Not Birdseed: The Feature That Can Attract Birds To Your Birdbath

It is quite common for backyard birders to add birdbaths and other water features as a way to keep birds hydrated throughout the year. However, rather than instantly drawing feathered visitors, birdbaths sometimes remain underutilized well after installation for a variety of reasons. In such a situation, placing a feeder nearby may be the obvious way to attract more birds to your backyard and, thus, to your birdbath. While offering seed-filled feeders will draw the attention of a number of nearby avians, an even better solution is to plant native flora around your birdbath. Native plants not only provide attractive food sources the way birdseed might, but they also create a welcoming, familiar environment for both local and migrating birds to perch, nest, and hide in a way that a tube full of seeds can't.

To be clear, placing bird feeders around your yard with the right seed mix will likely attract a variety of birds to your birdbath as well. However, there are pros and cons to having multiple feeders. Even with just one feeder, you have maintenance and upkeep — such as cleaning and filling the feeder on a regular basis — that must be done in order to continue attracting birds. To that end, growing native plants in your yard is a more sustainable option that requires less maintenance on your part, and can actually bring in a greater variety of birds than feeders alone.

Growing native plants in your yard and around a birdbath is more than just a nod to eco-friendliness, it's practical. To start with, they benefit your local ecosystem. Flowering plants attract local pollinators, along with other insects, such as caterpillars. Since a large percentage of North American birds feed insects to their young, it only stands to reason that growing native plants will attract a greater variety of feathered friends to your yard. Locally adapted fruit, berry, or nut-bearing shrubs, grasses, and trees provide additional nutrition sources.

While a variety of both native and non-native plants will attract birds, there are several reasons native plants — those that occur naturally in the area without human intervention — are considered the better choice. For one, they are what birds and other creatures in the area are most well-adapted to. Indigenous milkweed species, for example, are the only hosts for monarch butterfly larvae, and multiple studies, including a 2017 report in Biological Conservation, have shown that native plants host a higher number of insects, and provide better foraging and nesting opportunities for many bird species.

Additionally, these plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, so typically thrive with less water and maintenance, and less risk of disease. In this way, growing native plants is a benefit to people, too, as it means they can save time, money, and water that may have otherwise been invested in lawn care. It also greatly reduces the chances of planting invasive species that can choke out competing local plant populations. About the only downside is it can take time for these plants to become established. However, once they mature, you will have a near maintenance-free, bird-friendly environment around your birdbath.