A disappointed homeowners association resident posted a photo of their inactive birdfeeder, asking people online for advice on encouraging flying friends to visit their backyard.
The Florida resident posted a sad picture on Reddit of their bird feeder. They lamented that no birds use it, and they miss having little critters outside their window. The poster theorized that the lack of shelter around the feeder may be the issue. They're not the only Florida HOA resident to have this issue, either.
Birds like places to perch and appreciate more sheltered feeding destinations. According to Happy Gardens, birds need natural shelter. Bushes, native plants, and trees help birds feel safe enough to dine.
Without these natural shelter elements, birds are vulnerable to predators, such as hawks. The last thing you want when trying to feed birds is to put them in danger. The annoyed resident even noted this in their caption.
They said, "I also want to make sure I am not making it unsafe for the birds."
Unfortunately, the resident can't add shelter around the feeder due to HOA restrictions. In the caption, the resident explained, "I am not allowed to plant anything or do anything to the bushes or grass."
This is one of many ways HOAs restrict residents from creating eco-friendly environments. Limiting native plants, trees, and bushes is just the tip of the iceberg.
Many HOAs also forbid things like solar panels, clotheslines, and sometimes even bird feeders. These restrictions block residents from making economical and green updates. Ultimately, these rules hurt residents and local ecosystems.
Some people are pushing back. Determined residents have improved their HOA neighborhoods, working to change bylaws and find compromises.
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Commenters tried to stay positive, with one saying, "Just give it some extra time they'll show up."
"It's been 3 months," the OP replied.
One Redditor concurred with the OP about the natural shelter issue. They commented that birds won't visit "Because you have no trees and even the bushes don't look like there's places to perch."
OP said they can't wait to move somewhere where they can have native plants.
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