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Building a Bird-Friendly Paradise for Your Feathered Friends ... and Yourself! 🐦⛲🔥

49 items

Hui Sim

Thinking of turning your garden into a paradise for the birds? As a bird nerd, nature lover, and wildlife photographer, I've compiled a shortlist of some backyard essentials (and extras, should you wish to “birdify” your living space, too) for your c...

Note: This list may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission (at no extra charge to you) if you make a purchase using these links.

Sections

For the Indoor Birds

For the Outdoor Birds

For the Birders

What Type of Bird Person are You?

For the Indoor Birds

For those who have birds in their lives – and in their homes! A shortlist of items that you'll need (or consider acquiring) to keep Polly happy.

This spacious and comfortable bird enclosure is ideal for one medium- to large-sized bird. Enjoy ease and speed of cleaning with the slide out grill and tray, four feeder doors, and a perch.

A&E Cage Company Elegant Flight Bird Cage

Keeping those bills and beaks filed down to a manageable size is a little easier if your feathered friends have access to cuttlebone!

A&E Cage Company Flavored 6" Cuttlebone (2-Pack)

Most birds are social creatures, and what better way to encourage this sense of community than with this wheeled enclosure, which features multiple doors, dishes, and perches.

All Living Things® Multi-Bird Home

It's not all about food (or friends of the same feather) – play is just as important to keep Feathers engaged and happy, and this bird toy will do just that!

All Living Things® Knots & Blocks Bird Toy

Did you know that humans can also eat millet? I would give the spray millet a hard pass, though – after all, it's a snack that's meant for your bird, and it is designed to encourage your bird's natural foraging proclivities!

All Living Things® Spray Millet Bird Treat

All captive birds require a fresh supply of water every day, and this water dispenser has the added bonus of having a glass body.

Automatic Pet Water Dispenser

Not all seeds were meant to be hung and strung up! These platforms can be positioned anywhere in the enclosure, and come in many different colors.

Bird Feeding Platforms (with Bowls)

I can vouch for this – cockatiels love their seeds, and it's always fun to see them play with their food, too!

Lafeber's® Nutri-Berries Cockatiel Bird Food

This fortified formulation keeps the feathers and skin of your small bird looking their healthiest!

KAYTEE® FDPH Feather Conure/Lovebird Bird Food

Break boredom with this perch toy for small to medium-sized pet birds, including budgies, cockatiels, parrotlets, lovebirds, ringnecks, and conures – which also offers auditory stimulation through the bells inside the balls!

Perch Toy with Rotating Balls

The smaller but just-as-colorful treat that's sized for medium-sized birds like cockatiels and lovebirds.

ZuPreem® FruitBlend Medium Bird Food

I have yet to come across a psittacine who doesn't like their fruits, and these perfectly sized, brightly-colored pellets will win over even the pickiest parrots.

ZuPreem® FruitBlend Parrot & Conure Bird Food

For the Outdoor Birds

Just about everything you need to create an eden for your favorite (outdoor) avians!

Budget permitting, a fountain (with a built-in bubbler) can upscale your bird-friendly garden.

Backyard Fountains

There is no more heartwrenching sound than that of a bird hitting a (clean) window. Anti-collision UV-proof decals, window stencils, or suncatchers are worthy deterrents.

Bird Anti-Collision Products: Reducing Window Strikes

Squirrels are tenacious creatures. They amaze me with the time and effort they will expend in overcoming “squirrel-proof” devices!

Bird Feeder Poles

Also known as Oriole feeders for those songbirds can enjoy a varied diet of jam and fresh fruit (orange). Keep these refreshed daily – you don't want rodents or other (larger) sweet-toothed creatures partaking and wrecking the party!

Bird Feeders (Jam & Fruit)

If you want Blue Jays (or corvids in general – including ravens and crows) to show up in your backyard, peanut bird feeders are a must.

Bird Feeders (Peanut)

Unless you want squirrels to help themselves, a squirrelproof bird feeder is indispensable (they will find a way around simple squirrel baffles--trust me on this one!) Feeders with roofs or rainguards (to protect against the elements) and easy-to-cle...

Bird Feeders (Mixed Seed)

I use a combination of basin and upright hummingbird feeders in the backyard and around the house. For durability, I prefer glass and metal to plastic.

Bird Feeders (Nectar)

Suet that hasn't been eaten for more than a few weeks should be thrown away. They can cause mold to grow on suet feeders (especially on the ones with wooden housings).

Bird Feeders (Suet)

Bird suet and mixed seed comes in many sizes and shapes, from conventional balls to bells, to highly inventive ones like owls and birdhouses. Whatever you choose, catcher trays are a necessity!

Bird Food (Suet/Mixed Seed)

Make it easy for bird parents to gather their nestbuilding material, if it's not readily available.

Bird Nesting Material

Get a birdbath with a sturdy, heavy-bottomed base (in case the raccoons come a-knockin', and I do mean a-knockin'). Consider placing round smooth stones in fountains that may be a little deeper in some spots for smaller birds. The stained glass bir...

Birdbaths

Peep shows (of the natural world) that we humans actually want to watch!

Birdhouse Cams

Get nestboxes with holes appropriate to the size of your infanticipating birds. Easy-to-clean, light-colored or unpainted ones are best.

Birdhouses: Raising the Next Generation in Safety and Style

You do not want fallen seed or suet to attract rats or mice. Birds are messy eaters, so a catcher tray is a necessity.

Birdseed Catcher Trays

Great photo ops of the birds will be had with this edible feeding station – but I can guarantee you that Frosty will have disappeared LONG before Christmas, unless you hang this one out a little closer to December 25th!

Handmade Snowman Bird Seed Feeder

If you like feeding jays (and squirrels) but you don't like the mess of empty shells, these peanuts will do the trick!

KAYTEE® Out of Shell Peanuts Wild Bird & Wildlife Food

If you like to save your feathered friends the task of removing the husks on those sunflower seeds (and yourself the chore of sweeping up empty shells), here's your answer!

KAYTEE® Sunflower Hearts & Chips Wild Bird Food

No sense in setting up birdhouses that may be taken advantage of by cats or raptors. Invest in a predator guard.

Predator Guards for Birdhouses

Birds are used to being wet – these rain guards are more for protecting unsheltered seed, suet, and nectar feeders from the elements (rain, snow) that could lead to the buildup of mold. I prefer metal or recycled wood rain guards.

Rain Guards & Umbrellas

This is a better spread than I've seen at some human dining establishments!

Wild Bird Seed Sun Catcher Garland Feeders

For the Birders

Books, plush toys, games, decor, and more. You can't bird every day (or can you?) but you can celebrate your feathered friends with these colorful bird nerd gift ideas!

Cornell Lab of Ornithology's first softcover coloring book, featuring 40 of America's favorite birds. I was privileged to have my photo of a Green-Winged Teal selected by the CLO (and then voted by hundreds of bird enthusiasts) to be featured as a re...

America's Favorite Birds: 40 Birds to Color Coloring Book (Softcover)

I was honored again by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology when they selected my photo of a Spotted Towhee for inclusion into their second coloring book. If you love birds, flowers, and like to color with pencils, markers, or watercolor pencils, then you'...

Backyard Birds and Blossoms: Nurturing Your Nature at Home Coloring Book (Softcover)

This puzzle is great for building muscle memory and makes a wonderful and lasting piece of art when completed, too!

BODHIPNJOY Round Parrots Wooden Puzzle 500pc

A birding mentor to many (myself included), BC-based wildlife photographer and nature conservationist Melissa Hafting explores the power of birds to heal her after the deaths of her parents in her first book. She shares stunning images of birds throu...

Dare to Bird: Joy and Healing Power (Melissa Hafting)

The farm puns are the best ones, and you can think up sooo many wordplays with eggs.

DBTF Eggcellent Ideas Funny Chickens Notebook

This stainless steel necklace is the stunning way to showcase your love of hummingbirds!

Gonashow Colorful Hummingbird Necklace

This beautiful stained glass owl suncatcher enhances the charm of your home.

Stained Glass Bird(s) Suncatchers

If you can't get enough of your feathered visitors, Wild Republic's plush birds - complete with their signature birdsongs - ought to make your heart sing with joy!

Wild Republic Audubon Birds Plush Collection (6 Birds) with Bird Sounds

Being an avid birder, this is the one game that I Iook forward to playing – and the add-on packs open up even more gameplaying possibilities!

Wingspan Board Game

WWN The Complete Nature Journals Collection

What Type of Bird Person are You?

Like all pets, birds should never be an impulse purchase. Lifespan should definitely be a big factor to take into consideration, as some parrots and macaws can outlive their first owners! Birds come in different sizes, and they have personalities – j...

I have seen a few Amazons (accompanied by their humans) in public here, and these medium-sized parrots are VERY well-behaved birds (even though they do have a propensity to be loud).

Their average lifespan is 25-30 years in captivity.

Amazon Parrots

I had two budgies in my youth – one was green (Corky), and the other blue (Charlie) – but not at the same time. Their vocabulary wasn't very extensive, but they were very entertaining birds!

Average lifespan is 5-10 years in captivity.

Budgerigar

The Pavarottis of the psittacine world, canaries come in the familiar yellow (or red factor) colors, and can belt out complex arias. If you have a thing for the Beatles, you may be delighted to find Gloster canaries at your local petstore (the headge...

Average lifespan is 7-15 years in captivity

Canary

One of the most popular ex-pats from Australia is the cockatiel, and, as a teenager, I also had one whom I loved dearly (but was gone too soon!) As you may guess, cockatiels are the smallest members of the cockatoo family.

Average lifespan is 15-25 years in captivity.

Cockatiel

With an average lifespan of 10-25 years in captivity, the colorful Conure is definitely a longer-term commitment! These dazzling medium-sized parrots are as playful and engaging as their plumage – but they do like to make themselves known with their ...

Conure

It's hard not be dazzled by the highly social Gouldian finches – they are one of the most visually striking (yet relatively quiet) songbirds you'll find in aviculture – and they can come in SOOO many other color variations as well!

Average lifespan is 8 years in captivity.

Gouldian Finches

Also known as Chestnut-Eared Finches, Zebra Finches are charming and gregarious songbirds who also hail from Australia and Southeast Asia. They also come in different color variations (including pure white, which is quite a sight to behold).

Did you know that the sons learn their mating songs from their fathers? Like Gouldian Finches, Zebra Finches are not noisy birds, which makes them ideal for condo life.

Average lifespan is 5 years (in captivity).

Zebra Finch