Anyone can create a bird habitat in their own backyard

Lake County is home to an amazing number of bird species. Three hundred and twenty-one have been recorded here as of December 2019. No matter where you live in the county — whether in one of our towns, along the lake shoreline, or out in the country — it is possible to create a bird-friendly yard or habitat. Even apartments with balconies can be a place to attract birds.

One of the first things to look at when embarking on creating a bird-friendly yard is to think about what birds need: food and water, shelter, and safety. If you want to start providing the very basics for birds, simply provide a bird bath. A bird bath is simple. It isn’t necessary to buy an expensive one (although they are usually very pretty) but simply putting out a shallow saucer, like those used underneath potted plants is fine. Birds don’t require or like deep water, just a few inches is needed, and they usually prefer sloping sides. Just remember to change or refresh the water every other day at least. Soon you will be seeing birds visit your yard or your apartment balcony to take advantage of fresh water.

There are a variety of different seed types that birds will eat. Observant nature watchers know that birds migrate during the winter and so the birds in your yard will vary depending on the time of year. In fall and winter you will be seeing White-crowned and Goldencrowned Sparrows and Oregon Juncos that won’t be here in the summer. These birds are generally ground feeders, but will eat at a hanging feeder too. Millet, safflower and black-oiled sunflower seeds are usually the main ingredients of premium bird seed that can be purchased at local feed stores.

Lake County’s year-round birds like the California Quail and Mourning Dove enjoy ground feeding and will appreciate the millet or mixed bird seed too. Black-oiled sunflower seeds are popular among many birds like Oak Titmice, Scrub Jays, Woodpeckers, Doves, Grosbeaks and Nuthatches. Suet is very popular too, especially during the winter months. Thistle seed is a good choice for finches. Insects are essential dietary components for almost 96 percent of North American terrestrial bird species. This is one of the reasons the mixed seed and suet blocks are excellent. Even better are the native insects that live in the trees and on the shrubbery in your yard. Please avoid spraying your trees and shrubs if at all possible. Birds need bugs and if you give them a chance, birds will help establish a balance in your yard so you can avoid the use of insecticide.

Some of the main things to remember when feeding birds is to avoid overcrowding at feeders and to keep the feeders clean. Occasionally people will be encouraged to take their feeders down if there is a disease outbreak, such as Salmonella, which occurred recently when Pine Siskins were unusually abundant and were bringing the illness to bird feeding locations. Fortunately, that seems to have passed and we can once again resume feeding the birds.

Birds need shelter and homes. If your property is large enough, place bird houses for cavity-nesting birds like swallows, bluebirds, titmice and woodpeckers. We recommend contacting Redbud Audubon Society (redbud.audubon@gmailcom) for advice on the proper placement of birdhouses, or visit www.NestWatch.org. Creating a predator-safe location for your birdhouse is important, otherwise you will be setting up the nesting bird pair for their eggs and chicks to become prey. It is also important to clean out the birdhouses every year.

Try to provide as much shelter for birds as you safely can. With the high fire danger now present here, this needs to be carefully thought out. Shelter and nesting habitat should be a distance from the home and can consist of native less flammable shrubbery. Birds need places such as dense thickets for nesting, perching, and for escaping predators like raptors or cats.

Planting native plants and shrubs is especially valuable for birds. Toyon and Elderberry are excellent examples of two native shrubs that produce berries for birds to eat, but all shrubs do not have to be a native plant although they tend to do better in Lake County’s dry climate.

Safety is also an issue for songbirds. If you have freeroaming cats, consider enclosing an area for them or simply keep them inside. Windows, especially large plate-glass windows can be another hazard. Try not to place your feeders in direct flight line with a large window. There are also techniques to prevent birds from hitting windows. These “bird strikes,” kill millions of birds every year. Check out these websites for information on preventing bird strikes, creating bird friendly habitat, nest box placement and more: www.allaboutbirds. org. www.audubon.org, or www.NestWatch.org.

The next article will cover more ways to approach creating a bird-friendly yard by building a “Catio” for your house cat. Your cat will be happier and safer and so will your birds!

Editor’s Note: In recognition of Bird Appreciation Month in Lake County, the Redbud Audubon Society is providing articles suggesting ways to improve the life of birds here.