How to Attract Birds That Eat Mosquitoes

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Having birds in your backyard will bring unique satisfaction to birders and get other benefits that you do not expect. One of which is controlling mosquitoes in your home by letting mosquito-eating birds visit your places, such as sparrows, swallows, and waterfowls.

But how to attract birds that eat mosquitoes? There are different ways and methods that you can do in your home and in the backyard to make it attractive to mosquito-eating birds. Please see the list below.

What Bird Species Eat Mosquitoes?

What kind of birds eat mosquitoes? Actually, many bird species eat mosquitoes which will help you control the mosquito population in your backyard.

Most common:

Migratory songbirds that love to eat mosquitoes as their food

How to Attract Mosquito-Eating Birds?

If you want to attract birds that eat mosquitoes, there are some methods that you can do to make them come into the backyard. Please check some of them below:

Installing a Fountain, Birdbath, or Other Water Source

The best way to attract mosquito-eating birds is to provide freshwater sources in your backyard. Migratory birds like robins, bluebirds, and barn swallows are always attracted to water sources that will provide them with easy access to fresh water and lure all mosquito-eating birds you want to visit in your backyard.

For swallows, they like to spend time in a large birdbath and want to fly on sprinklers or misters for a quick cool dip. So, you will need to have this type of birdbath with additional features to lure these birds into your backyard.

Purple mountains are usually like significant natural water sources. So, if you have a pond or a stream, there is an excellent chance that you can attract this type of bird. If you have the opportunity to put a large water feature, an elongated design would be perfect for their fly-by drinking ways.

For migratory songbirds such as the robins, a birdbath that suits their size is enough for them. They can also take a bath on ponds and even on lawn sprinklers. But a shallow birdbath no deeper than three inches is perfect for the.

Give Them a Variety of Bird Seeds and Other Foods

After providing enough freshwater sources, another way to lure mosquito-eating bird seeds is to give them different types of bird seeds. The key is to use different types of bird seeds to attract other varieties of mosquito-eating birds.

Mosquito-eating birds like the sparrows and warblers like to eat bird seed mixes. So, you can provide them with sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, suits, and blends to give the birds more options. The more variety of seeds you will provide, the more chances you will attract different types of birds.

For the Baltimore Orioles, you can also slice the oranges into halves because they like it. You can also add suits into the birdfeeder for these birds to visit in your backyard. Providing nectar and other fruits can also attract the birds.

Position Bird Feeders in Different Locations

If you want to control mosquitoes in your home, it will be best to let these mosquito-eating birds visit different parts of your backyard. This situation can be done by using multiple bird feeders installed strategically in other areas in your backyard.

You will need to be creative in positioning the birdfeeders by making sure they are spread evenly in your backyard. Since mosquitoes can be anywhere, you do not want the birds to concentrate in a single area and leave other locations in your home.

You can hang a bird feeder in a location where they can feel safe from predators. It is also best to position it in a closed and silent place because they prefer this type of environment. And most of all, bird feeders should be on eye level or just a little above for the birds to reach easily.

Also, make sure to use a suitable feeder. A bird feeder with a seed and suet feeder, thistle feeder, platform feeder, and suet cage feeder will be perfect for mosquito-eating birds such as orioles and hummingbirds and hummingbirds, to name a few.

Provide Ground Feeding Opportunities

To attract different types of mosquito-eating birds, you will need to find other places for the birds to feed. Unfortunately, not all these birds feed on bird feeders. Wrens, sparrows, cardinals, and robins are mosquito-eating birds that like to feed on the ground.

Birds like them want to eat bird seeds on the ground which means you will need to accommodate them as well by providing ground-feeding opportunities. But to make it more successful, you will need to make it safe for the birds.

Putting a premium on ground cover and having low shrubs for the birds to hide can make them safer to eat on the ground. This protection can also provide shade for the birds to rest, resulting in more mosquito-eating birds visiting your place.

Provide Them with Birdhouses

Birdhouses are also an excellent way to attract mosquito-eating birds to your home since they provide shelter for every bird’s need. House sparrows, warblers, bluebirds, and wrens love to use birdhouses as their shelter.

A perfect birdhouse for sparrows should have a 4 inch by 4-inch floor space. The height should be around 9 to 12 inches, while the entry hole should be slightly larger than an inch in diameter. These measurements should be enough for these birds to like and live in the birdhouse.

For a bluebird, it should have a 4 inch by 4-inch floor space with a 9-inch ceiling height. Then, an entry hole must be one and a half inches for these birds to be comfortable. You will also need to face the birdhouse to the east or southeast during the installation because these birds prefer it that way.

Investing in several of these birdhouses can help attract various species of these mosquito-eating birds. But, you must make sure that putting them in different strategic places can help to provide more coverage in your backyard.

Always Maintain Your Backyard

Once everything is put in place, the next step is to maintain your backyard constantly. First, you need to provide the freshwater sources they need, even in different weather conditions.

You will also need to keep the birdhouses clean for them to feel comfortable and keep coming back. To those birdhouses with defects, make sure to repair or replace them entirely if it is needed.

For the bird feeders, make sure to keep them clean always. Then, it is also your responsibility to keep it well-stocked for the birds to keep on coming back. You will need to maintain the cleanliness of the birdfeeders and make sure that it is free from molds, mildew, and all types of dirt.

How to Attract Birds that Eat Wasps

Wasps are one of those insects that birds love to eat. The birds that love to eat wasps include magpie, common starling, blue jay, common blackbird, northern mockingbird, chickadee, and many more.

To attract these types of birds, you will need to have a flower garden planted with different types of flowers such as yarrow, zinnias, fennel, allium, and thyme. These flowers will produce nectar that attracts wasps.

How to Attract Birds that Eat Flies

Some birds also like to have flies in their diet. Among the birds that love to eat flies include chickadees, cardinals, sparrows, flycatchers, and many more. These birds like to eat insects as part of their daily meal.

To attract birds that eat flies, it basically uses the same methods in attracting birds that eat mosquitoes. You can provide these birds with enough water supply and food. In particular, you can fill the feeder with suet cake or mealworms to attract fly-eating birds in your backyard.

For chickadees, mounting a birdhouse on a tree must be four feet to fifteen feet above the ground. You can also put some nesting materials like pet fur or strings to encourage them to nest and eventually stay in your backyard.

Conclusion

One way to control mosquitoes naturally in your home is to have more mosquito-eating birds in your backyard. But you must know how to attract birds that eat mosquitoes to do it properly. This article presented different ways to attract these birds in your backyard to start helping you control these mosquitoes and other insects such as wasps and flies infesting your home.

 

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