by Elsa Watson, West Sound Wildlife Development Coordinator, October 24, 2012, 9:17 a.m.
If having a yard full of living things sounds exciting to you, you’re in good company. Bainbridge Islanders have long cherished the wildlife that flocks to our yards. When the National Wildlife Federation began its campaign to designate yards, schools, and businesses as Certified Wildlife Habitats, ours was one of the first cities to get on board. Connie Waddington and Katya Bridwell spearheaded the project and helped Bainbridge Island become the 39th Certified Community Wildlife Habitat in the country.
Our island is filled with amazing wildlife. We’re incredibly lucky, in this neck of the woods, to be able to see bald eagles, gold finches, squirrels, and hummingbirds right in our yards. If we plan our yards with wildlife in mind, we can attract even more animals—chipmunks, owls, foxes, hawks, and deer. Our yards can become miniature ecosystems where species keep one another in balance—the bats and swallows eat the mosquitoes, the coyotes eat the rats and mice.
What can you do if you’d like to certify your yard, or just attract more wildlife? You just need to focus on three key things, the same things humans need to survive: food, water, and shelter.
Food
Providing food sources for wildlife can be as simple as regularly hanging out a bird feeder full of seeds and nuts. But the most sustainable way to provide food for wildlife is to plant native trees and shrubs. Thimbleberry, salmonberry, Oregon grape, elderberry, and salal all provide tasty food for birds and wild animals. Evergreen trees offer pine cones. Deer and other animals like to eat the tender new shoots of native foliage. Certain flowers attract hummingbirds and other bird species.
One important note: If you put out a bird feeder, be sure to clean it regularly. Wooden feeders need to be scrubbed with hot water and soap. Plastic or metal feeders can be washed with a mild bleach solution. If seed is left in an uncleaned feeder, it can become moldy and cause deadly fungal infections in the birds that eat it. In the winter when we have heavy rain and occassional snow, seed that has fallen onto the ground can also rot and kill the birds that eat it. It’s best to regularly rake up seed on the ground.
Water
Having a water source is critical. Without it, wildlife may pass through your yard for a quick snack, but they won’t stick around. If you have a pond or stream in your yard, that’s a wonderful, natural water source. But even a water feature that you fill yourself, like a bird bath or fountain, will provide a refreshing drink for wildlife. Just be sure to keep it filled and clean, especially during dry stretches.
Shelter
Birds and animals are using your yard as more than just a snacking and drinking station. They live there. And to attract and help them feel comfortable, you need to give them cover from predators. With enough cover, the wildlife may even decide to build a nest and raise babies. Examples of things that provide good cover include a thicket, rock pile, unused wood or brush pile, bird house, or frog or toad house. On Bainbridge, many people have dense tangles of Himalayan blackberries that provide good protection for birds and small mammals.
Creating a wildlife habitat is a fun activity for the whole family and a great way to get kids interested in nature. Talk to your kids about what wild animals need to survive and be happy. You can walk through your yard together, identifying things that offer food or shelter. This also is a great chance to talk to your kids about how to live side by side with wildlife.
To certify your yard as a backyard habitat, you need to provide three sources of food (natural or supplemental), one water source, two areas of cover, and two areas where wildlife could raise young. More than 200 Bainbridge homes are already certified, plus over five schools and five businesses. Becoming certified is easy—just visit www.westsoundwildlife.org/BackyardHabitat and follow the links to the National Wildlife Federation website. It’s a privilege to have wild birds and mammals in our yards. With just a little effort, you can encourage them to stay.
Want to make a donation, or have you found an injured animal? Contact West Sound Wildlife Shelter at 206-855-9057.
Learn about Elsa Watson’s book Dog Days.
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Photos courtesy of West Sound Wildlife Shelter.
