Gardeners must stop making 6 big mistakes or ‘birds will go elsewhere’ | UK | News
Gardening and bird watching often go hand in hand with the feathered visitors delighting many British homes; But experts say there are six things you should avoid if you want to attract more birds.
Birds are similar to humans in that they often seek a place with food, shelter and water to nest, according to Professor Donald K. Price, an ornithologist and professor of biology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Professor Price told Good Housekeeping magazine: “If your garden has nothing to offer birds, they will likely go elsewhere, to other gardens or to nearby open or woodland areas.”
If you want to attract more birds to your garden, here are the professor’s tips on what to avoid.
It seems simple, but if there is no food the birds will probably go elsewhere, either to another garden or somewhere in the wild where they can find it. The food does not have to be from the bird feeder; A variety of flowering plants and fruit-producing trees and shrubs may still attract birds that feed on them.
In fact, this month the RSPB urged gardeners to limit feeding birds between May and October in a bid to stop the spread of a parasite called trichomoniasis. This nasty bug infects birds and damages their throats and respiratory tract, making it difficult for them to drink, eat, and even breathe. The highly contagious parasite may be common at bird feeding stations, where it can be spread through saliva and feces.
Birds need water to drink, wash themselves and clean their feathers. The water bath can attract birds on its own without needing a feeder next to it.
Sparse gardens full of verandas, without plants, trees or shrubs, are unwelcoming places for birds. Planting trees and shrubs will attract birds looking for shelter and build a nest to raise the next generation.
If there are no nest boxes and trees out of reach of predators, the birds will stay away.
No protection or dense environment
Children and pets can make birds wary because they will be seen as a potential danger. Frank Izaguirre of the American Birding Association said: “If there are lots of cats outside, they can kill birds, especially if there is no cover for the birds to hide.”
Pesticides can kill insects and plants that birds can feed on. Without this food, birds stay away.
