Once you get a few birds to come to a feeder system, you’re hooked. There’s just something about how peaceful, yet exciting, it is to find a new species of bird chirping away and enjoying what you’ve put out for it.
Once you catch the bird watching bug, you’re going to want to put together a whole haven in your backyard to see what all you can attract.
Today, we’re going to go over how to create a DIY bird feeding station to help you have the best bird watching experience possible in the comfort of your backyard.
The Three Core Features to Focus On
Before you buy anything or start crafting your own features, there are some things you need to work out. First, you need to understand the three core features of a good bird haven.
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
How these are handled will depend on the types of birds you’re looking to attract. You might need multiple types of feeders to accommodate various birds, and shelters sometimes have specific requirements, too.
For example, bluebirds generally require small entry holes and precise dimensions before they’ll settle in and call a place home.
The best way to do this is to look up the types of birds that come through your area at different times of year and design these three core features to suit any of the species you’re looking to attract.
Creating a Coherent Visual Design
While the birds are your priority, you have to remember that feeding stations are essentially an element of your outdoor decor, and we’re sure you want to spruce up your yard and add a fantastical element to it.
Your bird haven should enhance your yard’s appeal and draw both you and your visitors in just as much as it does the birds. For that, you’ll want to make sure each piece you make or purchase fits the overall design well.
You can do this however you want. You can go with a simple and traditional bird haven with color-coordinated features and matching landscaping or patio furniture, and even a few arbors and trellises to frame the space. Or you can go all out and turn your backyard bird haven into a fairy house extravaganza featuring handcrafted miniature work and tons of details.
It’s really up to you what the visual design and theme are, but there is one caveat. You have to ensure that, no matter what you settle on, nothing that you include is bad for the birds. This is mostly a concern if you’re making your own features or details. If you create your bird haven with parts from us, we take care of this for you.
However, any paint, stock material, or anything else you use to make things must be bird-safe when it’s finished. The goal is to attract the birds. Don't accidentally poison them or introduce a bunch of choking hazards to their bird bath.
Integrate the Landscape
If you use high-quality features, purchased or handmade, you can make something great without doing a ton of yardwork. However, putting in a bit more effort to pull it all together gives you two benefits.
First, let’s use the example of planting an arrangement of flowers that visually match your bird haven features. Adding a few eye-catching elements, like garden wall planters, can elevate the look even further, especially if you're short on space or want to create vertical interest.
Visually, this adds even more cohesion to the overall visual of your yard setup, and it adds a sense of grandness. Even if you just do a small bird feeder station aimed at the most common species, a well-coordinated landscape will make it feel like a much grander addition to the yard.
It’s not all about the visuals, though. If you add the right plants, they might directly help attract birds. Birds feed on various plants or use them as nesting materials.
Even if you can’t grow what the birds in your area use, having any sort of coordinated landscape with greenery will attract insects. For the birds, that means there’s a steady supply of live, nutritious food right next to everything you’ve laid out for them.
This isn’t something everyone can do. If you’re trying to make your bird feeding station in an apartment window, you don’t have much to work with. Although decorations still allow for creativity within that small space.
Consider the Optimal Size of Your Bird Haven
Size is important. In fact, we probably should have covered this sooner. It’s going to dictate many of your decisions with the other factors on this list.
What space size do you have to work with? Even the smallest window area can be used to make a stunning and effective bird feeding station if you use your creativity when designing it.
Likewise, even if you have a large space, if you don’t use the space effectively, your bird haven can seem lackluster in a visual sense, or not fully maximize its potential functionally.
While you’re planning out the space, keep its size in mind, and focus on maximizing its potential visually without overdoing it or underdoing it functionally.
Building or Compiling Your Bird Feeding Station
There are two ways you can approach this. You can take the full DIY approach and build everything from scratch, or you can focus on purchasing various features and working them into one coherent setup.
We recommend a blended approach.
You technically can build your bird houses, feeders, and birdbaths, but it’s best to purchase high-quality options that are premade. Some feeder systems are fairly elaborate and require real mechanical skills to build properly, and no matter what the feature is, you have to ensure everything is safe for the birds. A good store-bought product from us guarantees that.
The true DIY part should come in with other aspects of the project. Landscaping is fully DIY, but you can also put your artistic skills to work decorating the bird haven.
Start with buying the three core features, and then start building around them according to our guidelines. You’ll end up with something reliable, visually appealing, and infused with your own personal touch.
Check Out The Birdhouse Chick
Of course, since you will need to buy some things to create the perfect bird feeding station, you’re going to need a top-tier source. At The Birdhouse Chick, we have all the feeders, houses, and baths you could possibly want.
Browse our selection today, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions anytime!
