NC-PIF Fact Sheet

Managing Your Backyard for Birds
By Chris Moorman

Urban landscapes comprise an increasing percentage of potential wildlife habitat. With proper management and hard work, these areas provide valuable space for many wildlife species, especially birds.

Basics of Backyard Bird Habitats

A quality backyard bird habitat contains a variety of native plants distributed in a pattern that provides complex vegetative structure. Birds are adapted to the native plants around them and should receive all life requirements from a properly organized suite of native vegetation. Native plants do not present the problems that often occur with establishment of exotic(nonnative) plant species (e.g., disease introduction and unabated growth). Plant species variety provides alternative food sources during various times of the year and produces foods for a variety of bird species. Complex vegetative structure (i.e., the way plants and trees are distributed along the vertical and horizontal planes) yields a diverse and abundant bird community in your backyard. Vertical plant structure allows ground-dwelling, shrub-dwelling, and treetop birds to exist in the same horizontal space, and horizontal plant structure promotes the presence of alternative food sources.

Life Requirements

Birds have three main life requirements (food, water, and cover), which must be met through proper management of backyard habitat.

Food: The bird species in your area and their food requirements change seasonally. Many species, including warblers, flycatchers, vireos, tanagers, and orioles, migrate northward each spring. At this time, migrant and resident birds feed on caterpillars and other insects present on new plant growth. Northward migrating birds also eat early fruits such as serviceberries and mulberries (Table 1). Large oaks and yellow poplars are favored as foraging sites by many warblers, tanagers, orioles and waxwings during spring migration. During the late spring and summer months, breeding birds continue to feed on insects but also eat fruits as they become available (Table 1). The same birds that migrate north during the spring migrate south in the fall along with their offspring. Fruits, which are high in energy, are a valuable food source during this time of year. Winter residents, including cardinals, sparrows, robins, and chickadees, primarily eat fruits and seeds that persist on plants or on the ground (Table 1).

Because the importance of different foods changes seasonally, it is best to provide a variety of food-producing plants in your yard. Include early- and late-fruiting species along with plants that produce winter seed (Table 1). To promote seed production, leave a portion of your yard unmown, especially during the late-summer, fall and winter months. A fallow garden will provide seed-producing plants, but should be mowed or disked at least once every three years. Timing of disturbance will determine the plants that grow (i.e., fall disturbance will promote poor wildlife foods), so experiment with the frequency and season you disturb. Plants that produce fruits and seeds (i.e., oaks and yellow poplars) also provide places for leaf-eating insects. Plant diversity increases insect diversity (i.e., certain insects occur only on specific plant species), and vegetative structure creates more insect-holding leaf area. Hummingbirds are unique birds and require special considerations when planning backyard habitats. Over 160 native North American plants are dependent on pollination by hummingbirds. In North Carolina, hummingbirds feed on small insects(and other small animals) and nectar. They prefer the nectar from tubular flowers such as trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), cross-vine (Bignonia capreolata), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), and buckeye (Aesculus spp.). Hummingbird feeders, suet blocks, seed feeders, fruit, and peanut butter/suet balls all can be used to supplement the bird foods naturally present in your yard.

Water: Sources of water often are forgotten when designing backyard habitats. However, water can be very important, especially in areas where sources are rare or during periods of drought. Birds normally obtain their water requirements from their food, ephemeral pools, dew on plants or the ground, or permanent sources. If natural sources of water are not available in your yard, a birdbath or artificial pond can provide an adequate water source and a focal area for your bird-watching activities. Birdbaths should be shallow (2-3 inches deep) and made of a rough surface to ensure good footing. The basin should be 24-36 inches in diameter with a lip or edge for perching. It is important to keep birdbaths clean and full of fresh, cool water. Homemade birdbaths can be made of garbage can lids, rocks, or hollowed-out stumps. Birdbaths are best positioned about 15 feet away from a perch or shrubby cover.

Cover: Dense vegetation provides birds with places to escape from harsh weather and predators such as hawks. Different bird species require different types of substrates (i.e., grasses, shrubs, tree limbs, moss, etc.) to support their nests; therefore, a variety of plants species and ages may aid in increasing the diversity of birds nesting in your yard. Dead trees are important nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds and should be protected when possible. Nest boxes often are used as surrogates for natural cavities and provide nesting sites for a variety of bird species in North Carolina, including Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Screech Owls, Carolina Wrens, chickadees, titmice,nuthatches and bluebirds. Just as with food, cover requirements change seasonally. During the spring and summer, foliage is abundant and cover is plentiful in a yard with a combination of shrubs, vines, hedges, and trees. However, cover can become scarce during the winter. Therefore, it is important to provide coniferous trees (i.e., pines and red cedars) and evergreen hedges (i.e., native holly species) throughout your backyard habitat, especially adjacent to important feeding and watering spots. Conifers or dense shrubbery can provide nighttime roosting spots for birds throughout the year.

Initial Inventory and Plan

First, make a map of the existing vegetation in your yard. From this base map, identify areas where food and cover are limited and abundant. Then, create a projected map and plan for your final backyard habitat, making sure to incorporate all habitat requirements. Consider the context of the surrounding landscape or what types of habitats are adjacent to your property. For example, water may be a limiting factor in some areas. Also, plan for viewing areas by mapping important food sources (e.g., bird feeders or birdbaths) in sight of windows or paths. Consider the moisture and light requirements of plants when including them in your plan. Map moisture-loving plants in low-lying areas and position shade-loving plants underneath large trees. Plan for horizontal diversity of structure, food, water, and nesting sites. Remember to include escape cover throughout the yard and provide safe travel corridors (e.g., hedgerows) into interior portions of the yard. Most birds are territorial during the breeding season, so situate nest boxes and feeders far enough apart to prevent territory overlap.

Implementation and Evaluation

Work within your own schedule and budget when implementing your backyard bird habitat plan. Consider each step as a building block. Although it is not necessary to complete your backyard habitat project within a set timeframe, it is important to provide some food, water, and cover as soon as possible. Document the birds you see from the initial planning steps to the final habitat improvement activity. Keep a journal record of the bird species observed and their location within your yard. Use the record to evaluate your improvement activities. If certain species are absent or certain parts of the yard remain unused, make modifications to improve conditions. Remember to promote variety and complexity, be creative, be patient and have fun!

Table 1. Important fruit-producing and seed-producing native plant species in North Carolina and the timing of fruit or seed availability.

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