Resources

 

Baltimore Oriole. Photo: Emma England

There has been a decline of 3 billion birds in North America since 1970 – a 30% decrease. The front lines of conservation for birds are found where people live – our own backyards.  There are a number of ways you can help birds at home - or at your place of business. Activities people can do to help and enjoy birds include providing bird-friendly landscaping at home and work; installing safe and appropriate bird houses, water sources, and feeders; controlling cats so they don’t kill birds; reducing the use of pesticides; and designing bird-friendly buildings.  

 

Providing Habitat

Photo: Patty Werner

You can help birds thrive in Lake County by providing habitat for bugs and birds in your yard.  The greatest habitat benefits are provided by landscaping with locally native plants that provide a variety of food for birds year-round covering breeding, nesting, migrating, and winter seasons. Plant leaves, fruits, nuts, seeds, and nectar are food for birds and the bugs that are food for birds. Shrubs and trees are especially important sources of nests and shelter as well as food.

Ninety-six percent of terrestrial birds only feed their young insects while in the nest so bugs such as native caterpillars are crucial for the successful breeding and rearing of young birds in the spring and summer. Berries, seeds, and nuts are food sources year-round but are especially important during migratory periods. Nectar provides food for hummingbirds and for insect pollinators. Selecting native plant species for your yard that provide flowers, fruits, nuts, and seeds throughout the seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter will benefit birds the most.

The simplest way to become more bird-friendly at home is to add native plant species to your existing landscaping.  A great way to create an affordable bird-friendly yard over time is to select an area or section of your yard to landscape/re-landscape with native plant additions each year, alternatively, you may want to remove turfgrass and add an entire new planting bed with natives. Don’t forget to select native shrubs and trees to add to your yard in addition to flowering plants. National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Wild Ones are great sources for more information on what plants to use and how to design a native plant garden.

Feeding Birds

Common Redpolls. Photo: Charlotte Pavelka

Backyard bird feeders can provide birds with the energy they need during nesting season and migration. But it’s important to supply the right kind of food to attract desirable birds.  For example, cardinals like Sunflower, and Safflower seeds, while goldfinches prefer Thistle or Niger seeds. Some mixed wild bird seeds are not always the most nutritious or fresh and may attract invasive birds that will make it harder for desirable birds to get to the feeders. 

Observing birds at your feeders gives you and your family the opportunity to learn about their personalities and behaviors.  You’ll get to know their markings and songs and how these might change season by season. If you enjoy photography, you’ll have many opportunities to capture nature in motion right outside your window.

Birds can help keep your landscape healthier by assisting with flower pollination. This can result in more luxuriant, full flowerbeds and beautiful bird-friendly landscaping with less overall effort for gardening. Many birds that eat seed may also eat insects in your landscape acting as a natural pest control eliminating the need for toxic chemicals.

Pesticides

Hummingbird clearwing. Photo: Carla Schmackel

DDT. Neonicotinoids. Roundup. These are familiar names of pesticides that are used to improve human endeavors like yard care, farming and enjoying the outdoors. Usage of pesticides may have unintended consequences causing illness, genetic changes and death to humans and other forms of life including pets and wildlife. Non-target insects such as helpful and necessary pollinator and food source insects are killed by pesticides. Pesticides also pollute water bodies.

There are several ways people and wildlife may come in contact with pesticides. They can be exposed if they touch treated areas, eat treated plants, or drink contaminated water. For wildlife, hidden nests or young birds and prey animals may be directly exposed to pesticides during an application. Pesticides that destroy plants and bugs that are wildlife habitat or food also affect bird and wildlife populations.

As an example, “a 2013 study published by Pierre Mineau, PhD, pointed to pesticide use as the single most important indicator of grassland bird declines in the U.S.  Researchers found that the best predictors of bird declines were lethal pesticide risk, insecticide use and loss of cropped pasture.”

Control Domestic Cats

It is estimated that domestic cats kill between 1.3-4 billion birds in North America every year. Ground-nesting birds are especially susceptible to predation by cats. Young birds getting ready to fledge from higher nests are also vulnerable to cat predation as they frequently spend time on the ground while learning to fly. Even well-fed cats will hunt small wild animals including birds. Most of the birds caught by cats but not killed outright will die of their injuries or infection. In addition to direct predation, cats also affect food availability for larger birds such as owls and hawks by killing small rodents that are a critical food source for these birds.

Keeping your pet cat indoors will likely increase its lifespan considerably as indoor cats outlive outdoor cats. Outdoor cats are at risk of being killed by automobiles or other animals, and for contracting contagious diseases. If you feel that living indoors will impair your cat’s quality of life, consider providing a “catio” for your cat.  Catios are fenced outdoor living spaces that allow your cat, or other small pet, to enjoy time in the outdoors while staying safe - and keeping birds safe also.

Lake County Audubon has adopted the Bird Conservation Network’s policy on free-roaming cats.
Click here to read BCN’s position.

Building Design

ABC bird tape applied in a Chevron pattern at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Texas. Photo: Kate Sheppard

According to the American Bird Conservancy, “collisions with buildings are second only to domestic cats as direct fatality threats to birds. Nearly one-third of the bird species found in the United States—more than 258 species, from hummingbirds to falcons—are documented as victims of collisions.  Collisions kill all categories of birds, including some of the strongest, healthiest birds that would otherwise survive to produce offspring.”

Problems are created and resolved by building design, building size, orientation, and siting as well as lighting at night and use of glass. There are remedies to reduce bird collisions with glass including manufacturing patterns within glass on large buildings, reducing reflection and transparency and illusions of safe passage in construction design.