How to Attract Birds to Your Yard

People often ask me how to attract birds to their yard, as if there’s a single perfect feeder or a secret bird password they haven’t learned yet. The good news is: attracting birds doesn’t require perfection, expensive gear, or turning your yard into a wildlife obstacle course—unless you want it to. Birds are looking for a few basic things — food, water, safety, and predictability — and once you understand how those pieces fit together, the rest gets a lot easier.

I’ve been watching, feeding, and occasionally being outsmarted by birds for decades. I successfully managed wild bird feeding stores in the west metro for 8 years.

This page pulls together my most practical advice on backyard birds and bird feeding — what actually works, what doesn’t, and what matters more than people think. If you’re brand new, welcome. If you’ve been feeding birds for years and something suddenly isn’t working, you’re also in the right place.

Start Here: What Birds Actually Need

Attracting birds isn’t just about seed. It’s about native plants that not only produce fruit and nuts, but attracts the insects that they like to eat. It’s about water, every bird needs water, but not every bird needs seed. And providing safe opportunities for nesting whether it’s a bird house or thick shrubs for cardinals and catbirds. It’s about safe places to hide before coming to a feeder.

Read more about the best seed or mix to buy.
Read more about why birds aren’t at your feeders.
Read more about fresh seed vs old seed.