While most parrots live in tropical environments, some live in other areas, and some species of parrots migrate during the year. If you notice a parrot is in your neighborhood, you should do what you can to attract it.
To attract parrots to a balcony, prepare water, food, and a place for the parrots to nest. Keep other animals away from the balcony to give the parrots a safe environment to rest and feel comfortable in.
Attracting parrots to your balcony may seem difficult, but you don’t need to be an expert birdwatcher. Keep reading to learn the best tips and tricks to attract parrots to your balcony.
1. Set Out Water
One of the best ways to attract parrots to your balcony is to set out water. Ideally, you would have enough room for a birdbath on your balcony. And since parrots are bigger than a lot of birds, the birdbath should also be large.
However, it doesn’t need to be very deep. All the birds need is a couple of inches so that they can clean themselves.
You can use a fountain-style birdbath to keep the water moving. The motion and sound can further help to attract parrots, and it can help keep the birdbath clean.
If you don’t maintain the birdbath, the parrots will notice. They won’t want to spend their time in it if the water is dirty or has other problems. Check on the birdbath each day or so and refill it with clean water when you notice it gets dirty.
2. Provide Food
Food will almost always attract parrots to your balcony. If you need an easy way to feed the birds, you can use mixed bird seed or seed cakes. Place the seed on a large platform, and the parrots will be able to land and eat.
You can also feed the parrots fruit and vegetables, but keep your treats to tropical foods. Parrots will do better when they eat foods in their natural environment, so choose the food wisely.
Also, never feed parrots sweets or junk food. It might taste good to you, but it can be harmful to parrots whose stomachs aren’t used to it.
If you own your home, consider planting a fruit tree near your balcony. It will give the parrots more food to choose from, and they’ll have more room to perch when they come to visit.
3. Clean Up Food Waste
Whether you primarily rely on birdseed or fruits and vegetables, make sure you clean up around the food. Get rid of old fruits and vegetables before they start to break down.
After a parrot comes to eat from your balcony, you can also clean up the area of birdseed. If they leave bits over the balcony, you can sweep up the excess. Then, when the parrots come back, they’ll have a clean space to eat.
To make this process even easier, focus on providing food that won’t lead to waste. Fruits and veggies can be good for this, but the right birdseed can also be a good option.
Cleaning up the feeding area will make parrots want to return. And if the area is large enough, you may be able to attract a couple more birds.
4. Create a Nesting Box
Parrots love to nest, but they need a lot of space to do so. If you have a tree by your balcony, you can use that to attract the birds. They can nest in the leaves and branches, but don’t worry if you don’t have a tree.
You can create a nesting box that can also serve as a resting spot for the parrots by following these simple steps:
- Get a large box so that the parrots can fit in it.
- Fill the box with grass and other nesting materials.
- Place the box on your balcony where the parrots can see it and get to it.
A nesting box can be a great way to encourage your parrots to do more than just eat. It can give you more of a chance to watch the parrots, so you won’t have to sit around for them to come visit.
If you find a lot of parrots come to your balcony, you can create a couple of nesting boxes. But start with one and then add more as necessary.
5. Plant Tropical Plants
If you rent your apartment or house, you probably can’t do this, but homeowners can plant tropical plants. You can plant a fruit tree to add more food sources for parrots, but you can also plant other trees to give the birds more of a sense of home.
Even though not all parrots are tropical, the ones that are will appreciate some semblance of their environment. You can provide more space for the parrots, and you can give yourself some room to be on the balcony when they come visit.
If you can’t plant a tree in the ground, you can also look for a small tree in a pot. Potted plants can take up a lot of room on your balcony, though, so make sure you have space.
6. Make Your Balcony Colorful
Another great way to attract parrots to your balcony is to use the right colors. Birds love bright colors because they can catch their eye. When designing your balcony, choose furniture and plants with bright pinks or blues.
Orange and yellow also make good colors to attract parrots. If you find that the parrots around you are somewhat timid, you can try using neutral tones. The colors can make the birds feel safe when near your balcony.
However, you should avoid using white because it tells many birds that there’s danger or harm ahead. Some white may be okay, but try to use more colorful plants and accessories on your balcony.
You can choose a variety of colors, and when using plants, make sure you have plants that flower early and others that flower late. Then, you can extend the period of the year with a colorful balcony.
7. Keep the Balcony Clean
You should do your best to keep the entire balcony clean. While keeping the space around the feeding and nesting areas is essential, you should maintain the entire deck.
Cleaning everything regularly will make the parrots feel more comfortable, and it will keep other animals away. If other animals get near the parrots, the parrots might be at risk of becoming prey.
You can’t always prevent certain animals from coming to your balcony. The rare squirrel or another type of bird may like your food. However, you should do what you can to optimize the space for parrots so that your balcony will attract them.
8. Keep Pets Away From the Balcony
If you have dogs or cats, you should keep them inside and off your balcony. Like other wild animals, your pets can scare the parrots away, and they can cause a mess.
Parrots tend to feed on the ground, which isn’t that safe when predators are around. And while your pets may be curious, you want to keep them off the balcony. Then, you can keep everyone safe while the parrots eat and relax.
9. Add Extra Food and Nesting Boxes
Once you find the right feed and maintenance routine, you may want to attract more parrots. To do that, you will need to use more space on your balcony.
You’ll need to add more food and perhaps a second nesting box. If you have room, you can add another tropical plant. However, at some point, you may not be able to handle more parrots.
And as you watch parrots come visit, you should pay attention to them. See if they have a band on since that means they’re from a pet store or zoo. If they have a band, you should contact authorities because that parrot won’t know how to survive for long in the wild.
Final Thoughts
Attracting parrots can seem daunting or even impossible, especially if you don’t live in a tropical climate. However, you can use the right food and environmental design to get the birds to come to you. Then, you can admire their beauty whenever they fly up to your home.