Birdbaths and bird feeders are magic. Place just one of each outside on your lawn and garden, and soon your space will be filled with fluttering, flying, colorful birds you and your family will spend time watching and even recording on camera. These tiny visitors -- or big birds of prey, if those happen to glide in -- appreciate the time and care you take to feed them nutritional, waste-free foods, give them a drink or a bath, and help the ecosystem, not to mention the fact that they will make birdwatchers out of everyone in your family.

The keys to forming a great birdwatching habitat are making sure that your feeders and birdbath are cleaned often and that your feeders are filled with food combinations for the types of birds in your area and placed where they'll attract a variety of backyard birds.

Marc Parnell, author of the bestselling book series "The Birding Pro's Field Guides," says: "There are several ways to attract the most birds to your backyard. First of all, consider investing in at least two feeders, preferably a large tube and a platform: these both tend to attract the widest variety of birds." Most beginning birdwatchers often choose just one feeder, such as the tube or the platform. But mix up the two feeder types, and you'll attract more visitors. "Glass-and-metal feeders and stone baths tend to be the most durable over time."

Marc's tip for feeders: "Bird feeders should be at least eight to 12 inches apart from one another, providing ample room for birds to access all openings and perches."

Speaking of bird comfort and, indeed, safety, Parnell says: "It must be noted that hundreds of millions of birds die each year due to window strikes. As such, best practice for situating feeders is as follows: either 25 feet or more from all nearby windows, or immediately next to any windows. The primary concern with feeders situated in the danger zone -- about three to 25 feet away from windows -- is that birds can generate enough momentum to make a window strike fatal, while not having sufficient time to avoid the obstacle if quickly fleeing the feeder station (e.g., from a predator, or to seek shelter)."

"Try to situate your bird feeders (and baths) as closely as possible to trees and shrubs, given that many bird species seek out cover in between foraging sessions," Parnell says.

Next, choose birdseed to attract a wide variety of birds. "The most useful varieties of birdseed include black-oil sunflower seed (likely the most universally appreciated by birds) or a standard variety mix (however, try to avoid mixes with excess milo and wheat fillers, which are typically passed over by most birds). Suet is one of the best sure-fire ways to attract woodpeckers and nuthatches," says Parnell.

Visit a specialty birdwatching website or local bird supply store to learn all you can about the types of birds who will be present in your area at any time of year. Experts in these establishments follow bird migration and often run local birdwatching social media pages.

If you don't have a local birdwatching group, choose a quality birdwatching app like Smart Bird ID for endless FYIs about bird species and behavior. For instance, some types of birds prefer to feed on birdseed that has fallen to the ground, while other types of birds are happy to fight others for some space on a feeder.

Online lectures about birdwatching are very popular these days, and you'll find webcams set up to watch aviaries at botanical gardens or people's very lucky vantage points for bird viewing.

To keep birds around, care of your feeders and birdbaths is important. "In general, bird feeders should be taken down and cleaned at least on a once-monthly basis, while bird baths must be cleaned two to three times per week. A one-part bleach to 10-parts warm water solution works well to disinfect both. If feeders or baths are left uncleaned, they can serve as vectors for contagious avian diseases," says Parnell.

"Feeders typically last at least two to three years, depending on the level of use and the initial quality of the feeders themselves. Many bird baths can last longer, but individual results may vary," Parnell advises.

Finally, attracting more fascinating fowl can be as simple as looking for them. While you're out running or on a walk with your family, gaze up to see if you can spot unique and unexpected bird species as you go. An online search for "bird cams near me" can turn up bald eagle nests with cameras trained on them, positioning you right above them to watch the hatching of their eggs and the feeding of the eaglets. The wildlife center you didn't know was a few miles away could be home to blue herons. Soon, you'll see cardinal pairs visiting your birdbath and feeders and orioles brightening up the place this spring.

Part of being a birdwatcher is awareness, so eyes to the skies, and give the birds clean, abundant feeders, plus crystal-clean water for their baths. Inviting nature to populate your place can be an exciting, beautiful adventure.