Did you realize bird watching is good for your health? A study published in October in Scientific Reports found that seeing or hearing birds improved people’s mental wellbeing for up to eight hours. Another study, published in 2020 in Ecological Economics, showed a correlation between happiness and the number of bird species around people’s homes and towns.
Now is a great time to start planning and planting trees and native plants that attract birds to your backyard yard. Here are some ways to attract birds to your yard in central Texas Water: Provide a clean, shallow source of water for drinking and bathing Shelter: Provide a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs to create escape cover and nesting areas
Plants: Choose native plants that provide seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, nectar, sap, pollen, foliage, and insects. Some plants that attract birds include coneflowers, cornflowers, black-eyed Susans, daisies, asters, marigolds, and Virginia creepers. Nesting boxes: Hang nesting boxes on the side of your house, on a fence rail, or on a post. Limit pesticides: Keep your yard free of pesticides and other chemicals.