Backyard birding : using natural gardening to attract birds by Julie Zickefoose ; and the editors of Bird watcher's digest — Watching birds in your yard can be a great way to relax and learn more about native creatures. Having birds in your garden can also benefit you in other ways: many feed on insects, which can help your garden flourish and make your yard a more pleasant place for people, too. Many of the plants that attract birds also attract butterflies - a double bonus!