In an excellent article by Karen Bussolini (For the Birds), she quotes entomologist Doug Tallamy: “We have modified habitats so much in suburbs and urban environments that there’s not enough food. The sterile manicured suburban setting–with 46.5 million acres of lawn–is not conducive to bird survival unless we put out feeders. We need more plants in whole neighborhoods.”
Bird feeders located by windows for the pleasure of humans can be deadly for birds. Be sure to think of birds when placing feeders in your yard. Are you providing cover from predators (e.g., prowling cats) for ground feeding birds? Is there risk of collision from the deception and confusion of windows? Special decals can help birds see windows. The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology offers some good tips helping winter birds in your yard.
And when spring arrives and it’s time to ponder how to create a “living landscape” for birds that visit your yard, take a peek at this tool provided by Audubon. Audubon’s extensive native plant database will provide a list of the best vegetation to create habitat for birds simply by entering your zip code.
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