Creating a Backyard Bird Habitat
Creating a backyard habitat is not difficult to do. You’re trying to create an environment that birds and other wildlife will feel comfortable in. A backyard habitat does not have a manicured look to it. A wildlife friendly yard has a casual feel about it. It is not meticulous, with every plant pruned to look like its textbook picture, anymore than it is a wild rambling mess. It’s a balance that’s easily achieved with a little thought.
There are four essential elements to a good backyard habitat: food, water, nesting sites and cover/shelter. If you have all four of these elements naturally, you’re off to a great start. It’s rare for a yard to possess all four, however. You probably have a couple of natural ones, such as some seed producing plants and some dense shrubbery, and have to augment them with “man-made” elements like a bird bath and birdhouses.
The plantings that you select can achieve more than one objective. A shrub such as elderberry produces berries in midsummer and is also good for birds to nest in. Mahonias and hollies are good for cover and shelter and also produce berries. You should also strive to have only native plantings in your garden. The birds will naturally gravitate to plantings that are native and familiar to them. Exotic plants can be beautiful, but will probably yield little as a food source for your local birds. You’ll have to do a little research to see what’s native for your part of the country. Also, try to plant more than one plant of any given variety. Multiple plants of the same type in a flowerbed are more attractive and visible to the birds.
Some bird-favorite seed producing flowering plants are:
· Bachelor’s Buttons
· Zinnias
· Black Eyed Susans
· Asters
· Purple Coneflowers
· Globe Thistles
· Coreopsis
· Joe Pye Weed
Shrubs are good for food, nesting sites and cover. They provide shelter in inclement weather and give the birds a good place to look your yard over before venturing in.
Some shrubs that produce berries that birds eat are:
· Chokeberry
· Mahonias
· Viburnums
· Elderberries
· Blackberries
· Serviceberries
Some shrubs that provide nesting habitat are:
· Elderberries
· Yews
· Sages
· Alders
And finally, some shrubs that provide good cover and shelter are Rhododendrons, Mahonias and Junipers.
In the fall, let the garden stand. The flowers may be brown but the seed heads are intact and give the birds a natural source of food all winter. Also try to leave some leaves around the bases of the plants and shrubs. The leaves provide a little protection to the roots and, especially in the spring, give the insects, worms, etc. a place to be. This in-turn attracts insect eating birds. Every winter, my yard attracts some white-throated sparrows that come down from the north to winter on Long Island. They visit the platform feeder but spend most of their time scratching around the leaves on the ground looking for insects and stray seeds.
Water is essential for a successful backyard habitat. Water is not only for thirst but also for cleaning feathers. Dirty feathers make for difficult flying, so birds take great care to preen them regularly. Set your bird baths up away from your feeders and nesting areas. If possible, try to have a couple of baths, one above ground level on a pedestal or railing and one at ground level. Not all birds will stop at your feeders but most will stop for water. I’ve found that a bird bath will attract birds to my yard that may not stop or stay long otherwise. Birds such as robins, catbirds and mockingbirds often visit the garden to eat the insects but always stop in one of the bird baths. Remember, water is critical during the winter months too. There are many types and styles of bird bath heaters to accommodate just about every bath. Some bird baths have built-in heating elements that can be turned off during the warmer months.
There are two ways to provide nesting places for the birds: natural and artificial. Natural nesting areas can be provided through plantings, as discussed above. Artificial nesting habitat generally means bird / nesting boxes. Birdhouses will not attract all types of birds. Only birds that like to nest in a hollow tree cavity or other enclosed area will use a bird house. The dimensions of the bird house and the diameter of the entrance hole are very important, so do a little research before putting your birdhouse up. Some birds can be very picky while others are quite tolerant of “imperfect conditions”. Mount bird houses in an area away from feeding stations.
You’re sure to attract more birds to your yard, and keep them there a bit longer, if you follow the advice given above. This is only an introduction to creating a backyard habitat. There are many books available that offer in-depth information about this subject.
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