Photo by Bruce Stewart/Fotolia
How-to: Create a garden bird buffet
Our feathered friends bring a garden to life and keep pests at bay, so make them feel welcome
##What to Serve##
**Blue jay**
**Plants:** Oak, fir, maple, mulberry, pine, viburnum, birch
**Seeds:** Sunflower, suet, peanut kernels, cracked corn
**Feeder Type:** Platform, hopper, suet **Cardinal**
**Plants:** Rose, hawthorn, ash, elderberry, dogwood
**Seeds:** Black oil & striped sunflower, cracked corn, peanut kernels
**Feeder Type:** Platform, hopper **Chickadee**
**Plants:** Pine, hemlock, serviceberry, birch, walnut, elderberry
**Seeds:** Black oil & striped sunflower, peanut kernels, suet
**Feeder Type:** Tube, suet, hopper **Finch**
**Plants:** Goldenrod (cultivars only), black-eyed Susan, zinnia
**Seeds:** Niger seed, black & triped sunflower
**Feeder Type:** Tube, platform
**Junco**
**Plants:** Pine, ornamental grasses, cedar, purple coneflower
**Seeds:** Proso millet, fine cracked corn
**Feeder Type:** Hopper **Nuthatch**
**Plants:** Pine, oak, black-eyed Susan, hemlock, maple
**Seeds:** Black oil & striped sunflower, suet, peanut kernels
**Feeder Type:** Tube, suet **Robin**
**Plants:** Serviceverry, crabapple, sumac, elderberry, winterberry, cotoneaster
**Seeds:** Suet, chopped fruit, suet, peanut kernels
**Feeder Type:** Platform, suet **Woodpecker**
**Plants:** Oak, pine mountain ash, elderberry, Virginia creeper
**Seeds:** Suet, black oil sunflower, peanuts
**Feeder Type:** Suet, tube ##Tips to attract birds** 1. **Plant a diverse range of trees and shrubs,** preferably native species, to offer food, shelter and nesting sites. Evergreens such as pine and juniper are good choices. 2. **Provide water,** particularly in winter. Use a birdbath heater to keep it accessible. 3. **Grow flowers** that attract insects, which birds love to eat. 4. **Don’t cut back perennials** such as purple coneflowers and ornamental grasses so seeds are available all winter. 5. **Use organic,** pesticide-free growing methods. **Feeling creative?** Keep reading to learn how to create your own birdfeeder swag.
**Plants:** Oak, fir, maple, mulberry, pine, viburnum, birch
**Seeds:** Sunflower, suet, peanut kernels, cracked corn
**Feeder Type:** Platform, hopper, suet **Cardinal**
**Plants:** Rose, hawthorn, ash, elderberry, dogwood
**Seeds:** Black oil & striped sunflower, cracked corn, peanut kernels
**Feeder Type:** Platform, hopper **Chickadee**
**Plants:** Pine, hemlock, serviceberry, birch, walnut, elderberry
**Seeds:** Black oil & striped sunflower, peanut kernels, suet
**Feeder Type:** Tube, suet, hopper **Finch**
**Plants:** Goldenrod (cultivars only), black-eyed Susan, zinnia
**Seeds:** Niger seed, black & triped sunflower
**Feeder Type:** Tube, platform
(continued below)
**Plants:** Pine, ornamental grasses, cedar, purple coneflower
**Seeds:** Proso millet, fine cracked corn
**Feeder Type:** Hopper **Nuthatch**
**Plants:** Pine, oak, black-eyed Susan, hemlock, maple
**Seeds:** Black oil & striped sunflower, suet, peanut kernels
**Feeder Type:** Tube, suet **Robin**
**Plants:** Serviceverry, crabapple, sumac, elderberry, winterberry, cotoneaster
**Seeds:** Suet, chopped fruit, suet, peanut kernels
**Feeder Type:** Platform, suet **Woodpecker**
**Plants:** Oak, pine mountain ash, elderberry, Virginia creeper
**Seeds:** Suet, black oil sunflower, peanuts
**Feeder Type:** Suet, tube ##Tips to attract birds** 1. **Plant a diverse range of trees and shrubs,** preferably native species, to offer food, shelter and nesting sites. Evergreens such as pine and juniper are good choices. 2. **Provide water,** particularly in winter. Use a birdbath heater to keep it accessible. 3. **Grow flowers** that attract insects, which birds love to eat. 4. **Don’t cut back perennials** such as purple coneflowers and ornamental grasses so seeds are available all winter. 5. **Use organic,** pesticide-free growing methods. **Feeling creative?** Keep reading to learn how to create your own birdfeeder swag.
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