FROMLEFT:^ F
LICKR/PLANT^4 WILDLI
FE,^
WILLIAM^
PULLY;^ P
AGE^23 :^JIM^
SHANE(^22) September/October 2019
Shrub Hub Windows kill up to 1 billion birds
a year in the U.S. Birds see like hu-
mans do, so if the window reflection
looks like clouds and trees to you, it
looks that way to the birds too. The
solutions for this prevalent problem
are easy. First, there are numerous
inexpensive ways to deter birds from
your windows. The American Bird
Conservancy offers some excellent
options to minimize bird collisions.
A simple solution is to minimize the
reflection of the sky by screening
or covering windows. Additionally,
make sure to place bird feeders as
close to your windows as possible. If
birds get startled from your feeders,
they’ll be less likely to have a fatal
collision with your windows.
Chemical applications to our
lawns, gardens, and hedges can also
pose a risk to birds. Sometimes this
risk doesn’t directly kill birds. But
those chemicals can kill or poison
insects or other food sources, which
limits the food for birds, and can
even be toxic for them. Unless you’re
absolutely sure that the ingredients
in your chemical yard applications
are safe for birds and wildlife, we
recommend avoiding them. There are
many nonchemical alternatives for
managing pests.
Watching birds is made easy when
you provide the four main ingredients
Take ‘Em Under Your Wing
If we invite birds into our yards, we bear some responsibility for keeping
them safe once they arrive. Habitat features that lure birds in but then expose
them to dangers can create what is known as an “ecological trap.” Windows
and chemicals are common dangers in human-built landscapes. While these are
common in most places, there are ways to limit their effect on birds visiting
your property.
As outlined in “Cardinal Cache” on Page 20, shrubs are too often absent from yards. Shrubs provide
optimal nesting sites, quick shelter from birds of prey, and another food source. Here are some shrub
options for your property. For a database of shrubs native to your area, see http://www.Wildflower.org.
— Habitat Network, http://Content.Yardmap.org/Learn/Which-Birds-Which-Plants
EASTERN U.S.:
■ BAYBERRY (Myrica pensylvanica) –
tufted titmouse, Carolina wren,
red-bellied woodpecker, tree swallow,
black-capped chickadee
■ COMMON SERVICEBERRY
(Amelanchier arborea) – pileated
woodpecker, Eastern bluebird,
black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse
■ RED ELDERBERRY (Sambucus racemosa) –
Eastern bluebird, Northern flicker,
pileated woodpecker, red-bellied
woodpecker, tufted titmouse
■ ‘TRIPLE CROWN’ BLACKBERRY (Rubus sp.)
- hairy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker
WESTERN U.S.:
■ ‘BLUECROP’ HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY
(Vaccinium corymbosum) –
mountain chickadee, Northern flicker■ ‘MORTON’ BAYBERRY (Myrica pensylvanica)- violet-green swallow, mountain chickadee,
tree swallow, black-capped chickadee
■ (^) BLUE ELDERBERRY (Sambucus cerulea) –
Northern flicker, lesser goldfinch,
mountain bluebird, mountain chickadee,
pileated woodpecker, Western bluebird
■ SASKATOON SERVICEBERRY
(Amelanchier alnifolia) – downy woodpecker,
pileated woodpecker, black-capped
chickadee, mountain chickadee
Rough-Leaved Dogwood Eastern Bluebird