Abundant Design: Birds!

Last Friday was National Bird Day!

Birds can be pests in gardens and fields. Canadian geese will walk down a row of corn or beans pluking out a smorgasboard of fresh "microgreens." I've had trouble with robins in my strawberries and cherry trees, and sparrows feeding on newly sprouted pea seedlings.

Strategic netting can prevent much of this, as well as providing quality bird habitat so that they aren't so hungry. Many times the only thing birds have to eat in a manicured neighborhood of lawns is our gardens.

For the most part birds are actually a great help around the garden. They provide pest control for sure! Wrens, bluebirds and swallows eat an enormous amount of pests, in the garden and biting insects as well. Seed eaters also reduce weed seeds, while other birds nibble away at tender weed seedlings.

Want to build this house?

They can also work the soil turning over mulch and depositing "nutrients" in your landscapes. Chickens are great at this, but unfortunately many cities prohibit urban chickens. Waukee does, as do many of the suburbs. However, Des Moines allows a certain number per household.

During this stretch of bitterly cold weather I thought about how we keep them feed so they can stay warm and safe.

Here's a video of how you can help your birds out this winter and year round!