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If you live in bear country, it may be time to take down your bird feeders...

That doesn't mean that you have to give up on attracting birds into your yard. You simply have to change your tactics.

Here in New Hampshire it is finally starting to warm up. Unfortunately, that means that my bird feeders need to come down. The reason...bears!

As bears wake up they begin looking for food. Bird feeders are a tempting treat-too tempting for a hungry bear to pass up. Attracting bears onto your property creates many problems for you, your neighbors and the bears.

Bears have a strong sense of smell and will easily locate your bird feeders. Once they find them, they will destroy them to get to the food inside. Once they have found food around your house, they will continue to come back for more. They will also be attracted to your trash and anything else they can find. After they have eaten everything they could find in your yard, they will move onto your neighbor's yard. Once this cycle of feeding begins, it is difficult to break.

Bears that become accustomed to approaching houses and people often become chronic nuisances. It is highly likely that they will end up being hit by cars, shot illegally by people who misunderstand their intentions and suffer diet deficiencies from continued consumption of improper foods.

I hate taking my bird feeders down because I love watching the wild birds that they attract. At this time of year many birds are migrating through New Hampshire and I enjoy seeing these new birds. So I have had to come up with new ways to attract wild birds into my yard.

Plant a bird-friendly garden.

You don't need a large yard to create a bird garden. Planting a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers can provide good nesting sites, winter shelter, hiding places from predators, and natural food supplies that are available all year round. When planning your bird-friendly garden, don't forget to add a few flowers for the hummingbirds.

Just add water.

Actually, you can attract more birds with water than with birdseed. Many birds will not be interested in the birdseed that you offer, but almost all birds are looking for fresh water to drink and bathe in. In fact, most birds will find a well-maintained birdbath irresistible. If you want to attract even more birds, add movement to your water source with a dripper or sprayer.

Put out nest boxes.

There are more than 50 species of North American breeding birds that select or construct a cavity for their nest. A few bird houses placed around your yard will not only go a long way to support the population of cavity-nesting birds, but it can be gratifying for us birdwatchers too.

Enjoy the great outdoors...go bird watching.

Get out there and find the birds around you. Watching birds in their natural habitat will give you a new a new perspective on how birds live and interact with nature. Plan a trip to your nearest hiking trail or park. All you need is a pair of binoculars and a sense of adventure.

Don't blame the bears for forcing you to take down your bird feeders. Instead, enjoy attracting wild birds and bird watching in new ways.

Rob Huff and his family have enjoyed attracting wild birds into their yard for many years. This love of watching wild birds has grown into a hobby that the whole family enjoys together.

For more information on birding and attracting birds visit