Ten Birds That Help Control Garden Pests

[wifezilla]

Barn swallows are awesome little birds. The crazy things hang out near the traffic lights at a busy intersection near my house and swoop between cars to get moths. I have never seen one hit by a car. They are little fluffy dare devils.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

They also have beautiful blue feathers on their backs.

 

[Beekissed]

I have more birds this spring than I ever have and a whole flock of barn swallows are dive bombing over my garden space all day each day. They live across the way in the old barns. They are beautiful and very, very busy. This is the first year I've seen this here....never saw barn swallows over my garden before. Let's hope this helps, huh?

 

[digitS']

Seems like there are some votes for barn swallows here .

We have the Violet-green Swallow in fairly good numbers. Here's a bit of information:

"A pair of Violet-green Swallows was observed assisting a pair of Western Bluebirds in raising young. The swallows guarded the nest and tended the bluebird nestlings, and after the bluebirds fledged, the swallows used the nest site for their own young."



Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Steve

 

[ams3651]

barn swallows are also nasty little nest protectors if you have ever had one nest on your porch. But yes they do get the insects.

 

[Catalina]

My garden is full of birds today! They really love the new pond. New today are yellow finches, purple finches and a thrush.
The wrens are going crazy with all the new 'invaders' on their turf.

 

[HiDelight]

I love this topic and yes I plant for the birds ..literally I guess! ...since I have been married to a birdnerd for a very long time I have no choice

here you go his blog and flicker site you can see if you look various things we have done to attract birds to our garden

http://birdmandea.blogspot.com/sear...-max=2009-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=14

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25348030@N07/?saved=1

 

[momofdrew]

Robins
Cardinals
gold finches
downy woodpecker
chickadee
nuthatch
hairy woodpecker
blue jays
sparrows of many kinds
House finches
chimney swifts
starlings
grackles
mocking birds
Cat birds I have a pair nesting in my forsithia bush
and my 4 silkie chickens Hedgwick Minny Wednesday and Smoke

plus a few migrating wablers spring and fall

I used to keep a log every year but now I love just watching them from my deck