It’s not unusual to see birds in your yard or even gathered around your home. Birds are naturally drawn to places that provide food, water, shelter, and nesting spots. However, an influx of birds around your house may indicate there’s something attracting them there. Understanding what’s drawing birds to your home can help you decide if action needs to be taken or if you can simply enjoy the wildlife spectacle.
Common Reasons Birds Are Attracted to Houses
Here are some of the most common reasons birds may flock to your home:
Access to Food Sources
Birds forage for seeds, nuts, fruit, nectar, and insects to eat. If your yard provides easy access to natural food sources that birds seek out, you’re likely to see an uptick in avian visitors. Some examples include:
– Fruit trees or berry bushes. Birds relish sweet fruits and berries. Fruiting trees like crabapple, mulberry, cherry, and citrus are bird magnets, as are berry bushes like holly, elderberry, and honeysuckle. Feeding on ripening fruits is a natural behavior.
– Seed-bearing plants. Birds scavenge for protein-rich seeds from flowers, grasses, vines, cones, and seed heads. Popular picks include sunflowers, cosmos, allium, sedum, coneflowers, and ornamental grasses.
– Feeders. Bird feeders stocked with seed mixes, suet, nuts, and nectar concentrates guarantee a reliable food source. Feeders will attract both seed-eating and nectar-feeding birds.
– Compost piles. Compost heaps harbor insects, worms, and seeds, creating an enticing bird buffet. Birds will scratch through compost looking for morsels to eat.
– Pet food. Outdoor pet food or water dishes can draw in birds like pigeons, doves, and sparrows. They’ll eat cat and dog food, bird seed, and nectar mixes intended for pets.
Access to Water
Fresh water for drinking and bathing is a necessity for birds. Landscaping elements that provide water sources will pull in birds:
– Birdbaths. Birdbaths give birds a safe place to drink, bathe, and preen feathers. They’re typically placed in open areas with good visibility.
– Fountains, ponds, rain barrels. Open water features allow birds to drink and bathe. Moving water from fountains aerates the water – an added draw.
– Lush vegetation. Plants with juicy fruits like tomatoes or dense foliage with moisture on leaves give thirsty birds hydration. Hanging pots dripping after watering also supply moisture.
– Leaky faucets, sprinklers. Outdoor faucets with drips or leaks create thirst-quenching drinking spots. Lawn sprinklers that spray onto vegetation yield moisture birds can lick off leaves.
Presence of Shelter
Birds need places to escape from predators, get out of the elements, and rest while foraging. Landscape features that offer natural shelter will congregate birds:
– Trees. Leafy trees provide protective cover from weather and predators. Densely branched conifers especially make birds feel secure.
– Shrubs and hedges. Shrubs create protected microclimates and hiding spots from predators. Dense hedges act as natural barriers and give small birds cover.
– Brush piles. Jumbles of fallen branches make good impromptu shelters and lookout perches for ground-feeding birds. Piles of brush hide birds from danger.
– Cavities. Trees and snags (dead trees) with holes and cavities give nesting and roosting spots. Woodpeckers excavate cavities, but many birds use them.
– Overhangs. Eaves, roof overhangs, balconies, and porches provide shelter from rain and shade from sun. Birds nest and perch under these protected spots.
Presence of Nesting Sites
Birds flock to areas with good nesting habitat. They seek protected sites to build nests and raise young. Your house may provide ideal nesting real estate:
– Eaves and rafters. Sheltered eaves with openings allow birds like swallows to affix mud nests. Open rafters give robins and phoebes protected nesting ledges.
– Gutters. Leaf-filled gutters contain ready nest material. Birds like house finches weave nests atop debris in gutters.
– Vents. External vents on houses allow small cavity nesters like wrens, chickadees, and titmice to enter and build interior nests.
– Light fixtures. Light fixtures on walls or ceilings can mimic natural cavities for nests. Robins may build under porch lights.
– Planters. Dense vegetation in planter boxes gives cover for nests. Birds nesting in planters are protected but still close to house feeding.
– Wreaths, decorations. Birds may dismantle wreaths and decorative elements on doors or walls to incorporate into nests. Swallows are notorious for this.
Is an Influx of Birds a Problem?
Seeing more birds around your home isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Increased bird activity is normal during key times of year like spring and summer when food is plentiful, nesting is underway, and migrants pass through. However, large numbers of birds clustered around the house may cause issues like:
– Accumulation of droppings on windows, cars, outdoor furniture, and walkways. Droppings are unsightly and can be difficult to remove.
– Increased noise levels from birds vocalizing, especially early in the morning. This could be bothersome if bedroom windows are nearby.
– Possible damage to home infrastructure. Birds may peck at wooden trim or shingles. Their nests can clog gutters or stovepipes.
– Health risks from droppings and feathers around air conditioning units or vents. Droppings may contain respiratory irritants.
– Aggressive behavior around nests during breeding season. Divebombing birds will defend nests from perceived threats.
– Unwanted interaction with pets. Ground feeding birds may get into tussles with curious pets. Pet food attracts birds and squirrels.
If issues like these arise, it’s time to consider deterrents or habitat modification to discourage birds. But in many cases, the benefits of having birds around outweigh any annoyances.
Benefits of Bird Activity Around the Home
Attracting birds to your home environment has many positive effects:
– Natural pest control. Insect-eating birds like chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers will help keep insect pest populations in check around the landscape.
– Pollination. Nectar-feeding hummingbirds and orioles aid in pollinating flowers and gardens as they move between blossoms.
– Seed dispersal. Birds consume fruits from trees and shrubs, then disperse the seeds outdoors through droppings. This helps regenerate new plants.
– Fertilization. The high nitrogen content in bird droppings acts as a natural fertilizer for lawns and gardens when droppings break down.
– Enjoyment of nature. The presence of different bird species provides enjoyment, relaxation, and interaction with nature right at home. Watching birds can relieve stress.
– Learning opportunities. Identifying different birds that visit your home is educational and intriguing for children and adults. It can spark new hobbies.
– Ecosystem balance. Birds are important components of local ecosystems. Providing habitat helps maintain biodiversity in the area.
With proper management, the perks of attracting birds typically outweigh problems. Modifications can be made if birds become a nuisance.
Deterring Birds from Your House
If the number of birds around your home reaches problematic levels, there are humane ways to discourage them:
Remove Food Sources
Eliminating easy access to food around the house curtails bird activity:
– Take down bird feeders and baths, or relocate them further from the house. Limit food sources adjacent to home infrastructure.
– Clean up fallen fruits around trees and bushes. Pick ripe fruit promptly.
– Remove outdoor pet food and water when pets are not present.
– Put compost piles as far from the house as possible.
– Switch potted plants to ones less fruit-bearing and seed-bearing.
Modify Landscaping
Changing landscape elements reduces natural shelter and nesting sites:
– Prune back dense branches on trees, hedges, and shrubs near the house. This opens up visibility and removes protective cover.
– Cut back vines growing on walls or fences. Dense vines give birds pathways onto the house.
– For problematic nests, remove nesting materials early in the nesting process before eggs are laid. This may dissuade birds from rebuilding in that spot. Avoid removing established nests with eggs or young.
– Use plastic mesh or netting to block access to eaves, vents, and other cavities birds are entering to nest. Work should be done before nesting season when cavities are vacant.
– Inspect and clear gutters regularly to remove nest-starting debris. Install gutter guards.
– Replace exterior light fixtures with ones less suitable as nesting platforms. Choose flush mount or closed fixtures.
Install Deterrent Devices
Physical deterrents can make areas less attractive to birds:
– Use movable predator decoys like plastic owls or rubber snakes near problematic bird activity. Move decoys regularly so birds don’t become accustomed.
– Set up visual deterrents like aluminum foil strips, flashing lights, or old CD discs. Movement, reflection, and noise will frighten cautious birds.
– Install porcupine wire along ledges, rafters, or peaks birds are using to roost or nest. The prickly surface deters landing.
– Apply non-toxic bird repellent gel on ledges or cracks problem birds are attracted to. The sticky, tacky texture repels landing. Reapply after rain.
– Use ultrasonic or tone-emitting bird repellers. The high-frequency sounds irritate birds and condition them to avoid the area. Results vary by device and bird species.
Use Scare Tactics
For persistent birds not fazed by other tactics, scare devices can be used:
– Install automated scare devices like “Scary Man” inflatable tube men, or sprinklers triggered by motion sensors when birds land on the lawn.
– Use a handheld water spray bottle to squirt unwanted birds off of feeders, nests, or perches as they arrive. The surprise water will startle them.
– Make loud noises by banging pots and pans together, using an air horn, or playing distress calls to frighten birds and make them wary. Use randomly and sparingly so birds don’t become desensitized.
With an integrated bird deterrent approach, problem bird activity around the home can be reduced. Focus efforts on making specific areas less attractive to birds. Avoid widespread deterrents that diminish positive interactions with desirable backyard birds.
Enjoying Bird Visitors
For homes seeking to attract avian wildlife, small adjustments can make bird visitors more enjoyable:
– Use feeders selectively to target desired species. Choose specialized feeders that exclude aggressive or messy birds.
– Focus bird habitat away from high-traffic home entryways, patios, or picture windows. Site feeders and nests away from prime gathering spots.
– Install pigeon spikes or slope covers on architecture edges to prevent roosting where droppings accumulate. Let birds perch elsewhere.
– Place tray-style feeders or dishes below hung feeders to catch spilled seed. Clean ground debris regularly.
– Set feeder post tops at a 45-degree angle to deter birds from perching above. Slanted tops cause birds to lose balance.
– Use feeders that contain seed and prevent spillage. Try tube, window, or screened feeders appropriate for the desired bird size.
– Include water features with recirculating water instead of standing water to avoid mosquito issues. Change water frequently.
With some adjustments, birdlife around the home can be promoted while avoiding problems birds may cause. Developing bird-friendly spaces works in harmony the majority of the time.
Conclusion
A sudden influx of birds to your yard or house may seem concerning initially. However, understanding what environmental factors are attracting birds can help determine if the activity is problematic or part of normal seasonal behavior. While large amounts of bird droppings, noise, or damage may require control, remember that birds offer numerous ecosystem services. Finding a balance through landscape management allows enjoyment of bird biodiversity around the home. Implement deterrents selectively when needed, but take care to still nurture healthy backyard bird habitats. Creating an environment where birds and humans peacefully coexist is ideal.
