Every person reaches a bird-watching age at some point! It happened all of a sudden for me, right when I turned 27. My fascination for plants grew to include the fluttering creatures that inhabit our yards. I began to ask myself why they do things and where they prefer to live.

The more I looked, the more I noticed. Each bird species has its own preferences, habits, and diets. They need a variety of things to survive, and the garden is a great place to help them. In return for helping them, they’ll reward you with their voracious appetites. 

Birds eat wormy larvae, aphids, and beetles. They’re nature’s pest control. The more you help them, the more they’ll help you. Though they get a bad rap for attacking fruit and ravaging crops, they tend to behave well when they have all they need to survive. 

So watch out for the birds by creating a fall bird garden. They’re more intelligent than they seem, and they’ll take notice of your efforts to help them. Old produce, insects, seeds, and water attract them. With a few changes in your gardening habits, you’ll turn a hostile yard into a bird sanctuary.

Do Add a Bird Bath

Even simple basins can support thirsty garden birds.

Birds need water to survive. Like all creatures, they’re thirsty in summer and fall. Natural rainfall helps, but some areas are particularly dry in the fall. Providing a backup source of water is a great way to foster the feathered friends in a fall bird garden. 

A simple basin with water works well, though it’ll require constant upkeep to stay fresh and free of mosquito larvae. Instead, try using a simple pump to keep the water flowing. Use a solar-powered pump for easy upkeep, or hook up an electrical one to an outlet outdoors. 

Birds aren’t like humans. They don’t need pristine, filtered water, though they do appreciate algae-free water. Clean the birdbath once or twice a week, and keep it replenished with a thin layer of water, like a puddle. 

Don’t Trim Spent Blooms

Seed heads provide food for hungry backyard birds.

Birds are hungry, just like us! They need plenty of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to survive. This is why many birds are omnivorous; they tend to eat insects, fruit, seeds, and meat. Some birds prefer seeds over meat, while others are carnivores. 

To help a wide range of birds, don’t clean up your perennials and seeding annuals in the fall. Let them flower and fade, then watch as seeds form. After the seeds ripen, you’ll notice birds flocking to the heads to eat them.

Native plants often have the best seed heads for your local birds in a fall garden. Try planting local species of goldenrod, American aster, and coneflower to attract feathered friends. Consider growing plants with a lot of seeds, like sunflowers, marigolds, and phacelia. 

Do Plant Trees and Shrubs

Small berries attract songbirds to garden spaces.

In the same vein as planting more reseeding annuals and perennials, it’s also a good idea to grow large woody plants to create a fall bird garden. Trees and shrubs offer habitat space in their branches. Some birds nest close to the ground inside dense shrubs, while others prefer the high limbs of tall trees.

Growing a mix of trees and shrubs creates a wide array of different habitat spaces. You’ll attract jays, warblers, and sparrows, among many others! The flowers attract them with their nectar, and the fruits and seeds attract them after the blooms fade. 

Which trees and shrubs to plant depends on your region, though most are helpful. Try planting native plants first, then consider non-native trees that aren’t invasive in your region. 

A bird haven should include woody perennials with small drupes or berries. Birds love these fruits, and if you give them an entire bush, they may stay away from your tender crops. Keep them away from your veggie garden by planting roses, dogwoods, and native trees that bear fruit. 

Don’t Remove Debris

Let garden debris stay to attract more birds.

Debris is a boon for wildlife, and it’s important for making your garden a bird haven in fall. Think of the forest and how it works. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall, and the foliage builds up on the floor. It forms a thick mulch that houses worms, beetles, and larvae. 

All those squirmy critters are bird food. They provide protein and fat, and many flying friends think they’re delicious. The more mulch and debris you have in the garden, the more food there will be for birds.

So don’t clean up the garden in the fall. Let leaves pile up in garden beds, and consider creating no-disturbance zones where nature works on its own. If you have an unused portion of your yard, leave leaves and plant clippings in a pile to host insects, spiders, and worms for your local bird species.

Do Add Feeders

A mix of seeds attracts many local birds.

When in doubt, add a feeder. Bird feeders are a great way to deliver a reliable source of food for the flying creatures. They’ll remember where they are and return to them annually for tasty, crunchy seeds and sweet, dry fruits.

Which type of feed to use depends on the birds you’re trying to attract. Some birds prefer seed and nut mixes, while others appreciate dried fruits. A few like suet, a fatty mix of protein and seeds. 

First, identify which local bird species you’d like to attract. A nut, seed, and fruit mix is ideal for attracting a wide variety, while specially tailored mixes are better for attracting specific species of birds in fall gardens. Think of their diets, and give them what they’re used to eating in the wild. 

Don’t Forget Hummingbird Feeders

Sugar-water feeders attract tiny birds with rapid wings.

Hummingbirds are unique. They need lots of sugar to fuel their intensive lives! These birds flutter quickly through the air, burning energy as quickly as they gain it. They appreciate the nectar from bright-colored flowers, like scarlet bee balm, scarlet runner beans, and pineapple sage. 

If the flowers aren’t cutting it, add a hummingbird feeder. These contraptions are specifically for hummingbirds and their long, thin beaks. They have small holes on the sides and a jar on top to hold the sugar-water. 

To make sugar-water nectar, add one part sugar to four parts water. Here’s an example: for every cup full of sugar, add four cups of water. Boil the mixture, then set it aside to cool. Once it’s room temperature, fill the jar with the solution and place the feeder outside to attract hungry hummingbirds. 

Do Make a Birdhouse

Birdhouses provide protection during cold winter garden days.

Alongside water and food, shelter is an essential part of a healthy fall bird garden. Overwintering critters need places to hide out during the cold weather. Give them a birdhouse and they’ll set up in your garden! 

Either make a birdhouse yourself or find one at a woodworking shop. Different bird species prefer different shelters, and it’s a good idea to tailor the shape of the house to the bird you’re trying to attract. A simple, four-walled house with a roof and platform is a great blueprint to start with.

As you become an expert birder, consider adding more elaborate structures for owls, doves, and bluebirds. Add bird-safe paint to the sides, and create beautiful designs on the birdhouses. Then, decorate the garden with the structures for a lovely fall display. 

Don’t Spray Pesticides

Birds enjoy your garden when pesticides aren’t sprayed.

Pesticides are unnecessary in the home garden. Why ruin your produce with the same chemicals we’re all trying to avoid at the grocery store? There are ways to mitigate pests without harming the ecosystem. When you spray pesticides, you may harm hungry birds that land on your plants. 

Pesticides can poison seeds, flowers, and shelter. Consider using mechanical pest removal strategies, like traps and row cover, and plant more flowering annuals and perennials in a fall bird garden. The more flowers you have, the more insect predators and bird populations you’ll attract. 

A healthy ecosystem keeps pests in check. Birds eat beetles, ladybugs eat aphids, and aphids eat plants. When you spray pesticides, you often kill the predators alongside the pests. Without predators, lingering pests multiply rapidly and their populations explode. 

Do Watch Birds

Brown creepers sneak along trunks without drawing attention.

Bird watching is a great way to grow more in tune with the local environment. You’ll notice brown creepers creeping along tree trunks, and stately herons flying inches away from the surface of lakes and rivers. The more birds you identify, the more likely you are to notice them. 

You don’t need binoculars to go bird watching! Start in your backyard fall bird garden. Once you grow tired of the yard, turn to your city to explore. Some species thrive in cities, while others prefer the calm of forests, meadows, and hillsides.

Many birds scatter when they hear or see disturbances. Try to be as quiet as possible when birding, and tread lightly. This is where binoculars come in handy. They’re a great way to look from afar to avoid making disturbances. 

Don’t Forget Winter Care

Maintaining bird feeders ensures food during freezing temperatures.

Not all birds leave gardens after fall for the winter. Some stay in place, and they need a haven that suits their winter lifestyles. Consider maintaining a birdbath, feeder, and birdhouse to keep them safe during the winter months.