How can I attract birds to nest in my garden?

Question

I have had nest boxes used in the past but since I installed a bird feeder I've had birds feeding but not nesting. How can I have both?

Answer 1

I have always had birds feeding but no nest too! Well last year we left a pile of brush in the garden and have had a banner year of nests! Even a nest in a tomato plant. Bluebirds had 2 hatchings in a gourd birdhouse! All winter we watched the birds at the brush pile and in the spring it was a baby bird paradise.

Answer 2

You will, have patience. They usually nest not too far from a food source. I think I would be asking questions tho, has a cat moved into the neighborhood that might be raiding nests? A black snake will also do this and that will discourage birds from nesting. Maybe your nesting boxes are too close together. Or they need cleaned out. Have wasps made a nest in them? Has an owl moved into your territory? Have squirrels taken over the nesting boxes? Dang little homewreckers will do that. Have your trees grown and shaded boxes that were formerly in the open? Bluebirds don't like that. House wrens will always use a wren house, try hanging more than one to give the female a choice. The male comes ahead and stuffs all the houses with twigs, then the female comes along and makes her choice, and takes all the twigs out and builds her nest. Carolina wrens don't usually build in houses, they like hanging baskets, your shoe that you have left on a shelf somewhere, odd places. One built a nest in my clothespin bag one year. Watch for woodpeckers in dead trees, robins like trees but will build almost anywhere. They built a nest in a ladder once, here. Cardinals like a good thorny thick bush. Just keep putting the food out, and you might be surprised what you see next year.

Answer 3

It's been my experience that wrens love the wren house. We keep 3 going every year just not in the same tree. The robins are builders and they seem to like shorter growing trees like my flowering crab. We have some thrush and they like the dwarf fire bush. I say dwarf because I ourchased it as a dwarf but it is 9 ft tall.
blue birds are hard to attract they like the house but certain guidelines follow about how high,location etc.
I have a row 160 ft long planted with privet hedge and they all seem to like hanging out there. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Sparrows and the Finches. The hummers are mysterious althought people tolerant they like to be somewhat secretative.

Gardening for the Birds
Liz Miller
Adams County Master Gardener
http://www.emmitsburg.net/gardens/articles/adams/2007/birds.htm

Hummingbird Nesting
(Be careful on this site the hummer likes to follow you lol!)
http://www.abirdshome.com/hummingbirdnesting.html
Feeding Birds
http://www.50birds.com/dfeedingbirds.htm

Answer 4

if you don't have the kind of trees and shrubs that are usual nesting sites, it's kinda hard.... unless you have great birdhouses that are cleaned yearly...or after every bunch of little ones...that's a biggie.... for my cardinals, having a rose bush that's going up the side of the shed is a must.... for my chickadees, the pine tree will be fine... the hummers seem to like my neighbor's live oak.....the robins hang out in the persimmon tree... it's all on what you've got growing....like the first post, some ground nesters need that brush pile, too!....if you cannot have things like that, it's tough..... and bluebirds... they like their nesting boxes, on posts and wide open fields... hard to get in an urban setting....but..... keep feeding them... in time they'll find places to set up housekeeping close enuff that you get to see the little ones.... oh, and hang a few hanging baskets!!... *smile*.... this one on my front porch can NEVER grow right cuz of the doves that nest there yearly....

Answer 5

Bird feeders, bird baths, and bird houses. You need those THREE things! Oh! Put the houses where there is PLENTY of shade too! No need to COOK the hatchlings! *grin*

You will need patience too!