|
photo by Dennis Jongsomjit
|
Beyond Bird Feeders
It is time to move beyond simply attracting birds to your yard with feeders and wildflowers. This website has been designed to give people a chance to take it a step farther, to attract birds to their yards by making them suitable places for birds to produce young, a key aspect of bird conservation.
Habitat Handout
Help birds at home or pass the info on to your neighbors! Download our handout on Helping Birds at Home: Improving Bird Habitat in Your Yard (Adobe pdf file).
Click on the links below to learn more about landscaping with native plants to help birds.
|
Why landscape for birds?
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.
[back to top]
Where do birds nest?
Bird species place nest everywhere, from directly on the ground to the tops of trees.
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!
[back to top]
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 Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC).
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)
|
[back to top]
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!
[back to top]
Other important things to consider when attracting birds to your yard:
Do not attract birds to your yard if it harbors many predators!
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.
Facts about Cats:
- Well-fed domestic cats are not less prone to hunting than cats who depend on hunting for food. In fact, many well-fed cats are avid hunters who can afford to patiently hunt more difficult prey, like birds.
- Cats live a safer, longer life as indoor pets.
- Populations of stray or "feral" cats can grow larger then populations of native predators because cat densities are not limited by territoriality as are native predators such as bobcats, foxes, or coyotes.
- Cats transmit disease to wildlife, such as feline lukemia, feline distemper, feline immunodeficiency virus, and rabies.
- Cats are not a natural part of our ecosystems. Cats were domesticated in Egypt approximately 4,000 years ago and brought to Europe 2,000 years ago. Cats were brought in large numbers to North America in the late 19th century in an attempt to control rodent populations resulting from the spread of agriculture.
- Cats with bells on their collars do kill birds.
For more information see American Bird Conservancy's Cats Indoors Program
|
What You Can Do:
- Keep cats as indoor pets, or in a safe enclosure such as a screened porch or outdoor cat run
- Never feed stray cats, dont contribute to cat feeding stations
- Eliminate sources of food such as garbage, compost piles, outside pet food dishes
- Don't put up a bird feeder if you have outdoor cats, or if stray cats frequent your yard
Participate in the Cats Indoors Program
|
| Native Predators
Even native predators such as racoons, skunk, rats, and jays can negatively impact birds. Human activities are responsible for sustaining higher than natural numbers of these predators which negatively affect nesting songbirds.
What You Can Do:
Eliminate outdoor sources of food such as pet food dishes, compost piles, uncovered garbage cans
Replace uncovered compost piles with covered worm bins
Use bird feeders that exclude jays and squirrells. Many of these type of feeders can be found at wildlife stores.
|
Western scrub-jay - a common predator of songbird eggs and chicks. |
[back to top]
Resources:
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:
Milo Baker Chapter for Sonoma County
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
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
North Coast Native Nursery
2710 Chileno valley Rd., Petaluma, CA
707-769-1213
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.
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)
