By Raquel Morphy
The birds are singing again and it brings joy to my ears. I love sitting outside with my morning coffee listening to their sweet song and trying to imitate their melodies. We have quite a few that can be heard from my office, with the windows shut tight! I'm convinced they're there to keep me company.

I can't think of a better way to beautify your garden than to fill it with birds. Birds add color and life to any garden. If you're wondering why other's gardens have birds galore and yours is lacking residents, follow these tips and you'll have a feather filled garden in no time.

Shelter: The first thing birds need to be happy is shelter, which can be provided with birdhouses. Birdhouses can be purchased from many different stores, but it's cheaper and often more effective to build your own. Here is a great resource for building your own birdhouse http://tinyurl.com/46w5po

Providing adequate shelter for birds also means giving them appropriate nesting materials; this can help them turn their bird house into a comfortable home. Birds usually use hard materials for structure and soft materials to fill in the gaps. Good nesting materials include string, hair, twigs, moss, fabric, and even dryer lint. Basically, they'll use anything long and skinny, or soft materials that can be pulled that way.

Water: Another essential factor for attracting birds to your garden is water. Birdbaths are the best option because they are shallow for swimming and have edges for drinking. If you have a large garden, you can add more than one bird bath. If you do, try to have them in sunny and shady places so birds can choose. Along with attracting feathered friends, bird baths also add a decorative touch.

Food: While water and housing may entice your birds to stay, they'll probably find your garden in their search for something to eat. You should provide birds with a variety of different seeds, fruits, and nuts. They need a balanced diet just like you do. Birds also like to feast on insects, so make sure your garden has good rich soil to promote creepy crawly critters to stay too.

When trying to attract birds to your garden patience is the key. Even if you provide all the essentials for birds, they still may not show up right away. You should give them time to find your garden and then make a habit of visiting. Even if you don't get birds right away, keep trying. They're sure to show up in no time.

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