±¬ÁϹ«Éç

Birds are nature’s messengers, and they're broadcastingÌýloud and clear: They are already experiencing the Ìýand habitat loss,Ìýand these dangersÌýwill only grow over time.

In the face of these threats, you can help birds thriveÌýright where you liveÌýby makingÌýyour yard more bird-friendly.ÌýFollowÌýthe steps below to create a patch of vibrant habitat that attracts colorful birds and their sweet melodies. If you don’t have a yard, you can still help birds by creating a native plant container garden on your patio or balcony. Even very small patches of habitat provide tired, hungry birds with exactly what they need, particularly during migration.

The secret to success lies in choosing locally native plants, which brim with nutritious insects, berries, nectar, and seeds and give birdsÌývital refuge.

1. Choose Native Plants

Focus on native plants that provide a good variety of bird food throughout the year for nesting, migrating, and wintering birds. You can search our for listings of the best bird- and wildlife-friendlyÌýplants for your area, as well asÌýa list of native plantÌýnurseries and other resources near you. As you make your selections, think about providing the following food groups:

• Bugs: Native trees such as oaks, willows, birches, and maples, and native herbaceous plants such as goldenrod, milkweed,Ìýand sunflowers host manyÌýcaterpillar species that are a vital source of proteinÌýfor birds, especially during the breeding season.
• Fruit: Many shrubs and small trees provide berriesÌýthat ripen at different times, so include seasonal variety: serviceberry and cherry for birds during the breeding season and summer; dogwood and spicebush for songbirds flying south; cedar and holly trees to sustain birds through cold winter days and nights.
• Nuts and seeds:ÌýTreesÌýsuch as oaks, hickories, and walnuts provide fat and protein rich food that birds hide, or "cache," to provide food through the cold winter.ÌýNative sunflowers, asters, and coneflowers produce loads of tiny seeds that are finch and sparrow favorites.
• ±·±ð³¦³Ù²¹°ù:ÌýRed tubular flowersÌýsuch as native columbine, penstemon, and honeysuckleÌýserve up nectar for hummingbirds. (Ìýabout creating a habitat specifically for hummingbirds.) Flowers in the aster family, such as coneflowers, asters, and Joe-Pye Weed are very attractive to insect pollinators like butterflies, moths, and bees, in addition to providing seeds for birds.Ìý

2. Plan Your Bird Habitat

Think of your garden as a habitat that you are creating toÌýprovide birds with food, shelter, and nesting sites throughout the year.Ìý

• Take stock ofÌýthe plants you've already got: Your yard may already include native plants that birds love. If you need help, check the native plants database Local Resource tab: Your local ±¬ÁϹ«Éç or native plant society may be able to provide advice.
• Know the basics about your space:
  • Sun or shade? How much of the planting area is covered in shade? Is it shaded all-day, only sometimes, or never at all?ÌýPlants are usually labeled as growing best in full-sun, partial shade, or full shade, so knowing this will help you choose plants that will do well.Ìý
  • Wet or dry? How damp is the soil? Do you have to water frequently to keep grass alive? Does the soil remain wet for long periods of time? You may find that different areas of your yard are wetter than others, and require different plant choices.
  • What's your soil like? What is your soil type? Is it light and full of sand or heavy with clay? Is it almost black, like peaty soil, or is it very smooth, like silt soil? (If you’re not sure, don’t worry. Many plants do well in a variety of soils, and a local nursery may be able to advise on this.)
• Map it out: Measure your planting space and then either draw it out on paper or walk your garden bed, to figure out which plants will fit best where.
• Create "habitat layers": If you have room, try to provideÌýthe plantÌýlayers you might find in a natural habitat:
  • LargeÌýcanopy trees provide many resources including nuts, nest cavities, and other roosting spots
  • Shrubs and small trees often provide fruit, as well asÌýnesting sites for songbirds
  • Herbacious plants, including perennials, annuals, and groundcovers, provide seeds for birds and a rich habitat for pollinators
  • DecayingÌýleaves, wood,Ìýdetritus, and soil form the base of your habitat, and aÌýhome for many invertebrates that birds eat, includingÌý the pupae of mostÌýmoth caterpillars—a favorite of baby birds
• Lose someÌýlawn: Consider reversing the typical pattern of small garden beds surrounded by explanses of lawn. Larger patches of habitat with lawn pathwaysÌýwill createÌýa rich wildlife habitat and lovely effect in your yard. (You can start small; every bit counts!)
• Cluster plants in masses: Group 5 or more of the same plant species together. This creates an attractive lookÌýand is also favored by pollinators, which prefer to feed from a mass of the same flower species.
• Think about height: PlaceÌýtaller plantsÌýtowards the back of your borders, with lower-growingÌýspecies at the edges of paths or lawn.
• Design for color palettes and continuous blooming throughout the gardening season.
• Leave some room: Pay attention to each species'Ìýstated dimensions when full grown, so plants aren't too crowded together.
• Need more plant specifics?ÌýIf you're seekingÌýmoreÌýdetails about bloom and fruiting time, growing seasons, or full-grown plant dimensions,Ìýcheck the online databases offered by theÌýÌýor theÌý.
• Remember the water: Water is anÌýoften overlooked resource that birds need year round. IncludeÌýhollowed boulders that catch rainwaterÌýor a man-made bird bath for birds to drink and bathe in. Consider a drip bath or fountain feature; the sound of running water is particularly attractive to birds and may bring them flocking during migration.ÌýHere are some tips on maintaining a healthy bird bath.

3. Preparing your garden

Prepare your garden well to save headaches later. If your site currently has turf grass or invasive plants, you will need to remove these.ÌýIf you plan ahead, an easy method is to lay down newspaper at least six sheets deep, with plenty of overlap; wet it down; cover it with 4 to 6 inches of mulch; and let it sit until you are ready to plant. Though native plants generally don't require additional fertilizer,ÌýÌýyou may want to check with your local native plant retailer to see ifÌýenrichingÌýyour soil with organic compost is a good idea. Use deep edging—putting some sort of barrier (steel or plastic edging) that goes into the ground to separate the native plant area from the lawn area—to keep out lawn grass.

4. Planting

Plant in spring or fall and on cooler days. Follow planting instructions carefully and get tips on mulching around plants from the plant nursery or gardening center. Water as needed after planting: Native plants are adapted to local climate conditionsÌýand generally require less added water than non-native species, in the long run. However, almost all plants need some watering and extra careÌýtill they've become well established.

5. Caring for Your Garden

Steward your native plant habitat with tender loving care—but don't be too neat.

• Weed: RemoveÌýnon-nativeÌýand invasive weeds. Weeding is often maligned as a "chore"... but it's alsoÌýa great excuse to spend time in your garden and get to know its wildlife.
• Don't rake: Fallen leaves and woody debris are an important habitat layer, and serve as a natural mulch. TheyÌýwill reduce unwanted weed growth, keep your plants' roots cool and moist—and provide habitat for insects and the pupae of moth caterpillars, a favorite of baby birds.
• Leave the seeds: Don't "dead-head" all of your flowering plants after they bloom, as those seedheads can be an important source of food during the fall and winter.
• Spare your back: In forested areas, leave dead trees and branches. Fallen trunks and branches support the entire forest food web as they decay into rich soil. Standing tree trunks may provide homes for many cavity-nesting species: Woodpeckers often create or enlarge the cavities, but many species will nest in them, including chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, bluebirds, Tree Swallows,ÌýGreat-crested Flycatchers,ÌýWood Ducks, and American Kestrels.
• Build a brush pile: Enhance your garden area by creating a brush pile to provideÌýshelter for birds and other wildlife.
• Lay off the pesticides:ÌýA bird-friendly garden is a bug-friendly garden.ÌýA diversity of native plants will also attract wildlife that will keep your plant-eating bugs in check: Not only birds but also frogs, toads, bats, and insect predators such as dragonflies, praying mantises and lady bugs will help keep your garden in a healthy balance.ÌýÌýRead more about pesticides, and some low-impact alternatives,Ìýhere.

Learn more about the benefits of keeping a slightly messy yard here.

Check out more tips from the native plant master Doug Tallamy in .

Remember, what's good for birds is also good for people. Here are some possible impacts of your native plant garden:

557: Varieties of butterflies and moths supported by native oak trees, as compared to only 5 butterfly and moth species supported by non-native ginkgo trees.

96: Percentage of land birds that rely on insects to feed chicks.

1,200: Number of crops that depend on pollinators to grow.

40 million: Acres of lawn in the U.S. currently.

80 million: Pounds of pesticides applied to lawns in the U.S. annually. Native plants, on the other hand, support a balance of predator and prey and thrive without pesticides.

800 million: Gallons of gas used annually by lawn mowers. This produces significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases driving climate change.

Learn more about why native plants are better for birds and for people.

Ìý

Have more questions? Check our .

***

You can help!Ìý±¬ÁϹ«Éç'sÌýwork makes a difference. Support conservation efforts, likeÌýtheÌýplants for birdsÌýprogram, and others across the country by