There are many kinds of bird foods, but the best foods for wild birds are the kinds that grow on the natural cover or the vegetation in a backyard bird habitat, such as fruits, seeds, nuts and even insects. Therefore, when planning the kinds of cover to plant in your backyard, keep in mind that if the cover also produces food, it will be satisfying two of the three requirements of a successful backyard bird habitat.
Nevertheless, virtually everyone who invites birds to their backyard, does so with bird feeders, the crown jewels of the bird habitat. Bird feeders draw birds out of the natural cover to the foods that are located close to windows or patios where the birds can be seen and enjoyed.
Feeders: There are many kinds of bird feeders, and many kinds of foods that go into those feeders. In order to maximize the numbers and kinds of birds that are attracted to your backyard, it is a best to place feeders in all the feeding niches: ground level, eye level, tree hanging, and tree trunk. The feeders in each niche will attract different kinds of birds, though there is some overlap.