Birds and Blooms Extra

Even more of what you love from North America's #1 bird and garden magazine, celebrating the beauty in your own backyard.  Published on the months in between the Birds and Blooms magazine, Extra features vivid photographs, useful tips and expert advice to inform, inspire, and connect enthusiasts who share a passion for backyard birds and gardening.

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SAFETY FIRST

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Cute!

WELCOME NEW ARRIVALS

Breath of Fresh Air • Grow this brand-new lungwort for its hummingbird benefits.

The Desert Dweller • Pyrrhuloxias make southern scrublands their year-round home on the range.

THE FEED

Easy-to-Grow Natives • Attract birds, butterflies and more with American beauties.

Direct Sow to Save Time • Skip indoor seed starting and put the goods right into the ground.

Serve Thistle • Add these feeders to your yard and watch flocks of finches roll in.

Spring in Swing • The birds and flowers of the season shine in readers’ backyards.

Help Build a Home • Birds are natural architects—they don’t need our assistance—but here are some safe nesting materials you can offer.

BIRD Anywhere, Anytime • Start urban wildlife-watching with advice from internationally acclaimed author and naturalist David Lindo.

Join a Community

EVERGREEN GARDENS • CLASSIC CONIFERS add timeless appeal to landscapes. Choose the perfect type for your yard and learn how to keep it healthy.

Species for Tough Spots • The University of Minnesota Extension suggests these evergreens for difficult conditions.

Growing SUNSHINE • A Kansas gardener shares how a successful new sunflower plot lifted her spirits during a pandemic.

Jennifer's TOP TIPS

your yard matters • WITH MINIMAL EFFORT, THESE SPECIAL POLLINATOR GARDENS HELP BRING A BALANCE TO NATURE.

Beyond Plants • Assist pollinators in other ways.

Ask the Experts • Get advice on helping plants and attracting birds to fountains.

MEET THE EXPERTS

Caption This! • What could this unexpected, amphibious resident be thinking?

What are your best bluebird feeding tips? • Readers discuss how they entice these favorite sapphire visitors to their yards.

The Very Tip of Texas • Visit birding hot spots in the lower Rio Grande valley.

ISLAND WATCHING • A nearby sanctuary offers incredible sights.

Flutter in the Open • Find cabbage white butterflies along roadsides, in gardens and more.

Cabbage white

Magnificent Moths • How many of these dramatic-looking fliers can you identify?

Birds & Blooms

Daisy Crazy • There’s a lot to learn and love about this huge family of flowers.