American robin. Photo Credit: Dave Menke, US Fish and Wildlife Service

In parts one and two, Wildlife Wednesday examined plants that provide natural forage for wildlife, as an alternative to feeding stations with expensive seed that may not be part of an animal’s native diet. Most animals also prefer to frequent habitats that have a source of water.

A water feature doesn’t need to be a large, complicated matter. The traditional dish on a pedestal birdbath suits birds’ needs quite well, as long as it is kept cleaned and filled. The pedestal keeps the birds safe from ground-based predators like cats while they bathe and drink. As pretty as glass birdbaths may be, they’re more aesthetic than functional. Bird feet don’t accommodate the smooth surface; in particular, perching birds like finches and robins prefer a surface they can grip. Stone or concrete is a better birdbath surface. There are alternatives for yards looking for a more natural look with fewer sculptural elements. (continue reading…)

Photo Credit: Joe Martin/US Fish and Wildlife Service

Last week, I looked at plants to attract birds without the traditional bird feeders with seeds or nectar. From planting seed-bearing and nectar-rich plants, it’s just a small step to attracting some interesting furred wildlife to observe along with the feathered friends.

Squirrels

Anyone who has put out a seed-filled bird feeder is probably acquainted with squirrels, and that there’s not really any such thing as a “squirrel-proof bird feeder.” A squirrel eats a lot of the same things that larger birds eat, and the plants for attracting birds will often naturally draw in squirrels, too. Seeds, nuts and fruits make up the bulk of squirrels’ diet, with tree buds and stored food in the winter. One of the surest ways to attract a resident squirrel is to plant a nut-producing tree; however, those take time to mature to nut-producing size. In addition to hazelnut and walnuts that can produce a tasty crop of homegrown nuts for you and the squirrels, oak trees and the acorns they produce are an excellent squirrel attractant, and a lovely shade tree. (continue reading…)

American robin. Photo Credit: Dave Menke, US Fish and Wildlife Service

In June, Wildlife Wednesday takes a look at turning your yard into a wildlife-friendly mini-sanctuary. By attracting wildlife for convenient viewing, you can introduce your kids to all sorts of animals from a safe distance. This week: attracting birds without a bird feeder.

Watching wildlife from the comfort of your living room is fun, but feeders full of seed, suet or artificial nectar may not be best for the birds.

Birds don’t generally become dependent on bird feeders; estimates are that birds get, at most, about 20% of their food from human-stocked feeders. Birdseed and suet cakes left out in winter can even help more songbirds survive when natural forage is scarce. (continue reading…)

Bald Eagle chicks. Photo Credit: Dave Menke/ US Fish and Wildlife Service

In May, Wildlife Wednesday looks at mothers of the animal kingdom. Animals in urban and suburban areas raise their young in close proximity to people, giving us a great vantage point to look at nature’s moms. However, some precautions are necessary to protect both you and the animals.

Keep Your Distance

Even if a juvenile animal appears to be alone, don’t approach. The mother is likely nearby, or out getting food for her young, and will return soon. In the animal world, humans are predators. Many animal moms respond to predator threats to their young by attacking, while others may abandon the nest, with or without the juveniles. If you would like to show young animals in nature to your kids, consider a good pair of binoculars or field glasses so you can see the babies from a distance that is safe for both you and the animals. With birds, after chicks have left the nest, you can remove vacated nests for kids to take a closer look at the different structures and nesting materials that different birds use, and you may be lucky enough to find eggshell remnants in or around the nest site. (continue reading…)

Photo Credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service

In May, Wildlife Wednesday looks at unique mothering styles in the animal kingdom. This week, we look at how polar bears deal with raising cubs in the harsh Arctic.

Like weasels, discussed last week, polar bears use delayed implantation to ensure that their pregnancies coincides with available food resources to nourish the unborn cubs. Polar bears mate in spring, and the mother polar bear “holds on” to the fertilized ova until after she’s fed through the summer and is ready to dig a maternity den for giving birth over winter.

Female polar bears dig maternity dens in the snowbanks or in permafrost near the edge of the sea, on land or in land-fast ice. Winter snows seal them into the den, where they give birth to 1-2 cubs and nurse them for several months, surviving off fat stores. The protected environment of the maternity den allows the cubs to mature so that they’re able to walk and learn to hunt by the time the family emerges from the den in the spring. (continue reading…)

Photo Credit: Steve Hillebrand/ US Fish and Wildlife Service

In May, Wildlife Wednesday looks at unique mothering styles in the animal kingdom. This week, we look at what it’s like being a pregnant weasel and new weasel mother.

Long-tailed weasels use delayed implantation. Though the gestation period for a weasel is about 279 days (roughly comparable to a human), the baby weasels are only implanted and developing for 27 of those days. (continue reading…)

American robin. Photo Credit: Dave Menke, US Fish and Wildlife Service

It’s Spring, and the birds are out, loud and clear. The sounds of geese overheard sound through the dusk, and in the morning the trees are alive with the endless chatter of new arrivals. If you’re like me, you have every intention and desire to learn more about all the birds that you see and hear, but you find yourself thoroughly overwhelmed. There’s so many darn birds, and maybe you can identify a Robin and that’s about all.

There’s a few things you can do to help yourself out as you try and become familiar with the birds around you: (continue reading…)