Denny's Soapbox

Anthropologist Margaret Mead said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtfully committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” According to the 1998 Statistical Abstract of the United States, American backyards total at least 35 million acres or more than 50,000 square miles! Turning your backyard into wild bird habitat is conservation; so, yes, we can make a difference, one yard at a time.

David Sibley, author and bird artist, says, “The most important thing bird lovers can do is to create bird habitats in their own backyards.” Wild birds require four basic elements for their survival – food, water, shelter and places to raise their young. You will attract beautiful wild birds if your backyard meets their needs.

Birdfeeders, properly placed and stocked with seeds, nuts and suet, will attract a wide variety of wild birds. Landscaping with fruit bearing trees such as Hawthorn, Flowering Crab, Dogwood, Serviceberry and Flowering Shrubs such as Japanese Yews, Hollies, and many varieties of Viburnum to name a few will attract a wide variety of wild birds. One of the great features of attracting birds to your landscape is that they will eat the majority of the fruits and berries from your plants before the fruit has a chance to fall to the ground on their own. Even the newer varieties of fruit bearing flowering crabs won’t drop any apples until the robins and other birds literally remove the fruit and berries for you. These same fruit and berry consuming birds will also consume Cicada’s. Brood 14 Cicada’s will make their grand 17 year appearance in Eastern Hamilton and all of Clermont counties in 2008. Robins will lead the charge to daily consumption of thousands of these cicadas a day.

A year round source of water, like a birdbath, patio fountain, or small garden pond is also a necessary part of your wild bird habitat. With a bird bath, make sure to clean it out and add fresh water a couple of times a week.

Cavity nesting birds may be attracted to your yard if you provide bird houses that are cleanable. It’s best if you can start with clean houses each fall although some birds won’t mind a dirty house and will move in regardless. Birds will use the trees and shrubs in your landscape for shelter and places to build nests. Leaving your cut Christmas tree out in the back yard until spring will also provide a great shelter for birds.

There are many advantages to having birds in your landscape. Wild birds offer great winter entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Wild birds are essential for pollinating flowers of plants which produce fruit. They also are great bug eaters. They feed all growing season on insects that could otherwise damage various plants in your landscape.

Provide for the birds in your own backyard and you’ve made a valuable contribution to conservation. For more information about birds and conservation sign up for Peggy Flierl, (the bird gal’s) free quarterly newsletter ‘bird chat’ by giving her your name and address at www.birdchat.com. I have a couple of tip sheets on my website that has an extended list of plants that will bring birds to your garden. The tip sheets can be found at http://www.bloomingarden.com/tipsheethome.html.