Welcoming Birds in Montreal This Spring

In the fall, many bird species in Quebec migrate away to spend the winter in a warmer environment. In the spring, as the weather warms up, they start returning. Birds have been having a hard time lately as habitat loss and climate change threaten them. You can help make things a little easier on them by making your yard more bird-friendly. However, you have to go about this carefully and prudently. If you make your property too welcoming, you may end up with birds in your house, necessitating a call to Skedaddle for humane bird removal in Montreal.

Choose Native Garden Plants

When it comes to choosing plants for your garden, you have a wide range of choices. There are many nonnative plants that you could choose without doing any harm to the environment, but if you really want to show hospitality to the birds, you should plant native plants as much as possible. Some species of birds feed on the seeds of the plants themselves, while others eat the insects and larvae that feed on them. There are plenty of very beautiful native garden plants to choose from that can benefit both you and the birds.

Place Birdhouses and Feeders Strategically

In the spring and summer, birds usually do not have much problem finding food. If you have planted native plants in your garden, you may not have a need for a bird feeder at all. Safe places for birds to build their nests may be in short supply, so they may benefit more if you put up a birdhouse for them. A bird feeder may be more for your benefit so that you can watch them. Whether you put up a feeder, a birdhouse, or both, be careful about where you place them. If you want to be able to see them from your window, that's fine, but be careful not to place them too close to the house. Otherwise, the birds may decide that they would rather nest in your house, and then you have a problem on your hands. Place birdhouses and feeders as far away from the house as you can while still keeping them in sight of the windows if you are interested in birdwatching.

Provide a Water Source

Birds always need a source of freshwater, which can be harder to find in the spring and summer, especially when the weather is drier. Adding a birdbath of some kind so they can drink and bathe really helps to make your yard bird-friendly. Consider a fountain or a drip bath instead of just a static basin like traditional birdbaths. Birds are actually attracted by the sounds of running water, and as a bonus, if the water is moving, mosquitoes cannot lay their eggs in it. To keep the birds healthy, you have to make sure to keep the water and the birdbath itself clean.

Plan and Prepare Ahead of Time

When you plan to plant a garden, the most important preparation steps include deciding what you are going to plant and where. You should think about this well before planting time so you have time to obtain the necessary seeds and other materials so that you can plant immediately when the time comes. However, there's more to planning a garden than deciding what to plant. You also have to clear out debris leftover from last season, the trash that has blown into your yard during the winter, and any invasive plants that are already there and might compete with your native garden plants.

If You Need Bird Removal in Montreal, Contact Skedaddle

If you plan your garden effectively, you can make it bird-friendly without attracting them to your home. However, if the birds do get in and make a nest, you can call Skedaddle to have them removed humanely and in compliance with applicable laws.