Bring in the birds: follow these for easy tips for making your outdoor space more attractive to feathered friends—and kiss a buggy backyard good-bye

BIRDS DELIGHT us with their rich colors and intricate songs but they also aa as a natural form of pest control since they snack on insects like ants and flies. To help you make your lawn an avian hot spot we asked Steve Kress, vice president for bird conservation at the Audubon Society and author, of The Audubon society Guide to Attracting Birds (Cornell University Press 2006), for some expert advice. Here are his four tips:

1. LET YOUR LAWN GO

Allow the grass in a back corner of your lawn to grow tall--this provides birds with cover from predators. Plant some meadow wildflowers like lavender, daisies, asters, or goldenrod, which birds use for food and nesting material. And curb your use of harsh pesticides and fertilizers: According to the Audubon Society, lawn chemicals kill 7 million birds each year in the United States.

2. MIMIC A BIRD'S NATURAL HABITAT

Use your property's border to create surroundings similar to what birds encounter in the wild. Plant trees and shrubs they love--including thorny trees (hawthorn or raspberry) for nesting, berry trees and shrubs (dogwood or serviceberry) for food, and evergreens (spruce or juniper) for cover. You can also start a brush pile--a popular form of shelter for birds--in a back corner of your yard. Simply stack downed tree limbs (largest pieces at the bottom, smaller ones on top so the pile doesn't topple), Any size pile will do, but if you have the space, a 6-foot-high pile is ideal, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

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3. PROVIDE WATER

Put out a birdbath that's shallow enough for birds to drink and bathe in and high enough so eager cats can't reach it. To prevent the growth of algae and mosquito larvae, scrub your bath with a stiff brush and change the water every few days.

4. OFFER GOURMET FOOD

Entice birds with black oil sunflower seeds (available at home and garden stores). Cracked corn and millet are also popular choices. If you feed them through the winter, you'll see more birds. And they won't become dependent on your food, says Kress. No matter how extreme the weather, birds always know how to find food and water in nature.

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WHAT'S THAT BIRD?

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE Location: northern North America Size: 5 to 6 inches Plumage: white and gray body; black cap and throat Song: "fee-bee-ee"

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH Location: throughout North America Size: 4 to 5 inches Plumage: bright yellow to olive drab body; black-and-white wings Song:"po-tato-chip"or"per-chick-oree"

AMERICAN ROBIN Location: throughout North America Size: 8 to 11 inches Plumage: rusty-colored breast; gray back and wings Song: "cheery" or "cheerio"

MOURNING DOVE Location: throughout North America Size: 9 to 13 inches Plumage: beige-colored body; small head, pointed tail Song: a somber "coo-ooh"

NORTHERN CARDINAL Location: Midwest and eastern U.S. Size: 8 to 9 inches Plumage: bright red; big crest (head feathers) and black mask; females are gray with red tail Song: "cheer, cheer, cheer"

Information courtesy of Steve Kress and birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide.

WIN FREE STUFF: Fifteen readers will win a copy of The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds. Go to naturalhealthmag.com/birdsbook to enter.

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