March 12th, 2010
Some of us have already had a wonderful taste of spring with temps in the 70s! If you’re not inspired yet to take another look at your backyard, start thinking now about all the advantage of attracting wildlife like butterflies.
A space as small as your backyard can be a haven for wildlife, if you let it. Animals in cities and residential areas may depend on backyards as part of their habitat. If you’ve never taken steps to make your space more inviting to birds, 
squirrels and other wildlife, consider a couple of the benefits:
• Curb appeal — If wildlife finds your yard appealing, chances are, potential buyers might as well.
Attention to landscaping such as shrubs and native plants not only provides cover for wildlife, but it improves the appearance of your property.
• Relaxation — When you see butterflies and chipmunks enjoying your work, you’ll likely feel a sense of peace. Watching wildlife can also help relieve stress. And with an attractive yard, you’ll need only step outside. No drive to the park required.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) even has a program for making your yard a Certified Wildlife Habitat!
NWF recommends providing food for wildlife. Feeders are very nice, but you can also choose native plants and trees that provide berries, seeds, nuts and nectar. For more guidance on bird feeding and natural sources of bird food, visit Audubon. NWF is a great place to visit if you’re looking for a nectar recipe for hummingbird feeders.
Food is appreciated, but water is even more crucial. Besides, isn’t it fun to watch birds bathe? For great water sources, NWF suggests bird baths, installed ponds or rain gardens.
Creating cover for wildlife is another important step. Do you have room for a new tree or a simple birdhouse? How about a wildflower garden where butterflies can lay their eggs? Water gardens, rock piles and bramble patches are also good cover for creatures.
An essential part of making your yard wildlife and pet friendly is reducing or eliminating toxic pesticide use, particularly on lawns. Audubon offers tips on how you can reduce your pesticide use, including killing weeds in driveway cracks with boiling water. Many natural methods of weed and pest control are much less expensive than pesticides!
Have you tried to attract wildlife to your yard lately?
(Image via stock.xchng )
Filed under Pets + Animals | Comments (2)
most of the bird food that we have are just sunflower seeds, birds love sunflower seeds””‘
sunflower seeds are great as a bird food because it is nutritious and cheap `