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4 Colors That Attract Birds to Your Backyard: An Overview

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group of birds perching

Birds have excellent vision and are attracted to colors, so that’s why many people put colorful objects and birdhouses in their backyards. Colors can attract various bird species to your backyard if you know how to choose the right color. 

To create a bird-friendly environment in your backyard, you should consider changing the color scheme to be alluring for birds. Today, we will discuss why birds are attracted to color, which colors attract the most birds, and reveal more details about this fun topic.

Why should you attract birds to your backyard?

Having birds in your yard can have many benefits for both sides. You will provide birds with shelter, water, and food, while they will make your backyard beautiful and tidy. Here are our top reasons why you should attract birds to your yards and gardens:

birdhouse
Image Credit: Piqsels
  • No more pests and rodents: Birds will help you reduce pests in your yard and garden. Many bird breeds feed on insects such as spiders, ticks, mosquitos, and worms. Attracting birds to your yard will be a natural way to eliminate pests in your backyard while avoiding pesticides and toxic products. Larger birds will be an excellent tool for fighting rodent overpopulation issues, as they consider mice, squirrels, and rats a true delicacy.
  • No more weeds: Some birds, such as sparrows, finches, and towhees, are great for controlling your landscape and eliminating weeds and unneeded plants.
  • Wildlife preservation: Shelters and natural habitats are becoming harder to find, and food sources can run out, mostly during wintertime. You should preserve the wildlife and provide birds with an inviting environment where they can nest.
  • Better mood: Having birds in your backyard will positively affect your mood and health since interacting with birds and watching them can be stress-relieving. You should take your time to enjoy the birds’ songs, interact with them, and leave your worries aside!

4 Colors That Attract Birds To Your Backyard

Every bird species has a color preference, so not all birds will like the same colors. Still, bright colors attract many birds, although some species have preferences for specific color shades. 

1. Blue-green

Adding the blue-green color to your backyard will help you attract more birds. Many bird species are drawn to this color, although there’s no proven reason for why this color lures so many birds. Birds such as blue jays, bluebirds, and starlings are very attracted to blue-green.

bird feeder bluejay
Image Credit: PilotBrent, Pixabay

2. Yellow

Yellow commonly attracts cardinals, so you could add yellow hues in your backyard to lure them. This color can also attract nocturnal bird species.

bluebird house
Image Credit: Mike Dobe, Pixabay

3. Red/pink/orange

Red/pink/orange is pretty effective to attract birds to your backyard. This color mainly attracts hummingbirds and siskins. Many bird species are drawn to flowers in these colors, so incorporating such details in your backyard will make it alluring.

hummingbird feeder
Image Credit: Paul Brennan, Pixabay

4. Earthy-neutral colors

Earthy-neutral colors will draw birds that like to fit into their environment. These tones usually attract thrushes, doves, and quails.

Eurasian Collared-Dove
Image Credit: Alexas_Fotos, Pixabay

Colors to avoid when trying to attract birds

There is one color that you should simply avoid if you want to have winged friends in your backyard. White can be a sign of aggression or danger for many brid breeds. So, instead of attracting birds, this color will scare them away from your home. 

It’s better to choose any other neutral tone, but white shouldn’t be on the list.

Why are birds attracted to color?

Birds have excellent sight, and they can see colors invisible to the human eye. They can quickly recognize different shades of color and are attracted to specific colors for several reasons.

Colors help birds recognize their species, and it even helps to attract mates. Colors can also be indicators of danger.

hanging bird house
Image Credit: Rudy and Peter Skitterians, Pixabay

How to use color to attract birds?

There are plenty of ways to incorporate colors in your backyard and attract birds. You can paint your birdhouses, add more flowers and trees to the landscape, or add colorful feeders and decorations.

Birds will be very fond of colorful bushes, shrubs, and flowers as they will provide food, shelter, and nesting places. If you don’t want flowers, there are alternatives to add color to your garden. You could paint your fence, add colorful, decorative details, or create bright birdbaths.

You should ensure that the colors are visible from the sky, so position colorful objects carefully. For painting, use water-based paints that are not harmful to birds.

Related Read: 28 Common Backyard Birds in Alabama (with Pictures)

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Conclusion

There’s no better way to attract birds to your backyard than to provide a bird-friendly environment that looks inviting and warm. If birds have sufficient food and water sources and a comfortable place for nesting, they will likely stay in your backyard. So, add a touch of color to lure birds to your garden and provide them with everything they need to help them survive.


Featured Image Credit: Bonnie Taylor Barry, Shutterstock

About the Author Robert Sparks

Robert’s obsession with all things optical started early in life, when his optician father would bring home prototypes for Robert to play with. Nowadays, Robert is dedicated to helping others find the right optics for their needs. His hobbies include astronomy, astrophysics, and model building. Originally from Newark, NJ, he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the nighttime skies are filled with glittering stars.