There is a new project to help support birds in our yards that informs us how to plant gardens that attract and benefit birds – resident birds, migrating birds, foraging birds, resting birds – even nesting birds. This new outreach project of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, "Garden for Birds," is bringing birders in the United States and Canada together to better inform us about how the plants that we add to our garden impacts birds and biodiversity. But even more than a "garden," we are truly talking about landscaping our yard, and like us, birds need food, water, shelter, and safe places to raise their young. To meet these needs, birds require quality habitat.
Flowering plants, shrubs, and trees are the foundation of habitat, and together they for an interconnected environment that birds utilize and need. Did you know that 95 to 98 percent of North American songbirds feed insects to their young? And native insects that birds eat need native plants to thrive; then birds fill the role of an "organic pesticide" by foraging for insects attracted to a habitat you encourage. Your garden and yard can be the source of these vital resources that support birds annually. That's where the Free resource, "Garden for Birds," comes in.
Whether you are a seasoned gardener or a beginner, a seasoned birder or a beginner, there is always room to add habitat to your yard. By joining Garden for Birds, you can share in the joy of creating safe nourishing gardens for birds, and for you and others to enjoy. The Lab's staff will guide you about what plants to add to better support birds with regard for the size of your growing space or spaces.
Garden for Birds is a project coordinated by the Cornell Lab 1) to support people toward creating more habitat for birds at their home and in their community; 2) to bring birders' stories together for inspiration and motivation; and 3) demonstrate over time that improvements made in birders' yards and other lands make a true difference for birds. You can join this exciting new backyard birding project Free at Join Garden for Birds
Share your backyard birding experiences and photographs with The Birding Wire at editorstbw2@gmail.com