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| The Backyard Corner |
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| Attract Birds With Shelter |
Shelter is important for birds during bad weather, as a safe place to roost for the night, and as a place to escape from predators such as Hawks. This is where those large trees and shrubs come in handy. Even though you’ll see the birds flying around in the rain and snow, if it gets too severe, a bird will look for a spot in a tree, under a branch, or under a shrub where it can be protected from the worst of the storm. Evergreen trees and shrubs are a great spot for birds to roost while waiting for a break in the storm. Evergreen trees, Rhododendron, and Yews offer excellent shelter all year round, and Oaks, Maples, and Wild Grape vines offer excellent shelter in the summer. If you don’t have large trees or dense shrubbery in your yard, you might want to consider building a brush pile in an out of the way place. Many birds, including native sparrows, love brush piles to use as shelter, or as a hiding place to escape predators. Another thing to consider in the way of shelter is manmade “roosting boxes”. These are similar to nest boxes, but have an entrance hole on the bottom so that heat is trapped in the top of the box to keep the birds warm. They usually have an array of staggered perches inside to accommodate quite a few small birds. For more information on roosting boxes go to : www.adamsfarms.com/birds_feeding_1.htm |