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There are lots of different ways to attract birds to your garden. Providing them with the food they enjoy and a safe place for them to eat is the easiest way. Bird feeders are the best way of providing food for them. Food is hard to find in the winter so they can be really helpful to the birds at this time.

Many different species can be attracted by providing their favorite foods. An example of a speciality bird feeder is a thistle bird feeder that holds the seeds that finches love. Prevent the seeds from getting moldy by keeping them dry in a tube feeder. Enjoy the sight of the birds feeding from your home by using a window feeder.

Specially designed bird feeders are available for hummingbirds, goldfinches and woodpeckers. Put them close to your bird house in a safe place. Whichever type of feeder you use be sure to check it regularly to ensure the food is dry and free from mold. Inspect the area around the bird feeder daily for spilled food which will attract unwanted visitors such as ants and wasps.

It is most beneficial to feed the birds in the winter but food can be in short supply at other times of the year too. Put out food throughout the year to help the birds if shortages occur. Provide food suitable for fledglings in case there are shortages during the breeding season.

Put out pans of water or install a bird bath to provide a safe place for them to drink, preen and clean their feathers. You should provide water in containers at different levels for different species. Place containers shallowly filled with water in a quiet place away from bird feeders as birds do not like noise when they are bathing. The sounds of running water will attract wild birds. You can attract birds by placing a water dripper on your bird bath.

A natural environment in a part of the garden will increase the birds sense of security. Wild flowers and trees can be allowed to grow wild in an area of the garden to make them an attractive and safe place.

Some birds have a way of bringing out the worst in humanity. Perhaps it is an unconscious fear implanted by movies and literature. Take for example the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds" and you get a sense of how ominous and even perhaps deadly some wild birds are to mankind. Look at what a flock of crows is called. It is called a murder. Certain birds have been associated with death and even as messengers of death. Perhaps it is just a bum rap but regardless, mankind has this fascination with anything avian.

The raven and the crow have definitely been portrayed in a bad light as the birds that you do not want to have around. Edgar Allen Poe turned the raven into a sinister messenger of doom with its cries of "nevermore." Readers have been fascinated with his portrayal of the raven. Even fairytales have plugged away at the image of the crow/raven. Take for example Disney's classic tale of "Sleeping Beauty." The villainess has a crow/raven that is used as her evil spy.

The wild bird definitely deserves some respect. It is just like other wild animal. You have to keep in mind that it is territorial, will defend itself and has to find a food source. And while crows/ravens have received some bad press thanks to authors and filmmakers, vultures and other carrion eating birds have repulsed mankind for eons. This bird species is a scavenger. Anytime you see vultures or buzzards circling in the air, you know that there is either something dying or something that has already died. Most people do not set up bird feeders to attract these types of birds. They want colorful birds, songbirds and delicate hummingbirds to grace their gardens and yards.

Perhaps it is time that people got over their fear of the birds that have gotten such a tough break in literature and movies. You do not have to worry about going outside and a murder of crows attacking you for no reason. The raven is not a symbol of death or a portent of bad things ahead. They are just two legged, winged wild animals that serve a specific function in the animal kingdom.