attracting birds to an urban balcony (no trees in immediate area)

11 years ago

Are there any balcony gardeners here who also have bird feeders?

I live in an urban area and have a 4th floor balcony. There are no trees per se alongside my building. My balcony looks out over a parking lot. Beyond that, the nearest yards with shrubs and trees are erÃ¯Â¿Â½..30 yards from our building?

Is there any hope of my getting birds if I were to put out seed and an electric bird bath? I often see birds flying about in the backyards beyond our building, but naturally I never see them anywhere near or alongside my actual building. I DO know the ins and outs of bird feeders, seed, etc. (I used to have my own backyard at one point and was very successful in getting birds to my feeders.) I just donÃ¯Â¿Â½t know Ã¯Â¿Â½howÃ¯Â¿Â½ birds would come to figure out I have seed and water available in this particular setting, and since they normally donÃ¯Â¿Â½t fly anywhere near my building. Or do birds have some type of amazing sense of smell, that theyÃ¯Â¿Â½d somehow smell the seed?

I know that the sound of running water can help to attract birds but again, I donÃ¯Â¿Â½t think the sound could be loud enough for the birds that are flying 30 or so yards away from my building.

Thanks all!

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Comments (5)

kendra2003
11 years ago
Birds have a terrible sense of smell. I'm not sure how they find feeders, but once one does, the rest seem to follow. What types of birds do you have in that environment? I would try to figure out what birds you have there that you would like to see, and put out the food that they are attracted to. A heated bird bath is always a great attractant.
Lynn Nevins
Original Author
11 years ago
Tx. Yeah, I'd just hate to go to the expense of buying feeders...even just one to start....and a heated bath...and then no birds come. So I'm just trying to see if there were others in my same situation who somehow miraculously got birds to come to their balcony....
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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
11 years ago
I don't have any experience with a balcony, but I do know that birds have incredible vision. It always amazes me when I look through binoculars at a bird at the other end of the yard and it turns and looks straight at me, and then often flies off. The same with photos - they often show the bird looking into the camera. Eyes of a possible predator, I suppose.

Anyway, the birds may glance at your balcony to see if anything interesting or threatening is happening there. Do you have any plants on the balcony that might attract birds?

You could just put out birdseed on a plastic plate and a bowl of water and see if anything happens. Minimal expense there.

Do you know what kind of birds are in your neighborhood? If it's mostly pigeons and house sparrows, you may not want to feed them, but if there's a large park nearby there may be a more varied population.

Claire
Lynn Nevins
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the great thoughts. Yes, I do have plants on my balcony....two blueberry shrubs (first year shrubs though, so no berries this year. I know birds LOVE them, no? ;-) All the rest are flowering plants or herbs....though no flowers out at this time, but surely I have greenery. And in the Fall I understand my blueberry plants will turn color and my Wisteria I think as well?

Anyway that's a good idea to just set some seed and water out though....I have 6' open weave (very open in fact) trellises all along the balcony railings, so there's really no place to 'set' seed or water right now, except on top of a table or on the balcony floor. That might be next to impossible for getting the birds' attention. My initial plan was to get feeders etc that can be affixed to the railing and/or by utilizing hangers affixed to the railings, and then suspending the feeders from those.

Anyway, I DO also have some wire pot holders that hang from the side of the balcony and so they face outwards. Maybe I could remove the pots from the holders, and put some kind of dish or receptacle in there to see if the birds come. Course, the receptables will have to be sorta narrow...the pot holders are only about 8" wide....but maybe a plastic soup container filled with peanuts in the shell would be the best best. Bluejays (which I HAVE heard in the area) should easily be able to pluck out some peanuts from that.

And if I see that works, then I can augment my collection, since once one bird comes (esp loud Jays), the others will follow. I've also heard cardinals in the area....

Tx!
kendra2003
11 years ago
Sounds like a great plan. You can see if you can attract the Bluejays while not spending money on special feeders. See what comes before you decide to invest in special feeders or heated bird baths. Good luck. Hope some birds you like find your balcony.

attracting birds to an urban balcony (no trees in immediate area)

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kendra2003

Lynn Nevins
Original Author

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attracting birds to an urban balcony (no trees in immediate area)

Comments (5)

kendra2003

Lynn NevinsOriginal Author

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claireplymouth z6b coastal MA

Lynn NevinsOriginal Author

kendra2003

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GET HELP

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Lynn Nevins
Original Author

Lynn Nevins
Original Author