How to design a backyard fit for a bird (and a budget)

[mr.sharp-photo]

I forget if i posted this a few years ago...
i wouldn't mind converting some of my back yard into a more bird-friendly yard.
its a typical (read: small) toronto yard with two large trees that provide shade.
but i also have a larger grassy area that could hopefully be converted into a better area for birds.

the first area i'd like to transform is the area underneath the canopy of the two trees. so its a shaded area where i likely couldn't plant anything with deep roots.

are there any suggestions as far as websites or books that may give me tips? or any organizations that may be able to give me some suggestions?

i want to plan well in advance of this spring.
thanks

[Sahria]

You could check to see with a nursery about native plants that do well in the shade, and then pick which ones can provide food, security, or shelter. Having plants of varying heights is also good, so I've been told. There is a book I bought a while ago called Country Wisdom and Know How that had a lot of backyard bird info in it, but it's a very small section of the book. It ranged from appropriate plants to home built nesting boxes. http://www.amazon.com/Country-Wisdom-Know-How-Editors-Publishings/dp/1579123686

There is also info on the Cornell site, http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1138

That is all I have, hopefully someone else has more to offer. Good luck!

[Craig McL]

a good thing we do is to grabe a Xmass tree or too and lay them in our back yard and poor
seed through   them.

the junco and sparows love it

[Axeman]

I have a yellow birch tree in my front yard and I find that it attracts a wide variety of birds -- they seem to feed off it....everyone from the downies/ hairys and yellow bellies...wrens...chickadees, juncos...warblers and flycatchers....I've had indigo buntings and scarlet tanagers feeding from it...ruffed grouse...I've had coopers / sharp shinned hawks using it for hunting grounds....

It's the greatest tree ever invented...just wished they lived longer.

another good one is the crab apple tree....

Nice thread ! I'm interested in following this one.

[Sahria]

I was reading on another site that Dogwood is always a great way to attract birds. There is a whole section on Bird Forum for gardening for birds.

http://www.birdforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=453

[mr.sharp-photo]

some more history....

i contacted LEAF over a year ago. they were supposed to call me to come and make an assessment of my yard. and they didn't call. i think i even sent them a reminder email and i didn't hear back from them.

i'm thinking of taking pictures of my yard and then going to the Brickworks once the spring comes. hopefully i can work at my yard slowly...$100 max per season and 2-3 years of planning.  i'm probably looking at filling in 15 feet by 8 feet. so nothing huge.

[Craig McL]

I am working on 180 by 60   and its work a lot ... probly $200 a year but worth it
but we did move our gardin from Hipark to whitby so we had a head start and I
do agree with crab apple tree but I hate them .


best bird so far   Whip-poor-will   and Sandhill Crane over head  

Craig