The Optimist Daily · Space

Attracting Migratory Birds in Autumn

Millions of birds migrate through the country each autumn, often landing in backyards at dawn while seeking rest and sustenance. Simple changes to outdoor spaces can make them more appealing to these travelers.

Planting native trees and shrubs that produce fruit in the fall, such as dogwood, elderberry, viburnum, and holly, provides essential food sources for migrating and resident birds as wild food diminishes.

Delaying the cleanup of spent flower seed heads until later in the season offers a vital food source for birds like goldfinches and sparrows throughout autumn and into winter. Native wildflowers like joe-pye weed and asters are particularly beneficial.

Adding a moving water feature, such as a dripper or solar pump in a birdbath, attracts migrating species like warblers and vireos, which may not eat seeds or fruit and are drawn to moving water over still pools.

Creating a brush pile from yard waste in a corner of the yard offers immediate habitat, providing cover from predators for birds like sparrows and buntings, and a foraging ground for invertebrates.

Keeping domestic cats indoors during the spring and fall migration peaks (March-May and August-November) significantly reduces the number of songbirds killed, as migrating birds are exhausted and vulnerable upon arrival.

Making windows safer by applying UV-reflective patterns or horizontal strings breaks up reflections that can confuse birds. Turning off exterior lights at night also helps prevent disorientation during nocturnal migration.

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