Author and radio host Laura Erickson explains how to attract birds to your yard, behaviors to watch for, and more.
Several years ago, our neighbors decided to establish natural habitat in their front and back yards. They constructed a small pond with a recirculating pump … Read More “How habitat created by neighbors brought warblers, waxwings, and other birds to Laura Erickson’s yard”
In the 1964 movie Mary Poppins, “the little old bird woman” played by actress Jane Darwell sits on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in … Read More “Laura Erickson tells why you shouldn’t feed pigeons”
One of my favorite birding spots has long been my mother-in-law’s place in the woods in northern Wisconsin. She started feeding birds there in 1975, … Read More “Laura Erickson describes a joyful return to a long-neglected feeder”
Redpolls invaded northern Minnesota in the fall of 2012. The tiny finches appeared in my Duluth yard in November and fed in droves in my … Read More “Why finches might not eat the Nyjer seed you provide”
American sparrows are among my favorite birds. Their understated beauty appeals to my very soul, but their subtle markings and limited color palette intimidate birders. … Read More “Attract ground-feeding sparrows without subsidizing House Sparrows”
I’ve spent much of 2013 crisscrossing the United States, trying to see as many birds of conservation concern as possible in what I’m calling my … Read More “You can attract birds even when you’re traveling”
In August 2011, my husband was diagnosed with cancer that required surgery. The night he came home, he was in pain. We had trouble sleeping … Read More “Comfort and solace: The healing power of birds in the backyard”
When my husband and I were lugging boxes into our new house in 1981, a Bald Eagle flew overhead low enough for us to see … Read More “Five simple ways to grow your yard list”
