Many species of birds once considered common are declining. Habitat loss and degradation are preventing birds from successfully reproducing young. Our yards can become safe places for birds to live, feed, and raise young.

Where do birds nest?

 

When do birds nest? Mid-March through July in California

This is an extremely important time  for birds because it is the only opportunity birds have to produce young each year.  This is especially true for neo-tropical migrants-such as Swainson's Thrushes or Black-headed Grosbeaks-because which arrive in North America at the end of April, an entire month and a half after our resident birds have already begun nesting!

How can you make your yard better for birds?

Step One: Determine what native plant species to plant at your site.
In order to maximize the benefits of planting natives, the first step you need to take is to research which native plant communities were once naturally found in your area. In other words, research what native plants are specific to your local area. The closer you "fit" your restored community of plants to the community one would naturally find at your specific site, the less maintenance will be required over the long term - after all your goal is to restore the area to wild habitat, not a high-maintenance garden. Determining your habitat type may take some research. Contact your local chapter of the CA Native Plant Society at for habitat information. For Marin and Sonoma Counties, California, here are some plant lists by habitat type:

Riparian (streamside) habitat plant list: (not inclusive)

Five-Finger Fern Adiantum pedatum Columbine Aquilegia formosa var. truncata Mugwort Artemesia douglasiana Hazelnut Corylus cornuta var. californica Common Horsetail Equisetum arvense Cow Parsnip Heracleum lanatum Honeysuckle Lonicera hispidula var. vacillans Yellow Willow Salix lasiandra Red Willow Salix laevigata Arroyo Willow Salix lasiolepis Narrowleaf Willow Salix hindsiana Coulter Willow Salix coulteri White Alder Alnus rhombifolia Red Alder Alnus rubra Big-Leaf Maple Acer macrophyllum California Box Elder Acer negundo var. californicum

Creek Dogwood Cornus californicum Oregon Ash Fraxinus oregona Western Chain Fern Woodwardia fimbriata Sword Fern Polystichum munitum Sedge Carex nudata Rush Juncus effusus California Tiger Lily Lilium pardalinum Stream Orchis Epipactis gigantea Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis Elk Clover Aralia californica Scarlet Monkey Flower Mimulus cardinalis Monkey Flower Mimulus guttatus Redwood Sorrel Oxalis oregana CA Wild Rose Rosa californica Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus CA Blackberry Rubus ursinus

Coastal Scrub habitat plant list, (not inclusive)

Coyote Brush Baccharis pilularis Coastal Sage Artemisia californica Sticky Monkeyflower Mimulus aurantiacus Lupine Lupinus ssp. Mugwort Artemisia douglasii Coffeeberry Rhamnus californica Douglas Iris Iris douglasii Wild Lilac Ceanothus ssp. California Fescue Festuca californica California Oat Grass Purple Needle Grass Nusella pulchra Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa Blue Elderberry Sambucus mexicana Toyon Heteromeles arbutifolia Western Sword Fern Polystichum munitum

Oak Woodland habitat plant list (not inclusive)

Slim Solomon Smilacina stellate Western Columbine Aquilegia formosa Western Sword Fern Polystichum munitum Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa Ocean Spray Holodiscus discolor Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Poison Oak Toxidendron diversilobum Hound's Tongue Cynoglossum grande Honeysuckle Lonicera hispidula

Step Two : Identify, remove, and control invasive plant species at your site

Identifying and removing the non-native plant invasive species of concern in your area is critical to the success of your planting effort. Remember that timing is everything! It is very important to avoid clearing vegetation, even non-native vegetation, during the bird breeding season (Mid-March - July in California). Until your native plant community has established itself, control of invasives can prove to be time-consuming and will require significant effort and care at removal - but it's worth the effort!

An excellent resource for determining which non-native plant species pose an environmental hazard in your area is the California Exotic Plant Pest Council (CalEPPC).

Never plant the following plants in your yard, and remove them if they already exist!

Giant Reed, Arundo donax Tasmanian blue gum Eucalyptus globulus Pepperweed Lepidium latifolium Himalayan blackberry Rubus discolor Cape ivy, German ivy Senecio mikanioides Tamarisk, salt cedar Tamarax spp. English ivy Hedera helix English holly Ilex aquifolium Periwinkle Vinca major Pampas Grass Cortaderia selloana Crystalline iceplant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum Iceplant, seafig Carpobrutus edulis Jubatagrass, Andean pampas grass Cortaderia jubata Artichoke thistle Cynara cardunculus Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

French broom Genista monspessulana Gorse Ulex europaues Narrow-leaved iceplant, roundleaf iceplant Conicosia pugioniformis Cotoneaster Cotoneaster pannosus Spanish broom Spartium junceum Striated broom Cytisus striatus Australian fireweed Erechtites, glomaerata & E. minima Ox-eye daisy Leucanthmum vulgare Velvet grass Holcus lanatus Tall fescue Festuca arundinacea Yellow starthistle Centaurea solstitialis Poison hemlock Conium maculatum Acacia spp. Wild fennel Foeniculum vulgare Russian olive (Elaeagnus augustifolius) Eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus species) Tasmanian blue gum (Eucalyptus globulus)

Some images of yards landscaped with native plants, and a sample planting design:

Landscaping with native plants in a West Marin Co., CA backyard.

The images above show how a backyard can be transformed into bird habitat, providing places for birds to forage, nest, roost, and hide.  Note the mix of overlapping native plant species.  Also, all three layers, the understory, midstory and canopy, are present.

The figure above illustrates how to mix native plants in your yard to provide the structural and floral diversity that is beneficial to birds.  Your yard won't likely look like a English garden, but from a bird's eye it might just look like home!

Other important things to consider when attracting birds to your yard: 

Non-native predators: The most common nieghborhood predator is the domestic cat. An estimated 4.4 million songbirds are killed daily by domestic cats in the United States.
 

Contacting your local native plant society is the best way to obtain regionally appropriate lists of native plant species for your area.  The following is a list of some of the web sites for native plant societies accross the United States.

In California:
Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program has information on restoring creeks and other useful resources.

The CA Native Plant Link Exchange website  allows a user to find which nurseries sell a particular plant species.  At the moment, 59 nurseries that sell CA natives are listed on the site.  More than 1900 species are available at these nurseries.

California Native Plant Society
Bay Area chapters of California Native Plant Society:
     Santa Clara Valley Chapter
     Marin Chapter
     East Bay Chapter

The following two web-sites contain lists and contact information for most native plant societies in the United States:
 Native Plant Societies 
 Native Plant Organizations

Where To Purchase Natives

Mostly Natives, Tomales

www.nativehabitats.org/calret.htm
A helpful list of retailers and resources

www.laspilitas.com/bird.htm
Guide matches native plants with the birds they attract

www.calflora.org
Detailed database of more than 8,000 plants

Plants by Mail FAQ

Baylands Nursery
1103 Weeks St., E. Palo Alto. Phone: 650 323-1645 or 650 328-9166. Many California natives. Call for open hours.

C.H. Baccus  900 Boynton Ave., San Jose, CA 95117. Phone: 408 244- 2923. Specializes in Calochortus, Fritillaria and other western bulbs. Send a self addressed  stamped envelope for mail order list. Spring container and dormant bulbs sold by appointment.

California Flora Nursery  Somers & D St., P.O.Box 3, Fulton, CA 95439. Phone: 707 528-8813. Focus on uncommon perennial and California natives. Open Monday to Friday,      9-5; Saturday 10-4.

Central Coast Wilds  114 Liberty St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. Specializes in restoration and native plant propagation. There is a small nursery in Soquel, open to the public by appointment, and they sell plants every wednesday at the Santa Cruz farmers market.    Their web site has an extensive  links page which is growing all of the time.

Christensen Nursery Co.   16000 Sanborn Rd., Saratoga. Phone: 408 867-4181. Wholesale and retail; some larger sizes.

Common Ground Organic Garden Supply     2225 El Camino Real, Palo Alto. Phone: 650 328-6752. Seeds, plants and classes.

The Dry Garden    6556 Shattuck Ave., Oakland, CA 94609. Phone: 510 547- 3564. Specializes in drought-resistant plants including  California natives.

Larner Seeds        P.O.Box 407, Bolinas, CA 94924. Phone: 415 868-9407. Seeds of California native wildflowers and perennials by mail order. Sometimes available in local  nurseries. Demonstration garden.

Mostly Natives Nursery  27215 Highway 1, P.O.Box 258, Tomales, CA 94971. Phone: 707 878-2009. Open Wednesday to Saturday, 9-4; Sunday 12-5.

Native Revival Nursery   8022 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA 95003. Phone: 408 684-1811. continued on page 5

Pacific Coast Seed   7074 D. Commerce Circle, Pleasanton, CA 94566. Phone: 510 463-1188. Wildflower seeds.

Redwood City Seed Company   P.O.Box 361, Redwood City, 94064. Phone: 650 325-7333. Specializes in grass seed.

Yerba Buena Nursery       19500 Skyline Blvd., Woodside. Phone: 650 851-1668.  The nursery has over 300 species of  native plants including trees, shrubs, perennials and ferns.

Other nurseries:  Local nurseries in addition to those listed above may sell native plants; see the directory at the Bay Area Gardener.
 

Magazine Articles:

Bird Conservation Begins at Home  Thomas Gardali and Diana L. Humple. Creating vital natural habitat for birds and other wildlife in your own backyard
Living Bird Magazine Summer 2000

The Killer In Your Yard   Joel Bourne.   Each time you douse your lawn with pesticides, you could be poisoning birds, wildlife, even the neighbor's kids. Here are
some alternatives.  Audubon Magazine May-June 2000

Going Native Janet Marinelli.  Do turf and petunias portend a looming biological crisis?  Audubon Magazine

Deadly Eucalyptus Rich Stallcup.  Eucalyptus trees pose a threat to songbirds.  PRBO Observer 108

Books:

Gardening With A Wild Heart Restoring California's Native Landscapes At Home  Judith Larner Lowry 1999 UC Press.  (order from California Native Plant Society)

Southern California Native Plants For School Gardens Betsey Landis
Useful to teachers throughout the state.  1999 LA/Santa Monica Mountains Chapter CNPS (order from California Native Plant Society)