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Attracting Birds BY Ruth H. Axelrod

Attracting Birds BY Ruth H. Axelrod. A Backyard Habitat Approach. Food Water Shelter ( cover ) A place to raise young. Create an all- season environment.

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Attracting Birds BY Ruth H. Axelrod

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  1. AttractingBirdsBY Ruth H. Axelrod

  2. A Backyard Habitat Approach Food Water Shelter (cover) A place to raiseyoung Create an all-seasonenvironment The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  3. Why? • Consistent with birds’ natural settings. • Co-evolved with their environments. • Ecosystem meets birds’ needs. • Birds meet other organisms’ needs. • Birds’ needs vary • By species • By season • By lifecycle stage Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  4. Why Else? • Bring nature into your home landscape. • Help control mosquitos and other insects. • Enjoy a low maintenance garden. • Reduce water usage. • Protect and enhance soil. • Improve air quality. • Help protect and nurture birds. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  5. Where? • Urban, suburban, rural yards • Container gardens—patio, deck, balcony Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  6. How? • Choose your species. • Learn needs and preferences. • Build habitat—emulate natural environment; create corridors to natural areas. • Store bird identification book, binoculars and camera near a window. Enjoy! Tolerate unintended consequences! Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  7. Wildlife Corridors Monocacy River Ruth’ s Home (end unit) Riparian Buffer http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/map-machine Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  8. Food • Year-round natural sources • Species-specific • Insects and worms • Seeds, berries, nuts • Plant natives as well as exotics • Tip: String cable between trees for bird roost--berry bushes will sprout below Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  9. Bird Feeders • Various feeders • Large and small birds • Aggressive and shy • Seasonal use • Summer: Feed irregularly, if at all. • Winter: Offer high-calorie (oily) foods—suet, black sunflower seeds, shelled peanuts, etc. • Spring: Feed until nature provides. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  10. Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica 'Merlot') Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans) Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida) Baptisia (False Blue Indigo) Coneflower (Echinacea) Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia nitida) Coreopsis Sundrop (Oenothera fruticosa) Northern Sea Oaks (Chasmanthium latifolium) New England Aster (Aster Novae-angliae) Sedum (Sedum) Yarrow (Achillea tomentosa) Fenneland other herbs Ruth’s Garden—Late Summer 2010 Ruth’s Garden—Late Summer 2010 Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  11. Water • Clean water • Out-of-the-way location • Prefer water in-motion--stream, waterfall, fountain (plug in or solar panel-drive) • Check birdbaths every 3 days = the time it takes mosquitos to hatch • Dust bath—sand, wood ash, loam or peat Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  12. Dust Bath Bird Bath Ruth’s Garden—Early Summer 2010 Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  13. A Place to Raise Young • Preferred site--ground, tree, shrub, grass, under eves, etc. • Sheltered, away from people • Preferred type of nest or box (bats--15’ pole, sun in eve; martins--condo) • Mount with large nail; do not girdle tree limb • Songbirds: small entrance hole; minimal perch (safety) Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  14. Shelter (Cover) • Protection--weather, predators • Layers of foliage • Large trees—hardwoods, evergreens • Understory trees • Shrubs • Herbaceous plants Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  15. Ruth’s Garden—Early Summer 2010 Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  16. Beyond the Garden Gates, Frederick, MD 2010 Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  17. How to Improve this Garden? Layered Foliage (cover) Water Groundcover Nectar, seeds, berries Drifts of plants Native Plants Permeable Walks Beyond the Garden Gates, Frederick, MD 2010 Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  18. Converting to a Bird Habitat • Create a natural, not formal, garden—layers of foliage, drifts of plants. • Provide cover, nesting sites, shade, nuts, berries—native trees, shrubs, vines. • Minimize lawn (turf grass). • Provide food, nectar, groundcover--native plants with some non-invasive exotics. • Install permeable patio and walks. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  19. Visitors to Ruth’s Garden (Silver Spring & Frederick, MD) • Bluebird • Cardinal, northern • Catbird, grey • Chickadee, Carolina • Cowbird, brown-headed • Dove, mourning • Finch, house • Goldfinch, American • Grackle, common • Grosbeak, rose-breasted • Hawks, sharp-shinned and Coopers • Hummingbird, ruby-throated • Jay, blue • Junco, slate-colored • Owl • Robin, American • Sparrow, house • Starling, European • Titmouse, tufted • Warbler, bay-breasted • Woodpeckers, downy and red-headed • Wren Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  20. American Goldfinch (Spinus Tristis) • Live in flocks to 100 birds; may feed in groups. • Nest high in tree forks. • Eat seeds only—including thistle, sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias. • Feeder • Thistle (nyjer) in special feeder; avoid sock or mesh (lose too much seed) • Also, black oil sunflower seeds, millet, canary seeds, nutmeats Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  21. Migrating Birds: The Atlantic Flyway Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  22. Hummingbird • Ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris) and Rufous (Selasphorus rufus) migrate to MD • Mid-April to September (males first). • May return to same site as previous year. • Prefer hardwoods, evergreens. • Nest in crotch high off ground; walnut-sized, made of moss, lichen, fluff and spider web. • Eat insects, flower nectar (feeder with sugar water is insufficient) Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  23. Hummingbird (continued) • Feeder • Red container, preferably near nectar flowers • Feed 1 week before expected arrival to 3 weeks after last local bird leaves • I part sugar to 4 parts water (no honey) • Change liquid every 3-4 days to prevent disease • May defend food source(s) from birds, insects • Illegal to trap/hold migratory birds, nests, eggs Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  24. Questions? Discussion? Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  25. For More Information • Bromley, P.T., & Geis, A.D. Feeding wild birds. Virginia Cooperative Extension #420-006. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/420/420-006/420-006.html. • Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All about birds: Bird [identification]guide. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse. • Eaton, G., & Wright, B. (2009). Backyard wildlife habitats. Virginia Cooperative Extension #426-070. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-070/426-070.html. • Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. Gardening for wildlife plant list. http://www.loudounwildlife.org/Gardening_For_Wildlife_Plant_List.htm • Mizejewski, D. (2004). Attracting birds, butterflies and other backyard wildlife. Upper Saddle River, NJ: National Wildlife Federation. • Peterson, R.T. (1980). Eastern birds. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. • Skarphol, B. (2008). Using native plants to attract birds in the Washington, D.C. area and Virginia. Fairfax County Park Authority, VA. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/infosheets/nativeplantsforbirds.pdf. • USFWS. (1997). For the birds. Washington, DC: U.S. Fish & Wilslife Service. http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/misc/forbirds/forbird.htm. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  26. Photo Credits All photos are the author’s, except: • Title page: Montreal Botannical Garden. • All bird photos: Cornell Univ., http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse. • Eco-system diagram: http://www.fws.gov/invasives/volunteersTrainingModule/invasives/plants.html. • Water gardens: Sources unknown. • Bird’s nest on balcony: http://www.gardeningoncloud9.com/200906/bird-nest-on-the-balcony/; cardinals at bird bath: http://www.csnstores.com/API650-XAP1008.html. • Bird seed ring: http://www.petazon.com/price/search.php?q=brand%3A Pine+Tree+Farms%3A&page=1&sort=priceDesc. • Nesting shelf: http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/birdhouses/index.html; open-front bird house: http://www.justaddworms.com/products-page/; classic bird box: http://coes-creations.com/shop/reviews.php; Poorly-designed cedar bird house: http://www.allthingscedar.com/birdhouse2.htm. • Migrating birds: http://news.caloosahatchee.org/archives/?show=boxes_2010. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

  27. The Presenter Ruth H. Axelrod is a Maryland Master Gardener. She learned to love gardening as a child and has been studying and practicing it ever since. At her home in Frederick, she gardens--both indoors and outdoors--for natural beauty, relaxation, food, environmental sustainability and the deep spiritual pleasure of mucking around in the dirt. Ruth can be reached at raxelrod@gwu.edu. Ruth H. Axelrod (2010)

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