Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Image from USGS's Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center.
JB: This is Earth and Sky, on creating a safe haven for birds, frogs, insects and other animals right in your own backyard.
DB: To attract this wildlife to your yard, you’ll have to supply the things that all animals need to survive. Number one on the list is food, so if you’re planning a garden, think about choosing plants native to your area. Many native plants are a natural food source for birds and butterflies.
JB: All animals need water, so you can help by supplying fresh unfrozen water even in icy weather. Or you might consider planning a backyard pond. A pond the size of a child’s wading pool can be home for frogs, toads and dragonflies. A few trees will give birds and squirrels a place to build nests. Or create a backyard brush or rock pile – a safe hideout for small burrowing mammals, snakes, and salamanders.
DB: Or put out a birdhouse. Depending on what kind – and where you put it – you might end up providing a home for bluebirds, tree swallows, chickadees, or other species. And don’t forget bat houses – if you can provide a snug home for your neighborhood bats, they’ll help keep down the insect population in the summertime. We’ve got lots more on creating a backyard habitat at our web site.
JB: Look for the “more information” section of today’s show at earthsky.org. Special thanks today to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and to the U.S. Forest Service. We’re Block and Byrd for Earth and Sky.
The following individual was interviewed for today’s show. Our thanks to:
Craig Tufts
Chief Naturalist
Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program
National Wildlife Federation
The following books, articles and web sites were used in preparing this script:
The National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Habitat website
The USDA Backyard Habitat website
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Website: Principles for Creating Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Berger, C., K. Kridler, and J. Griggs. 2001.The Bluebird Monitor’s Guide. New York: Harper-Collins.
Buchanan, Carol. 1999. The Wildlife Sanctuary Garden.
Kress, Stephen W. 1995. National Audubon Society: The Bird Garden. DK Press.
Stein, Sara. 1995. Noah’s Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards. Houghton Mifflin.
For more information on garden plants that attract birds, you can also check these web sites:
Plants That Attract Birds (HGTV.com)
Wildlife Gardening for Plants (About.com) – many links to bird gardening websites
For more information on garden plants that attract butterflies, check these websites:
The Smithsonian Institution’s Butterfly Habitat Garden website
Butterfly Gardening – Butterflies.com
These websites have instructions for building a backyard pond:
National Wildlife Federation website
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service website
Directions for constructing a backyard brush pile can be found at:
Build a Brushpile (MyBackyard.com)
This NWF website also has many tips for improving backyard habitat that are specific to yards in winter
If you want to build your own nest boxes, plans are available at:
The North American Bluebird Society is an authoritative source of information on how you can help all kinds of cavity-nesting birds.
A website. maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
These web sites have advice on positioning nest boxes to make them most attractive to birds:
tips for positioning a bluebird box (North American Bluebird Society)
Very complete information, provided by USFWS, about nest boxes: what birds you can attract, how to build boxes, how to position, how to monitor, etc.
Here’s a fun project for kids: create a “Toad Abode.” All you need is an empty terracotta flowerpot and saucer. Put the saucer on the ground in a shady corner of your yard and fill with water. Turn the flowerpot upside down and put it on the ground near the saucer. Use a rock or a piece of a broken flowerpot to prop up one edge; now you’ve created a cool dark place where a toad can hide. Your guest will return the favor by gobbling up garden pests.
Another easy-to-make and worthwhile project: Create homes for solitary bees Not only will the bees benefit but you’ll attract pollinators to your garden. All you need is a piece of non-treated lumber (or a piece of firewood) and a power drill.
February is an ideal time to put out bee homes in your garden. Directions can be found here.
Additional Teacher Resources
United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service: Make a Home for Birds, Butterflies, and Nature’s Other Creatures
This site provides a great instructional tip sheet on planning a backyard wildlife habitat. Section include how to create a wildlife habitat, landscaping for birds, plant species for birds, food and shelter for butterflies, attracting bees, attracting bats, attracting reptiles and amphibians, and water for wildlife.
National Audubon Society, Audubon At Home: 5 Simple Actions?Can Make a World of Difference
Our backyards are our private spaces, but also part of a larger landscape we share with our human and wildlife neighbors. With the right tools and information, we all can do simple things to create a healthier place to live for our families, or communities and birds, plants, and other wildlife. This article explains five simple steps help students get started on their backyard habitats.
Wildlife Habitat Council: Backyard Conservation
This site provides an introduction to the concept of backyard habitats. Several links to additional resources on starting a habitat are provided as well.
