Taken all together, home plantings can aid the bird population in our area. The most obvious predator in suburban areas is the common housecat. At least equip your cat with a bell and consider keeping it indoors during the spring breeding season. Spay or neuter your cat, and call the humane society if you have feral cats living nearby. Limit the poisons you use in the garden.
Many birds are very sensitive to the toxic effects of insecticides.
In addition, most of the Bay Area drains to San Francisco Bay, sending these pollutants into the waters inhabited by shorebirds and waterfowl. Indiscriminate use of pesticides does more harm than good in the long run. Millions of birds are needlessly killed each year when they crash into windows. Join a birding class being given in the latter part of April and learn more about the birds that come to your back yard. Sonoma County Master Gardeners have put out great habitat handouts that the Novato office will have available.