frequently asked questions

Attracting Birds

How can I attract more birds to my yard?

By supplying food, water, and shelter, you’ll be able to attract a wide variety of birds to your property. Click here to find out how you can attract birds and in no time start enjoying the many pleasures they bring.

CWF generally advises against using a heated bird-bath. Birds see open water as a cue that it’s mild enough to bathe. In our very cold winters, this can be fatal to birds. Once birds are wet, the water quickly freezes on their feet, legs, and feathers. Canadian birds have adapted to getting their water from snow and ice and will manage without an added source.

If the temperature is just below the freezing point, you can place a shallow dish of cool water out daily. Try to make it so that it’s not deep enough for avid bathing but that birds can get a drink. You can place rocks in the water so that they have a place to perch without getting their feet wet. If you already have a bird-bath that’s just getting surface ice, you can break the ice up to create a small opening for drinking. This temperature shouldn’t pose a problem since there’s still open water in wild areas. It’s during the really cold weather in January and February that it becomes a problem.

What sort of birds should I be trying to attract to control mosquitoes and wasps?

To diminish mosquito populations, attract birds that eat insects on the wing (they catch flying insects in the air). The main ones are swallows such as the tree swallow, violet-green swallow, and barn swallow. The eastern kingbird also catches flying insects.

Many other insect-eating birds can help to control wasps and, possibly, mosquitoes including chickadees, house wrens, gray catbirds, bluebirds, vireos, warblers, orioles, tanagers, and even some of the sparrows such as the chipping sparrow. Even some seed-eating birds can help control mosquitoes, since this is what they feed their young in the spring.

By maintaining a bird-friendly backyard, the birds you attract will help reduce insect problems, although they won’t wipe them out completely.

To attract birds, you need to meet their needs for food, water, shelter, and space. The more variety of trees, flowers, and shrubs in your garden, the greater variety of birds you’ll be able to attract. Insects will be drawn to native wildflowers and berry- or fruit- producing trees and shrubs (such as cherries, bayberry, and currants), which in turn will attract many of the songbirds that eat insects as well as berries and fruit. Winter feeding stations that provide sunflower seeds and suet will also help to attract some insect eaters.

Some birds, such as the tree swallow, bluebird, and chickadee, will use man-made nesting boxes. Many others require natural nesting sites in coniferous trees, deciduous trees, or shrubs.

Here are a number of tips you can apply to your backyard to attract a variety of birds by taking their general needs into consideration.

What natural food sources will attract goldfinches?

Niger seed is one of the preferred foods of goldfinches. You can also plant native thistles. Finches love the seeds and use the thistle down to line their nests. Other natural food sources they like include dandelions, coneflowers, Joe pye weed, sunflowers, and coreopsis. You can also try cosmos, black--eyed Susan, and tickseed. Keep in mind that it’s the seed they’re after, so let the flowers go to seed. Leave the flower heads intact throughout the fall and winter to give these and other seed eating birds a natural source of seeds all winter long.

Dealing with Problem Birds

How can I keep pigeons off my balcony?

Pigeons have become very comfortable living around people and can often be found in parking lots looking for food. They feed and roost together, often creating a mess on balconies. If you’re having a problem with pigeons, try some of the tips below from CWF’s Backyard Habitat for Canada’s Wildlife book.

• Do not feed them. Keep your garbage tightly covered and clean up any litter in your area. Ask your neighbors to do likewise.

• Pigeon-proof your home. Make sure there are no broken windows, screens, or other openings that would give pigeons access to your attic. Make repairs once you have ensured there are no birds left in the attic.

• Cover ledges and overhangs with wire mesh or nylon bird netting.

• On narrow strips where pigeons frequently land, place “porcupine wires.” These stainless steel strips won’t harm pigeons. You can discourage perching by hanging wire about 6 cm above any landing surfaces. There are also commercially available products that either leave behind a sticky substance or give off heat. Pigeons dislike both sensations.

• Use a plastic owl to imitate a predator. Make sure you move the owl frequently and place it partially out of sight so pigeons don’t become accustomed to it.

Nesting Boxes and Platforms for Birds

I have a birdhouse but it doesn’t have a perch. Should I install a perch or leave it as it is?

Is it better to have an aluminum or wooden purple martin birdhouse?

The aluminum house we are familiar with is a brand called Trio. It has a good reputation and is lighter to use. Wooden houses are also good if the design is right.

The main factor to remember with respect to purple martin birdhouses is management. It is a long-term commitment and requires certain tasks be done at the right time, such as evicting sparrows or other invaders. For yearly maintenance, the pole should be able to go up and down or be raised and lowered with a pulley and winch to allow easy access to the compartments. A predator guard is also a priority. One raid by a predator can destroy years of hard work. The house should be painted white to reflect the heat of the sun.

There are some points to consider when putting up purple martin houses. The houses should be about 5 metres (17 feet) high, in an open area, preferably 12 to 18 metres (40 to 60 feet) away from any trees taller than the house. Make sure there aren’t any tall bushes, shrubs, or vines near the pole.

Ninety-five per cent of martin houses fail for a variety of reasons, such as location, timing, neglect, and design. The best thing to do is find out who in your area is having success and mimic their methods.

How do I build a loon-nesting platform?

Loons naturally nest on islands, shorelines, and floating vegetation. When natural area is difficult to find, they have been known to use a nesting platform. You can construct your own platform [www.cwf-fcf.org/pages/nww2001/projects/project24_e.htm] to help increase nesting areas in your loon habitat.

How do I construct an osprey-nesting platform?

Ospreys live along rivers and lakes and feed primarily on fish. While they normally use tall trees for nesting, ospreys will also use the tops of telephone poles and man-made platforms (www.wildeducation.org/programs/hab_2000/activity/ospreys.asp) if in the right location.

When should I put my bluebird nesting box up?

You should time when you put up nesting boxes. Erect the box as soon as you spot your first dandelion or if you spot a bluebird. Putting it up too early will only encourage pest species such as the house sparrow and European starling to take ownership of your box. These introduced species, which are aggressive and often drive off our native species, don’t require our help to survive.

Once the bluebirds have finished nesting for the season, clean out and take down nesting boxes until the spring. Alternatively, you can cover up the hole until it is time for the bluebirds to nest again.

The placement of your bluebird box is also important. Don’t place your boxes near feedlots, barns, farmyards, or old buildings. You should also check your boxes regularly to ensure sparrows don’t fledge from your boxes.

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