Topic: Attracting a different type of bird...

[Mossy]

Wonder if any of you can help me out.

I have been putting bird seed out in the back garden for approx 12 months now but all i get in my garden is loads of sparrows, starlings or 2 wood pigeons. That is it.

The women over the road has blue tits, greenfinchs and other type of birds visiting her feeders but nothing on mine.

I put fatballs out but the starlings devour them, normal seed which the sparrows eat. I have tried sunflower hearts and also dried type of worm (cannot remember the name of worm) but still nothing comes in.

How can I attract a different type of bird to my garden?

Help Mossy.

[lorna]

Mossy I know how you feel. Same is happening with me although I do get greenfinches in the garden as well as sparrows, collared doves, black birds and dozens of starlings. This has been going on for 2 years. In the next street my daughter (who doesn't have any feeders) gets loads of lovely finches.
Pauline7 visited me a short while ago and thought maybe a small tree in the garden would help. So I am going to try that.
Lorna

[Georgie]

Hi Mossy.  I had a similar problem until last year.  I think the problem I had was that I thought putting out all the various foodstuffs you mention would be enough but birds, like us, need more than just 'fast food'.  So I now grow lots of native plants which attract insects or provide seed heads or berries.  I've also let things like Ivy and Cotoneaster grow quite dense for shelter/nesting (I can't have trees in my garden as it is too small).  I have a 'wild patch' where I leave small twigs and the like to help with nest building, a little log pile (again to attract insects) and I always ensure that there is fresh water.  Oh and I'm gardening on organic principles.  I'm convinced that all this has made a huge difference.   ;D

G x

[queenfishface]

Starlings and sparrows!! you lucky thing!!
I'd love to get some. The pigeons you can keep and I've got plenty of magpies you can have to go with them - big dirt on my wall and pots!! yuk!!
Insects definately attract the smaller birds. They also like good shelter to perch in and feel safe inbetween feeding.

[tilts]

personally, i think that it isn't only the type of food, it is where they find it and the height at which some of the food is accessible, try to have feeding stations in all sorts of places and at all heights and above all, the food needs to be consistent and fresh. Patience, they say is a virtue.

[floraldi]

Hello Mossy, Not been here for a while but I love birds in my garden. If you buy better quality bird food you will get all different kinds of birds. It's a fact. I now buy sunflower seed hearts -they all love those, especially greenfinch and today we got a small black and white bird. I also buy Niger seeds - they all love these too. So now we are getting, apart from the two birds mentioned, nut hatches, blue tits and others we don't recognise, one has red,white and black colouring. We dash for the bird book but they are always gone and they are so timid I can't take a picture unless through glass. The sparrows and pidgeons(unfortunately) wait for the other birds to drop bits on the ground and come for those.

One problem I have is that I love blackbirds and feel I am neglecting them as they feed on the ground but I don't want to put food on the lawn any more as cats seem to come for it.