Landscaping for Florida Fauna

One of my favorite classes to teach is about Florida-Friendly Landscaping Principle No. 5: Attract Wildlife. Many fascinating and beautiful animals in our area would benefit from a few simple adjustments. Though my focus for this article is on birds, provisions made for one will automatically help other wildlife as well. September is a great month to explore this practice. Preparations made starting now will provide safe travel, shelter, food, and water for resident and migratory birds.

Safe travel is a primary concern for all birds, so manage domesticated animals, pet food, and pesticide use accordingly. Cats are the usual suspects, but do not rule out dogs, which also like to hunt. Keep pet food inside; raccoons, rats, and squirrels thrive on the kindness of well-meaning people. Reduce your pesticide use. If necessary, spot-treat with a soft pesticide. Birds seeking passage or refuge in your landscape will be grateful for the reprieve.

Providing shelter can be as easy as installing a birdhouse, leaving a dead tree in place, or increasing vertical plant layers. Select a birdhouse based on the type of bird desired. Pay careful attention to installation height. If possible, allow a snag (dead tree) to remain standing or lying down in the landscape, as dead or decaying wood provides shelter for many species of birds. Bonus points if a brush pile or two are added to the space.

Different sizes and heights of plants provide cover and feeding opportunities for birds. Many hedge lines can be enhanced by adding trios or quartets of pretty perennials. Flower beds under large trees can accommodate a few medium-tall shade-loving shrubs in addition to the low-growing perennials. If you notice a need to add plants, try a few of our lovely natives. Carefully select the plants you want to see, since you will be living with them as well.

Snags and native plants also provide food. Bird feeders can be added to supplement feeding needs. This is another way to select the kind of bird you want to encourage in your yard. Tube, hopper, platform, nyjer seed, suet, nectar, and fruit feeders give food to specific types of birds.

Incorporate a few natives in your seasonal landscaping plantings. Adorn a large tree with trailing vines, a few shrubs, and clumps of wildflowers. These plants offer nectar, seeds, fruits, and insects to birds. Feeders can be messy, and plants acting as hosts to insects can appear ragged; tolerance of these issues can be increased by mindful arrangement. A feeder can be placed in an obscure place or above a pretty potted garden to catch seed trash. Mix clumps of host plants with clumps of nectar plants to hide insect damage. Resident and migrating birds welcome any effort that aids their nutritional health.

Water is a basic need for all living things. Share water in a birdbath, a shallow dish, or even a fountain. Place water in a relatively shaded area, but not too close to shrubs, where lurking predators can pounce. Still water should be flushed out at least once a week in cooler months and at least twice weekly in warmer times. It is best not to offer water if you will not be able to manage it, as dirty birdbaths can spread diseases among birds and encourage insect pests. The sound of water trickling from a fountain increases the likelihood of birds visiting and remaining in your landscape. No matter how you present the water, birds will rest, drink, and bathe with glee.

September is smooth and will be over before you know it. Prepare for a delightful outdoor entertainment season in which the birds are sure to offer a show. October begins the decrease in temperature as well as daylight hours, presenting the perfect opportunity to water your landscape more efficiently. Join us in our endeavors to save a billion gallons of water this fall and winter.

Nickie Munroe is an environmental horticulture agent with the University of Florida’s IFAS Indian River County Extension.