If you love your lawn and you love spending time outdoors, there’s a good chance you also like to watch the birds that visit your yard for to eat, drink, or even nest. And you’re not alone: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says there are about 46 million birders in the U.S., including 40 million who primarily watch birds around their homes.
Many homeowners take extra steps to make sure their yards are bird-friendly, an activity that can play a critical role in helping birds live and thrive. In fact, according to the National Audubon Society, which maintains a program that allows homeowners to have their yards certified as a backyard habitat, these little oases are “becoming increasingly important as species pressured by development and other forces seek new homes”.
When it comes to creating habitat, most people think of providing birdfeeders and birdhouses. But what birds really crave, especially in the summer’s heat, is water. If you have an irrigation system that includes sprinklers, those cooling mists can be mighty inviting to a variety of birds. The key to making sure your system is most attractive to birds: Choose nozzles that can be adjusted for gentler sprays rather than strong streams to provide a welcome bath and a cool place for birds to forage in your lawn for grubs and beetles.
Ponds are also attractive to birds, and they can add a beautiful focal point to your lawn as well. Adding a pond is a popular DIY project: You can choose to buy pond components separately, or make it a little easier on yourself and buy a complete pond kit.
No matter which you choose, be sure to add a shallow area lined with stones so birds can safely drink and bathe without fear of slipping into deeper water. Or eliminate the risk of accidental drowning for both birds and small mammals by opting for a disappearing pond or water feature that uses a recirculating pump to provide a gentle stream of water that cascades into a sunken reservoir disguised by a safe covering pebbles. These features offer fresh water for birds to drink and bathe in, as well as the sound of running water that many birds find utterly attractive.
No matter what type of feature you add, be sure to provide spots for birds to perch and preen and to provide a speedy escape from neighborhood cats. If you’d like to add a bird-friendly water feature or modify an existing one to make it more accessible and safer for birds, give us a call at (803)461-0561 or use our online contact form to drop us a line. We’d be happy to help.
