Planting native plants is just one way to help the native bird population this fall.
The warm days of summer are a distant memory, but there are lots of outdoor activities to do before winter is upon us. And for the avid backyard bird watcher, the fall offers just as much excitement as the spring and summer, and sometimes more. If you’d like to make the most out of the fall migrations of local bird life, consider some or all of the following tips to help out your local bird populations.
Let Your Lawn (And Garden) Go
If you’re usually super on top of pulling the old dead plants out of the garden as the seasons change, keeping the lawn cut super short, or raking the leaves, consider channeling Elsa and letting it all go a bit. This is especially true if you’re looking to attract wildlife to your yard and not just take care of the critters who already know about you. The old plants in the garden offer a smorgasbord of seed heads. A section of grass that’s allowed to get a little wild and go to seed would also be a delicious treat. Finally, leaving the leaves will attract all sorts of yummy insects for the birds to feast on. (It’s also better overall for your lawn!) speaking of insects, if you’ve established a monarch habitat, be sure to set up protections for them.
Set Out Feeders
Pull out, or consider buying, a large capacity feeder for the birds who are passing through or might be staying for the winter. Give any old feeders a thorough cleaning and make sure they’re strong enough to stand up to another season of use.
Scatter Seed
As a bird watcher, your interest may lie in the beauties that come to the feeders, but there are many who won’t. They prefer to stay out of sight, skipping around under the bushes. Scatter some seed under the shrubbery and brush for those shy birds and give them a quick fall treat too.
Lock Up The Cat
While the birds who make a home in your yard are probably very familiar with your feline friend, consider keeping the cat in the house during this migration season. Newcomers to the yard won’t know the danger lurking, and the naive young birds especially will be easy prey.
Make Your Windows Safe
Birds get a little bit restless and hyperactive in the fall, which you know if you’ve ever watched them go winging around your yard. However, all this activity can turn to tragedy if they strike your windows. Anything you can do that will break up the reflection in the glass will help decrease the likelihood of bird strikes.
AMERICAN NATIVE PLANTS
Whether you’re looking to build a rain garden or beautify your property, American Native Plants can provide you with the right plants for the job. With an inventory of over 400,000 native trees, native shrubs, and herbaceous plants consider American Native Plants your one-stop shop for wholesale native plant needs. Peruse our catalog, give us a call, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!