Bring More Birds to Your Backyard

By Isadora Pennington

It’s the year of the bird! 2018 has been deemed the Year of the Bird by 150 organizations — including the National Audubon Society, National Geographic, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdLife International — in celebration of the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which protects migratory birds from being hunted, captured, killed or sold.

Celebrate the year by enticing birds to your home. You can start simply by purchasing a bird feeder for your backyard or porch. Feeder styles include hopper, platform, tube, suet and window feeders, and specialized items like hummingbird feeders can bring the types of birds you want to attract to your property.

This is the perfect time to set up bird-friendly feeders, baths and houses, said Joel Lehmann, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Atlanta. “Early spring is the best time of year,” he said, “but you can purchase and install a birdhouse anytime. Owls, who are cavity nesters, are generally looking to start nesting in the fall to winter, but most songbirds are nesting in the spring and summer.”

An important consideration in choosing your feeder, Lehmann said, is to pick one designed to prevent spreading illness among the birds. Cleaning and maintaining your feeder, and regularly disinfecting your birdbaths, will stop the spread of disease and keep your backyard friends happy and healthy. Lehmann pointed to the EcoClean line of feeders. “Every surface of these feeders is coated with an antimicrobial agent to help prevent molds and bacteria from growing, keeping birds safer as a lot of disease can be transmitted at the feeders from bird to bird,” he said.