If you want to actively develop bird watching as a hobby then you can start out by birding in your backyard itself.
However, instead of waiting for a lost lone bird to visit your yard, you can attract several species of birds at one time by laying out a bird buffet containing their type of food and water in your backyard.
Here are a few food and water tips that will ensure good health for birds that visit your backyard.
Since birds require water and food at regular intervals, it will visually pay to make available these facilities in your backyard so that they drop by to gorge on them.
You will need a water fountain or a birdbath to attract birds towards your yard.
You should ensure that the birdbath is placed in an open place in your backyard so that you can engage in your bird watching activities without any visual obstruction.
You can also tempt birds such as hummingbirds by adding a little white sugar to your water.
You should however, change the water regularly as well as maintain cleanliness levels in and around your birdbath or water fountain.
You can also buy solar water fountains that will help you to cut down on your electric bills.
If you live in a region that experiences severe winters then a heated birdbath will surely be appreciated by visiting birds with excited chirps and cheeps.
Birds also love eating seeds from various flowers and fruits.
You can easily plant various types of flowers in your backyard so as to tempt them.
However, it will be a well-stocked bird feeder that will also attract birds to your yard instead of neighboring properties.
You can buy books to read about the types of seeds preferred by various birds and procure seeds loved by only those birds that frequent your backyard.
You can now load those seeds in your bird feeder or also sprinkle them in your garden or yard.
You should however, place your bird feeder at a height and away from surrounding walls, hedges or bushes, especially if you have a cat or other types of bird eating predators in your neighborhood.
This will allow your birds a clear view of the surroundings and help them fly away at any approaching danger.
Whether you have installed a hopper feeder or an attractive electric or solar heated birdbath, you will need to clean them regularly so as to remove bird droppings and moldy seeds before replenishing them with fresh stock.
This will ensure that birds fly in happily to your backyard and also remain healthy after enjoying food, water and a fresh bath.
You might also have to ensure that squirrels do not get to the bird feed by adding wire mesh or other innovative methods so that only birds can feed on it.
Your bird watching sessions will become much more informative and exciting if you have several species of birds visiting your backyard on a daily basis.
You will need to tempt your winged visitors with 5 star food, water and bathing facilities, and you can easily achieve the same without incurring large expenses.
You and your family will be suitably rewarded as you will all be able to watch the lives of various birds unfold before your very eyes.