CAROL OF THE BIRDS
Los Angeles Zoo bird curator Mike Maxcy believes small changes can have a huge effect — in the garden and in wildlife.
“Habitat loss is the worst, but you can mitigate it,” he said. “During this time of year we have a mass migration of birds from the Pacific Flyway. It’s important to remember that there are small things we can do to help them.”
Prompted by 2018’s designation as the Year of the Bird, the zoo planted six bird-friendly demonstration gardens earlier this year in an effort to create a template for visitors to use in their yard, patio or porch at home.
The small, inconspicuous gardens are planted in underused pockets throughout the zoo. Each is marked with a sign representing California, Baja California, South America, Australasia, North America or Africa as well as plant identification and pictures of birds you might spot in the garden. If not for the signs and nest boxes, you might not notice them — and that’s significant. “We want visitors to see firsthand that it’s not complicated to help birds,” Maxcy said. “You don’t need a lot of space.”
Logs, bushes and decaying plant matter offer birds protection from predators while attracting high-protein bugs for them to eat. “So many organisms can live on leaf litter,” Maxcy said.
Nest boxes offer shelter, and water features provide birds a place to bathe and drink. (Tip: Don’t place bird baths near windows, which birds might crash into.)
“Everything is so dry,” Maxcy said. “Any kind of water feature is going to be a lifesaver.”
The zoo has shared its plant lists to inspire bird-friendly gardens at home. Plant these low-water plants and prepare to see hummingbirds, spotted towhee, mockingbirds, dark-eyed junco, hermit thrush and a sparrow or two.