Birding experts say this common mistake is driving birds away from your yard

If you're wondering why you never seem to spot feathered friends in your yard while your neighbor's garden is filled with them, experts are here to explain why birds are avoiding your yard.

Just like people, birds look for food, water, and shelter, according to Donald K. Price, Ph.D., an ornithologist and professor of biology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "If your yard doesn't have anything to offer birds, they are likely to go somewhere else, to other yards, or into the open or wooded areas nearby," Price says.

Luckily, many of these bird-repelling issues are easy to remedy. Adding a water feature, bird feeder, or bird shelter can be a great starting place. You can also make some tweaks to how you garden and where in the yard you allow your pets to go. If you still aren't seeing birds after making these changes, consider reaching out to a local birdwatching group or nearby chapter of the American Birding Association or National Audubon Society. They may have insights on how to attract the birds specific to your region.

Below, bird experts explain why birds aren't stopping over in your yard. If you're hoping for hummingbirds, read up on easy hacks to attract hummingbirds to your yard and expert insights on why hummingbirds aren't visiting.

Why Birds Aren’t Visiting Your Yard

When birds are absent from your yard, experts say it's likely because of the following reasons:

• Lack of food: Birds search for food sources, so if your bird feeder is empty or there are no flowering plants that provide nectar or seeds, Price says they'll likely go elsewhere. Additionally, Frank Izaguirre of the American Birding Association notes that the types of food available will determine the birds that visit. "Even if there is food, like at a bird feeder, birds may not come if there isn't good cover for them to hide in, like bushes, shrubs, or nearby trees," Izaguirre says.
• No water: Birds don't just need a consistent supply of clean water in the summer, Price says they look for it throughout the year, including during the winter when there is snow and ice on the ground.
• Absence of a shelter: Whether it's trees or bushes, Price says birds crave shelter and avoid places where they can't find it.

• No opportunities for nesting sites: If your yard lacks spots where birds can safely build their nests without disturbance or the danger of predators, Price shares they'll fly somewhere else.
• Lack of protection: Because birds want to avoid danger, Price says they steer clear of yards that see a lot of activity, such as pets and other animals running around that might scare them away. Feral cats are a big deterrent, according to Izaguirre. "If there are a lot of outdoor cats, they can kill the birds, especially if there isn't cover for the birds to hide in," he says.
• Presence of pesticides: "Pesticide use can also diminish the presence of birds because it kills off the insects a lot of birds feed on," Izaguirre says.

How Can You Attract Birds to Your Yard?

To encourage birds to visit your yard, Price says you need to make it bird-friendly. Here are the experts' best tips to make your outdoor space a welcoming oasis for a variety of birds:

One of the best ways to attract birds to your yard is to make food available for them, which Price says you can do in several ways. You can plant flowering plants that provide nectar and seeds, or fill a bird feeder with nuts and seeds or suet, which he explains is a mix of fat with seeds, nuts, and fruit mixed in. "Food is especially good in cooler and colder times when food is scarce and birds are gaining weight for migration and making it through the winter," Price states. He adds that birds also need more food for their nestlings, which can include something called grubs—these are larvae of insects that the birds would normally find on their own.

Water is critical for attracting birds to your yard and Price suggests getting a bird bath or incorporating some other water feature into your outdoor space. "This is important all year round and especially in the hot summers and freezing winter," he says.

There are several ways you can supply shelter to birds. Price shares that some birds, such as secondary cavity nesters like bluebirds and house wrens, like nest boxes, while other open nesting birds need a good place to build their nests. "Trees provide nesting sites to build nests and perching sites to help the birds stay away from potential predators," the ornithologist shares. Additionally, he says other vegetation like bushes can help provide sites for birds to be secluded while they are out foraging.

Izaguirre recommends planting native plants, ideally both shrubs and trees. "A good natural habitat with native plants will attract more birds," he says.

"Keep your yard pesticide and herbicide-free, and let more natural vegetation grow in your yard and nearby," Price advises. He explains that this will help keep birds healthy and add the types of foods that birds like.

If you want birds to return to your yard again and again, Price says you'll need to keep any pets that spend time outside under control and away from the birds. "Birds will learn if your pets are on a leash or in a fenced-in area," he notes. They learn where it's safe to forage and spend time, which Price says are spots where your pets are not able to go.