“Birds are good ecological indicators. If you have a diverse native bird population, it’s a sign that the ecosystem as a whole is healthy.” Convert your lawn to a beautiful, bird friendly garden. Biodiverse gardens provide the food niches, nesting sites, shelter, water, and safety that our native birds (and insects) need.

1. Gardening for the
Andy Morffew, Flickr
birds

2. What does a bird see?
Jerry McFarland, Flickr

3. no food
no water
no place to hide from predators
no shelter from storms
no place to build a nest
no insects to feed their young
poisoned with chemicals
lawns are largely useless to birds

4. Typical yards are
wastelands

5. Hedera.baltica, Flickr
Where have all the
house sparrows
gone?

6. Benjamin Smith, Flickr
Where have all the
insects
gone?

7. Jason Eppink, Flickr
45%decline
The Windshield Phenomenon

8. Keith Williams, Flickr
Populations of many insect eaters
have crashed

9. “Birds are
good ecological
indicators.
If you have a diverse
native bird population, it’s a
sign that the ecosystem as a
whole is healthy.”
~Douglas Tallamy
Kelly Colgan Azar, Flickr

10. Your yard
is an
ecosystem

11. With tremendous
potential

12. to make a difference

13. If designed for biodiversity

14. Erin Reed/Patterson Park Audubon
Even in small spaces

15. Mick Thompson, Flickr
Your garden can help
save the birds

16. Mike Keeling, Flickr
(and the bugs!)

17. Biodiverse habitats have feeding niches
Chloe Lam, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

18. Aerial insectivore: eats insects while flying (swallows)
Bark insectivore: eats insects on or behind bark (woodpeckers)
Upper canopy insectivore: eats insects high in trees (warblers)
Upper canopy grainivore: eats seeds high in trees (jays)
Upper canopy frugivore: eats fruit high in trees (orioles)
Lower canopy insectivore: eats insects in lower part of trees & shrubs (chickadees)
Lower canopy grainivore: eats seeds in lower part of trees & shrubs (cardinals)
Lower canopy frugivore: eats fruit in lower part of trees & shrubs (robins)
Ground insectivore: eats insects on ground (blackbirds)
Ground grainivore: eats seeds on ground (sparrows)
Ground frugivore: eats fruit on ground (finches)
Native Plant List for Breeding Birds, Credit Valley Conservation

19. Biodiverse habitats have nesting niches
Kent McFarland, Ryan Keene, Orientalizing, Flickr

20. Biodiverse habitats are layered
A Walk in the Woods Lesson Plan, Forest Nation

21. Biodiverse habitats maximize edges
Image: Open University

22. Biodiverse habitats are designed with
plant communities, not specimens
Image: Dave Jacke, Edible Forest Gardens

23. monocultural wasteland biodiverse ecosystem

24. Learn about our
ecosystem

25. The Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve
Baffinpaddler

26. Guy Mayer, Flickr
Mixed hardwood
Great Lakes-
St Lawrence
forest

27. Nature Conservancy of Canada & A Birding Parent
Limestone alvars of the
Napanee Plain

28. Ecotone known as
“The Land Between”
Dennis Barnes & The Land Between

29. Design principles for biodiversity
Design for four seasons
At least three roles for each plant
Plant densely using layers (in plant communities) instead of specimens
Prioritize native plants
Conserve and offer water
Provide habitat for breeding
Provide shelter & safety
Maximize edges
Create micro habitats
See the beauty in biodiversity

30. Carolyn Lehrke, Flickr
Design for four
seasons

31. Flowering trees, food, water & shelter
for spring migrants
John Sutton, Flickr

32. Food, water and nesting sites for
breeding birds in summer
Chris Favero, Flickr

33. Berries, seeds, water, late blooms &
leaf litter for fall migrants
JanetandPhil, Flickr

34. Food, water and shelter for
overwintering birds
Wild Birds Unlimited

35. Colleen Preato, Flickr
At least three roles
for each
plant

36. Mike Thompson, Flickr

37. fishhawk, Flickr

38. Lake and Wetland Ecosystems & Marilylle Soveran, Flickr

39. Vicky DeLoach, Tim Kearney, Flickr

40. Plant densely using
layers

41. Canopy provides sense of permanence,
structure, privacy

42. Understory adds texture, colour, scent
and berries

43. Massed perennials weave everything
together

44. Vines provid vertical interest as well as
nectar, fruit & seeds

45. Groundcovers, grasses & sedges fill gaps

46. Funghi partner with plants
m.shattock, Flickr

47. Conserve & offer
water

48. Rain gardens collect water, provide
food & offer shelter

49. Ponds offer a place for drinking,
bathing & nesting

50. Bubble rocks (moving water)
attract migrants
Birds in the Yard

51. Prioritize native plants
Martin LaBar, Flickr

52. Oak (Quercus)
supports 534 species of caterpillars
Maple (Acer)
Canopy trees for nectar, nuts, seeds
Lisa Culp, National Wildlife Photo Contest & Michael Klotz, Flickr

53. Black cherry (Prunus serotina)
supports 456 species of caterpillar
Spruce & pine (Picea & Pinus)
As well as fruit and insects
Wendy Cutler & Keith Williams, Flickr

54. Mountain ash (Sorbus americana) Crabapples (Malus species)
Small trees for migrating birds
Keith Williams & jeffreyw, Flickr

55. Mulberry (Morus rubra) Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)
Small trees for breeding birds
Carolyn Lehrke & Kelly Colgan Azar, Flickr

56. Chokeberry (Aronia)
Shrubs for migrating birds
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Matthew Beziat & Tatters, Flickr

57. Dogwood (Cornus species)
Shrubs for migrating birds
Nannyberry & other Viburnum species
Andrey Zharkikh & John Benson, Flickr

58. Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Serviceberries (Amelanchier species)
Shrubs for breeding birds
Mwms1916 & USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Flickr

59. Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) Pussy willow (Salix discolor)
Shrubs for breeding birds
Mt. Cuba Center & Jolene Knapp, Flickr

60. Elderberry (Sambucus species) Wild black currant (Ribes americanum)
Shrubs for breeding birds
Gale & Dan Mullen, Flickr

61. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
Shrubs for winter
Dee_dee_creamer & CAJC: in the Rockies, Flickr

62. Highbush cranberry (Viburnum opulus spp. trilobum) Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
Shrubs for winter
Thomas Barta, Flickr & Bonnie Michell

63. Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Vines for nectar & fruit
BudOhio, Flickr

64. Riverbank grape (Vitis riparia) American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens)
Vines for nectar & fruit
Miles Hearn, Flickr & Michael Q. Powell

65. And masses of
densely planted
perennials

66. Asters (Symphyotrichum species) Milkweed (Asclepias)
Perennials for sun

67. Indian Blanket (Gaillardia)Globe thistle (Echinops sphaerocephalus)
Perennials for sun

68. Lupins (Lupinus perennis) Coreopsis species
Perennials for sun

69. Sunflowers (Helianthus species) Blue anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Perennials for sun
www.GlynLowe.com & Nèg Foto, Flickr

70. Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa)
Perennials for part sun
Black eyed susans (Rudbeckia species)

71. Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Perennials for part sun
Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’)
Vicki DeLoach, Flickr

72. Perennials for part sun
Ironweed (Vernonia missurica)
Vicki DeLoach, Flickr
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

73. Fringed bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia)
Perennials for shade
White wood aster (Eurybia divaricata)
Carol Jacobs-Carre & Mets501, Wikipedia

74. Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Perennials for shade
Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Vicki DeLoach & Rich Herrman, Flickr

75. Alumroot (Heuchera americana)
Perennials for shade
Solomon's seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Cliff Hutson & Shihmei Barger 舒詩玫, Flickr

76. Field pussytoes (Antennaria neglecta)Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
Groundcovers for sun
John Rusk & Erutuon, Flickr

77. Barren strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides )
Groundcovers for shade
Waldsteinia, Wikipedia & Joshua Mayer, Flickr
Canada wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

78. Grasses for sun
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

79. Grasses for sun
Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) Canada wild rye (Elymus canadensis)
K M & USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Flickr

80. Grasses for part shade
Wild oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) Bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix)
Danny Barron & Will Pollard, Flickr

81. Sedges for sun or part shade
Gray’s sedge (Carex grayi) Plantain sedge (Carex plantaginea)

82. Provide habitat for
breeding
Matt Niemi, Flickr

83. Safe nesting sites
Birds & Blooms

84. Nest building materials

85. Peter, Flickr
GLLpmj, Flickr Eric Bégin, Flickr
Vancouver Island BIrds
Luann Carlson

86. Food for chicks
Mark Levine-Clark, Flickr

87. 96% of birds feed
their chicks
insects
coniferconifer, Flickr

88. Bluebirds: grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, larvae, moths
Cardinals: beetles, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, stinkbugs, snails
Chickadees: aphids, whitefly, scale, caterpillars, ants, earwigs
Grosbeaks: larvae, caterpillars, beetles
Nuthatches: tree and shrub insects such as borers, caterpillars, ants and earwigs
Oriole: caterpillars, larvae, beetles, grasshoppers
Sparrows: beetles, caterpillars, cutworms
Swallows: moths, beetles, grasshoppers
Titmice: aphids, leafhoppers, caterpillars, beetles
Warblers: caterpillars, aphids, whitefly
Woodpeckers: larvae, beetles, weevils, borers

89. To feed the birds, first feed the bugs

90. Provide
shelter
& safety
Poronto's Birding Macomb Township and Beyond

91. Dense cover for protection from
predators

92. Evergreens for shelter
in storms
Stephen Little, Flickr

93. Thickets & hedgerows are irresistible

94. Corridors offer safe passage

95. Consider the
edge effect

96. Edges create ecotones with greater
biodiversity

97. Use paths, patios and groundcovers to
create low horizontal edges

98. Use walls, fences and trellises to create
vertical edges

99. Design transitions from forest, to
understory to meadow

100. Use curves to maximize edges

101. Create micro
habitats
Putneypics, Flickr

102. Ingrid Taylar, Flickr
Dust baths for cleaning

103. Brush piles for shelter & foraging
Dark-eyed Junco. Christine Haines, Great Backyard Bird Count

104. Leaf litter for foraging
Elizabeth Fedorko

105. Stumps & snags for insects, shelter, nests

106. Stones for foraging. shelter...

107. and safe perches

108. Weed patch for nectar, seeds & insects

109. See the
beauty
in biodiversity

111. Kentish Plumber, Flickr

116. Adams, George. Gardening for the Birds: How to Create a Bird-Friendly Backyard. Timber Press. 2013.
Birds & Blooms. Plants that Attract Birds in All Seasons.
City of Guelph. Healthy Landscapes Plant List.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Best Trees, Vines, And Shrubs To Plant For Birds: A Starter List.
Credit Valley Conservation. Native Plant List for Breeding Birds.
Credit Valley Conservation. Native Plant List for Migrating Birds.
Darke, Rick. The American Woodland Garden. Timber Press. 2002.
Darke, Rick and Tallamy, Douglas. The Living Landscape. Tiimber Press. 2014.
David, Sharon. Wildlife in My Backyard Part 1: Attracting Winter Birds and Bird Feeding.
David, Sharon. Wildlife in My Backyard Part 2: Trees and Shrubs as Natural Food.
Evergreen. Recommended Plant Lists ON - Mixedwood Plains.
Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Creating a hedgerow for wildlife.
Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Planting the urban landscape: Selected trees and shrubs for birds.
Thomas, Christopher. Garden Revolution. Timber Press. 2016.
References