Want a family fun way of attracting birds for no money and just a little effort?

Give your backyard birds a helping hand this winter by building a temporary brush pile. Backyard birds need three essentials to survive the cold months: food, water, and shelter from harsh weather and predators. By placing a simple brush pile near your bird feeder, you create an instant wildlife sanctuary and an excellent viewing spot to watch birds fly back and forth all day.
It doesn’t need to be big or beautiful to be highly effective. Simply gather a collection of branches and limbs to form a pile roughly 6 to 10 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet high. Start by arranging your largest branches parallel to the ground, leaving enough space between them to create hidden tunnels for larger birds.
These structures don't just protect birds from hawks and cats—they also provide critical shelter for other local wildlife like salamanders, turtles, and small mammals. Build it, and they will come! You will likely notice new visitors almost as soon as you finish. For a complete step-by-step guide, check out Build Brush Piles for Birds on Birdseed and Binoculars.