Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways to Create a Haven for Your Favorite Birds (Rodale Organic Gardening Books) [Paperback]

Sally Roth (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rodale Organic Gardening Books | Publication Date: February 8, 2003

Anyone can create a beautiful and colorful backyard that will attract many different species of birds. This comprehensive, A-to-Z guide will help serious and casual gardeners alike choose the specific plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees for attracting some of the best-loved backyard birds, including bluebirds, warblers, goldfinches, and cardinals. Readers will discover top plants for birds, profiles of more than fifty common backyard birds, special bird feeding and planting tips to attract specific birds, and other features making this book invaluable to gardeners and bird lovers alike!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Our newest favorite book about attracting birds to the yard and garden. Sally Roth's clear, down-to-earth writing expresses her hands-on involvement and her passion."--Sharon Dunn and Michael Dunn, owners of Duncraft

"A must for anyone interested in birds. I love it."--Jim Brett, curator emeritus of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

"An entertaining approach to attracting and learning about birds. The alphabetical approach--from acorns to zinnias--and short entries make it a perfect book to pick up and browse at any time."--Don and Lillian Stokes, hosts of PBS's Birdwatch with Don and Lillian Stokes and authors of Stokes Field Guides to Birds

"Attracting Birds to Your Backyard provides all the essential techniques and information for success in feeding, housing, and gardening for birds. Sally Roth has done a great service to backyard bird watchers."--Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest and author of Birdwatching for Dummies

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Attracting Birds to Your Backyard

Discover the pleasures of watching beautiful songbirds like goldfinches and cardinals with Attracting Birds to Your Backyard. You'll be delighted at how easy and fun it is to attract birds to your yard!

Here is what reviewers say about Attracting Birds to Your Backyard:

"Our newest favorite book about attracting birds to the yard and garden. Sally Roth's clear, down-to-earth writing expresses her hands-on involvement and her passion."--Sharon Dunn and Michael Dunn, owners of Duncraft

"A must for anyone interested in birds. I love it."--Jim Brett, curator emeritus of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

"An entertaining approach to attracting and learning about birds. The alphabetical approach -- from acorns to zinnias -- and short entries make it a perfect book to pick up and browse at any time." --Don and Lillian Stokes, hosts of PBS's Birdwatch with Don and Lillian Stokes and authors of Stokes Field Guides to Birds

"Attracting Birds to Your Backyard provides all the essential techniques and information for success in feeding, housing, and gardening for birds. Sally Roth has done a great service to backyard bird watchers."--Bill Thompson III, editor of Bird Watcher's Digest and author of Bird Watching for Dummies

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (February 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875968929
• ISBN-13: 978-0875968926
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Animal Care & Pets > Birds

More About the Author

Sally Roth is a lifelong naturalist and gardener and is the author of Natural Landscaping and Taylor's Guide to Ornamental Grasses. She lives in New Harmony, Indiana.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 116 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for everyone ..., April 16, 2000

By 

Kat A. "Reading in the beautiful Santa Cruz m... (Ben Lomond, CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways To Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a Haven For Your Favorite Birds (Hardcover)

Whether you're a birder or a gardener, or like me, a little of both, you'll love this book! I'm a novice birder and I bought this book hoping to find ideas about feeding and gardening for birds. I found what I was looking for and then some. This book has refreshing ideas, is user-friendly, humorous and practical. You'll learn interesting facts about some of our most common birds, identifying them, attracting them and how to landscape to keep them coming back. This is truly one of the most delightful books I've read this year. In fact, I've purchased additional copies as gifts for family members. It's definitely a book to keep in your library to refer to over-and-over again. It's A-to-Z reference and color illustrations are extremely helpful. Ms. Roth has done a superb job.

57 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Gardeners as Well as Birders, September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways To Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a Haven For Your Favorite Birds (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully illustrated book that contains great information for gardeners as well as birders. The information about the various flowers, trees, and shrubs that attract birds is very useful. Instructions for building bird baths, water pools, shelters, and other bird attractions are included. The descriptions of the birds and their behavior make the book a marvelous reference. Well done!! A wealth of information and a delight to read.

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for getting started, then for keeping you going!!, May 14, 2005

By 

C. Wallis Davenport "joyous2" (New York State) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Attracting Birds to Your Backyard: 536 Ways To Turn Your Yard and Garden Into a Haven For Your Favorite Birds (Hardcover)

My parents got me this book a few years back when I expressed an interested in attracting birds and butterflies to my yard. Who knew that I was beginning on a whole new way of living?

This book combines it all - a whole new way of thinking in its pages, laid out in A-Z format. There are things to do in every season, in every kind of weather, for every kind of person. If you like to bake, there are recipe for bird muffins! If you're a handiman - there are patterns for birdhouses! If you like to play in the mud - there's a special way to mix mud for your birds! If you have children - there are even ideas for things to do with your kids to get them excited about birds in the yard!

I just adore this book, and I refer to it all the time. In the fall and winter, I pick it up for ideas to keep the birds warm and happy during the lean months, as well as planning my spring garden for the springtime birds. I'd say this is also a good book for flower gardeners, as well. I'm not one of those vegetable gardeners, but I do enjoy my flower gardens - especially now that, with the help of Roth's book, I can make good decisions on which flowers will attract the most birds.

There is also good information about bird species in here (all in alphabetical order, of course!). She even tells you a bit about which birds are friendly and can be tamed to eat in the palm of your hand.

I can't say enough good things about this wonderful book. It has truly changed the landscape of my yard, from one of just grass and trees, to one blooming with flowers and flying with birds all throughout the seasons. Oh, yes, and there are butterflies, too.