Wilson's warbler in subalpine fir. © Gordon Scaggs, 2000, all rights reserved.

Autumn brings dramatic changes in the bird life of any North American backyard. As most of the feathered residents that visit your yard during summer go south, migrants from regions to the north will pass through your area. Some will make brief stopovers while others will spend the winter. You can make the most of these seasonal comings and goings by making some adjustments to your yard that will help attract greater numbers of different birds. Nature experts at the National Wildlife Federation recommend the following:

• Provide Running Water: The sound of running water in a birdbath with a dripper, mister or bubbler, or a pond, will be heard by migrating birds from some distance and will draw them to your yard for a drink and possibly a quick dip. Most migrating birds that visit birdbaths with running water or a pond eat insects and infrequently stop at feeders filled with seeds. So the sound of moving water can help you attract a whole new cast of birds that include warblers, vireos, flycatchers, thrushes and thrashers.
• Leave Sugar Water Feeders Out: Don’t take down the sugar water feeders as soon as the local hummingbirds and orioles start leaving your area in the fall. There are huge numbers of hummingbirds and orioles that have spent the summer farther north than where you live. As they migrate through your area, they will recharge themselves at sugar water feeders if they are available.
• Clean Out Birdhouses: Early fall is a good time to clean out and make necessary repairs to birdhouses in preparation for hosting those species that tend to roost during fall and winter. The old nests usually attract insects and parasites, and should be removed before winter residents move in. In many areas, bluebirds, chickadees, nuthatches and winter wrens may take up nightly residence in birdhouses to keep warm and safe.
• Create Brush Piles: Save your fall clippings and branches and twigs and pile them in a corner of the yard to create cover for birds. Most birds that prefer habitat on the ground – dark-eyed juncos, tree sparrows and white-throated sparrows – will use brush piles for roosting at night and for protection from predators.
• Plant Evergreens: There is no better natural cover for birds in fall and winter than evergreens. Planted near feeders and birdbaths, they will attract migrants and provide cover after deciduous trees lose their leaves.
• Increase the Number of Feeders: Autumn is a good time to double the number and kinds of feeders you put out for birds. To attract the greatest number and variety of birds, provide a variety of seed and suet feeders. Chickadees, for example, are more adept at using a feeder with a perch. Woodpeckers are drawn to suet hanging from tree trunks.
• Provide Food for Insect Eaters: Many birds that frequent backyards will not eat seeds, but they will eat insects and fruits. Cedar waxwings, American robins, northern mockingbirds, some woodpeckers, and migrating thrushes, thrashers and tanagers will feed readily on chunks of apples and berries. Bluebirds, robins, mockingbirds and some woodpeckers will eat live mealworms served in a tray feeder (available at pet supply stores)
• Bring Bird Sounds Indoors: With the arrival of cooler weather, people tend to close doors and windows, blocking out the pleasant sounds of birds singing and chattering. If you like those sounds, install a wireless baby monitoring devise outside and send the sounds of nature inside to a well-placed receiver.

Learn more about making your landscape wildlife-friendly by creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat and having it certified by the National Wildlife Federation [www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat.]

The nation’s largest member-supported conservation education and advocacy group, the National Wildlife Federation unites people from all walks of life to protect nature, wildlife and the world we all share.