I live in the Southwest, and things may be different where you live. Then again, they may not. I believe the single most important thing you can do to attract birds is to provide them with a clean, reliable water source.
It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. You could buy a liner at Home Depot for $40-$100, dig a hole and make a pond that way. I actually purchased a liner recently, and hope to finally turn that big hole in my backyard into a pond. But for several years, my bird pond has been a large, 70s-era satellite dish. I use a 240 GPM pump for circulation, and attached a filter I made by stuffing some HVAC filter material into a V8 juice bottle. (A filter isn't necessary, though it improves water quality. The important thing is either a pump for circulation or frequent water changes.)
Today I created a bird bath that I think the robins are going to love. It's an old DirecTV dish. I removed the mounting bracket, set it on top of some bricks and used a rock to keep the hose in place.
You can see my pond (the 70's-era satellite dish) in the picture too. One dish on top of the other one. When I finish my "real" pond, I'm thinking I'll move into another spot in my yard and keep using it.
Since I added water to my yard 7-8 years ago, the number of birds I see has gone up at least 10-fold. In dry areas, the land's carrying capacity skyrockets when you add water. It doesn't matter if birds can find plenty of food and shelter. Without water, you're not going to see many species. Even where there's a lot of water available in an area, much if it may be stagnant for a large part of the year. If birds find a source that tastes and smells clean, that's the source they're going to use. If they need to, birds will fly a few miles for water. Your backyard can see hundreds of regulars instead of just a few, depending on the water situation in your area.
A water source also provides the best place for birdwatching and photo opportunities. Not all birds visit feeders, but all birds visit water.
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