Backyard Bird Habitat Score

It rates how well your yard provides the four things birds need: food, water, cover and safe places to nest. Native plants, layered vegetation, clean water and fewer hazards such as pesticides and outdoor cats all raise the score. The result is a guide to improvements, not a scientific survey of your yard.

Add clean water and native plants. A shallow birdbath that you refresh every few days draws species that never visit feeders. Native shrubs and trees host the insects that most songbirds feed their young, so they help far more than ornamental plants from other regions.

Clean feeders help, especially in winter, and bring birds close enough to enjoy. Dirty feeders can spread disease, so wash them every two weeks or so and keep seed dry. Place feeders within about three feet of a window or more than thirty feet away to reduce collisions.

It starts from a typical count for your region and scales it with your habitat features, such as plant diversity, water, cover and nesting sites. Treat it as a rough range. Actual visitors depend on your surroundings, the season and migration timing.

If you choose to upload a yard photo, an AI model looks at it to pre-fill the questions it can see, such as trees, shrubs and lawn. You still review every answer, and feeders, pesticides and nest boxes always need your input.