home, however in the beginning you can start out with a basic set of binoculars. Any devices you add later that enhance your viewing ability will help you to better identify various species by their markings and other behaviors.

All you need to do now at this point is to sit back, relax and start watching all the birds that come into the safe environment that you have provided for them to enjoy. Depending upon the variety that you attract, you might not ever need to leave and look any further than your own backyard.