13 Ways to Attract Birds to Your Backyard

Evergreens keep their needles and leaves during the winter months, making perfect hide-outs for year-round birds that live in your backyard. Many evergreens, like this eastern red juniper, provide berries as an added bonus. A cedar waxwing holds a berry within his beak.

Set up a birdhouse or two. There are many birdhouses specifically designed to attract certain breeds of backyard birds. Birds use birdhouses to raise their young and seek cover in ill weather. This house is designed for purple martins. When shopping for birdhouses, be sure there is an easy access door for cleaning each spring.

Some bird species, such as this black and white warbler, enjoy making their homes in older trees' holes. Here they hide food supplies, raise their young and take shelter.

Cut back on pesticide use. Birds love to dine on bugs and are natural pest control experts. Here this tomato hornworm is a tasty meal for bluebirds, blackbirds, orioles and swallows. Unfortunately for this hornworm,  a predatory wasp has laid eggs on its back. The tomato hornworm will serve as food for the larvae.