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

13 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!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

kendra2003
13 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
13 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....
Related Discussions
attracting birds to an urban balcony (no trees nearby)?
Q
Comments (16)
You can go to a park or out in the woods or woodlot with some sunflowers. Hang a can on a twig or put sunflower seeds on a picnic table that doesn't get used often. Next day, go to where the seeds are and just stand quietly with your hand out (with seeds in it) where the 'feeder' was the day before. It usually only takes a few minutes for chickadees to land on your hand. The pictures you see were taken after only a few minutes of waiting for the birds to get used to me. I removed my feeder, then stood, leaning against the tree where the feeder was. I put some seeds on my hat and just stood still. After a few minutes of birds taking seeds off my hat, I shook those seeds off and held them in my hand. It only took a few minutes and I had several eating from my hand. A neat picture is: pinch a sunflower seed between your lips and hold your hand flat, like a platform, under your chin. The chickadees will land on your hand and take a sunflower seed from your lips. Looks like the birds are kissing you - so a neat picture. I also enjoy pinching a seed tightly so the bird has to peal away the hull and eat it while on your hand. It's interesting to see how they do it and how proficient they are at it. Al
...See More
Trees for Urban Home
Q
Comments (11)
You CAN plant larger trees near a house, IF you take care of branches before they start to rub on the siding or roof (limb up the tree as it grows), and if you are willing to accept the possibility of a branch (or the tree) faling on the house. That said, trees 3' away, and right in front of the windows would not be my first choice, even if they are fastigate. Oak trees especially grow very large, drop acorns, and give very heavy shade, although since the previous home-owners DID choose the fastigate form, they did try. I am not familiar with this variety, so can't speak to its mature height and shape. If you trim away lower branches over the next few years, you may be able to shape these to pleasing ornaments for your strip of lawn. If it were me, I would check out what the trees will grow up into, and then decide. If you do decide to remove the trees and plant someting more appropriate further away (even if it can't be too much "further"), give some thought to what you want the tree to "do"; provide shade or privacy, have flower, give fall color, etc., etc,.. I think I wouldn't plant what ever you chose right in front of the windows, but rather place whatever it is and whether one or more trees, more to the south of the windows, to give more immediate afternoon shade - eventually, the trees will grow to give complete shade cover, but until then.... Me, I would pick something that gives a lighter more dappled shade. Among the trees I can think of are birches (unles the Bronze Birch Borer is active in your area), ash (same for Emerald Ash Borer), or a thornless honey locust, serviceberry for flowers, berries and fall color, redbud for flowers and fall color, a taller Japanese maple such as Bloodgood for color or a paper bark maple for general interest. If you really didn't want a tree that over-hung the house or the sidewalk/road, then there are fastigate/columnar varieties of many other trees that won't spread out too much, but will give some shade. There are a bunch of trees that can be used in such a situation, but without more input from you...
...See More
anyone here have a balcony from which they feed birds?
Q
Comments (5)
Guess what?!! I hadn't even changed the position of my round whole peanut feeder yet and....this morning I was awoken by a bird call and I thought '....wait a minute...that bird sounds very close by!'....so I get up and peer out to my balcony....and there he was in all his glory! ...a blue jay!....I didn't actually see him with a peanut...he flew away after 30 seconds or so....but I think at this point it's just a matter of time now before they start coming on a more regular basis. It so happens that about a week ago, for my first time ever, I saw three other birds (finches) perched on my balcony for just a second or so, and then they flew off. I suspect the additional plants I've ordered (barberry, forsythia and a japanese maple), plus some hanging hooks and a few tube and suet feeders I ordered, plus the heated bird bath that's also on the way, will bring about my desired goal. ;-)
...See More
Ditching loblolly pines and looking for something more attractive
Q
Comments (1)
Joe I can relate have done that many times .Plant something remove it plant something else and still disappointed lol Would think in your area you'd be able to grow regular fruit trees, such as apple,cherry, plum etc?? Many cultivars to choose from in many different sizes. Not only useful but glorious in spring Nothing attracts critters like fruit trees!! Many of which you probably won't want?? lol gary
...See More
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
13 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
13 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
13 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)

Comments (5)

kendra2003

Lynn Nevins
Original Author

Related Discussions

claireplymouth z6b coastal MA

Lynn Nevins
Original Author

kendra2003

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

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

Comments (5)

kendra2003

Lynn NevinsOriginal Author

Related Discussions

claireplymouth z6b coastal MA

Lynn NevinsOriginal Author

kendra2003

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Lynn Nevins
Original Author

Lynn Nevins
Original Author