MO Missouri Porch

Birding & Wildlife Watching

Backyard wildlife watching

The easiest wildlife show is the one outside your own window. A feeder, a birdbath, and a few native plants will bring the neighborhood birds right to you — and let you learn the common ones before you ever chase a rare one. Here's how to set it up so it helps the birds, not just your view.

Set up the welcome

Food, water & a place to nest

Feeders & seed

Feeders: black-oil sunflower is the all-rounder; suet draws woodpeckers (especially in winter); nyjer (thistle) brings goldfinches; peanuts bring jays, woodpeckers, and nuthatches. Keep feeders clean — wash them every couple of weeks — to prevent disease.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds: a simple sugar-water feeder, four parts water to one part white sugar, with no red dye (and no honey or artificial sweetener). Clean it and change the nectar weekly — or every two or three days in hot weather (MDC).

Water

Water: a shallow, clean birdbath (an inch or two deep) draws even more birds than food does.

Plant native

Plant native: the Missouri Prairie Foundation's Grow Native! program helps you pick native flowers, shrubs, and trees (MDC and local groups offer native-yard guidance too). Plant milkweed for monarchs.

Nest boxes

Nest boxes: a bluebird box — or wren, chickadee, or screech-owl boxes — turns a yard into habitat. A 'bluebird trail' of several boxes is a fun project.

Make it a safe yard

A bird feeder is only a kindness if the yard is safe

Stop window strikes
Be a safe yard: prevent window strikes by putting dense patterns, film, tape, paint, screens, or cords on the OUTSIDE of problem windows (FWS recommends spacing them about 2 inches apart). A single hawk silhouette or a few scattered decals does NOT work.

Keep cats indoors

Keep cats indoors — it's the single biggest thing you can do for backyard birds.

Bear-country note

A bear-country note: bird feeders can become bear feeders. In Missouri bear country, take feeders down if a bear visits, and lean on native plants and water rather than seed in the warmer months. For what to do when a bear actually shows up, see the Wildlife hub.

Before you go

Missouri Porch explains; the season and the wildlife decide.

Last checked: 2026-06-18. Check the managing area or refuge for current hours, closures, and rules before you go — and check eBird for what's being seen right now.

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