To attract backyard birds, use the right seed, feeder, and placement for the species you want, and solve common problems like squirrels and starlings that can take over your feeder.
If you want more birds in your yard, the key is simple:
Different birds are looking for different things.
Some want seed.
Some want insects.
Some want nectar or fruit.
And sometimes, the problem isn’t attracting birds at all—it’s dealing with what shows up once you do.
This guide walks you through both:
- how to attract the birds you want
- and how to fix the most common feeder problems
Start with the birds you want to attract:
Cardinals
Cardinals are one of the most loved backyard birds, and once they find a reliable food source, they tend to stay.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Attract Cardinals to Your Feeder
Bluebirds
Bluebirds aren’t coming for seed the way most birds do. They’re looking for insects and a safe place to nest.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Attract Bluebirds: Nest Boxes, Mealworms, and Simple Setup
Orioles
Orioles are drawn to something sweet, especially during spring migration. They won’t stop for seed, but they will stop for the right setup.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Attract Orioles to Your Backyard with Jelly and Oranges
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds move quickly and won’t stay long unless they find a reliable source of nectar.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Bring Hummingbirds to Your Yard
Goldfinches
Goldfinches are picky, especially in warmer months. The right seed and feeder make all the difference.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Attract Goldfinches to Your Feeder
Indigo Buntings
That flash of electric blue isn't just luck. Indigo Buntings are attracted to specific foods, habitats, and feeder setups that many backyards are missing.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Attract Indigo Buntings
Now fix the problems that keep showing up
Sometimes you’ve done everything right—and your feeder still isn’t working the way you want.
That’s usually because something else has taken over.
Squirrels
If your feeder is getting emptied faster than it should, squirrels are usually the reason.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Keep Squirrels Off Bird Feeders
Starlings and bully birds
Some birds will dominate a feeder and push out the smaller birds you actually want to see.
🔽 Read the full guide:
How to Keep Starlings Off Your Bird Feeder
Doves
Doves can quickly take over a feeder, especially if the seed mix isn’t selective. They’re ground feeders and tend to crowd out smaller birds.
🔽 Read the full guide:
Why Doves Take Over Your Bird Feeder (And What to Do)
The simple truth
You don’t need a complicated setup to enjoy more birds.
You just need to match what they’re looking for—and be consistent.
Once you do, your yard becomes a place they come back to again and again.
If your feeder isn’t bringing in the birds you want, it’s usually the seed.
Most birdseed is generic. HappySeed Boxes are made for your backyard, customized by zip code and designed to attract the birds you actually want to see.
➡️ Start your HappySeed Box here.