Attract your favorite birds with right feed

If you wish to attract birds to your garden, it is important to know what species are in your area and their food preferences and feeding habits.

For example, some birds, such as mourning doves, are ground feeders while others, such as cardinals, visit feeders.

Regularly stocking your bird feeders with favorite foods will increase the chances that birds will continually visit your garden.

Safflower seed, sunflower hearts and millet are preferred by many species of birds, including cardinals, chickadees and nuthatches.

Suet cakes, especially popular in winter, are a high-energy food made of seed, nuts and fat. They are attractive to a variety of species.

Consider using better quality birdseed. Inexpensive birdseed mixes often include filler such as oats, barley or red millet, which birds do not eat and which ends up on the ground. To reduce waste and cleanup, try a “no mess” blend in which seeds do not have shells.

In my garden, deer are attracted to the feeder. There is not much you can do to deter deer from a feeder other than fencing it off.

If possible, provide a source of water for the birds. Placing a shallow basin of water in a sunny location will help keep it from freezing, but a heated birdbath is ideal.

Purchase one with an automatic shutoff valve or a heat cycling on-off switch, which will prevent damage to the birdbath if it goes dry. It is best to use a grounded three-pronged outlet.

Avoid birdbaths that have an uncovered heating element that could burn the birds' feet if they land on it. You can protect birds by placing a flat piece of stone, such as shale, over the heating element, providing a warm rock for birds to perch on safely.

It is important to thoroughly clean bird feeders and water basins regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria and keep birds healthy.

Remove clumps of old, wet seed and discard them. Wash the feeder or basin with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Let the feeder dry before refilling it.

Occasionally, disinfect the feeder and water basin with a solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.

• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.