Since more and more, wildlife is being squeezed out of their homes and habitat by development, we can help by sharing our yards with them. They need a safe area where no pesticides are used, shelter, food and water are available. A wide diversity of plants attract the most wildlife. Berry-bearing bushes which will ensure the presence of birds, vines for concealment, water, seed heads for winter food, and thickets for safe nesting places. Many plants which we call weeds are important wildlife food.

Native shrubs provide food for many birds. Berry bearing shrubs such as gray dogwood, elderberry, purple flowering raspberry, chokecherry are all found locally growing wild. These shrubs can be divided into summer fruit, ( such as raspberry, black cherry, serviceberry and elderberry), and fall fruit. Summer fruit is eaten very quickly. Some fall fruit is said to be high quality, and contains fat, providing energy for the long distance migration of birds. These may sometimes taste bitter, but are voraciously eaten by migrants: examples are sassafras, gray- stemmed dogwood and virginia creeper. The other category is low quality fall fruit which usually taste sweet, but are ignored in the fall, often hanging on the bush until spring, when they are eaten up by the returning migrants. Examples of these are mountain ash, winterberry, chokecherry and cedar. The fat content of the high quality fruit is 20 - 30%, that of the low quality usually less than 10%. Birds preparing for migration store fat under their wings and near the heart.

Nesting sites are also helpful. Some birds naturally nest in holes in dead trees, but as most of these are removed for reasons of safety or esthetics, natural holes always scarce in gardens. Nesting boxes can substitute, but the most common cavity nesters in our gardens are house sparrows and starlings who themselves are not native to North America, but came with European settlers. They soon outcompeted many local species such as bluebirds, wrens, woodpeckers and tree swallows. We do not need to encourage these aggressive and opportunistic species. Unless you live in a treed or wooded area or in an area of open fields, you are unlikely to attract anything other than sparrows and starlings with nest boxes. However, thicket-forming plants such as gray dogwood can help provide concealment for some nesting species from the marauding blue jay and grackle, also for some species such as song sparrows which are a favourite host for the cowbird. This bird, which used to follow the bison herds, eating the insects stirred up by the animals, found it convenient to leave the business of raising their young to other species. Once a cowbird egg hatches, it usually dumps out the other eggs and nestlings. Brush piles may attract carolina wrens which nest in this area, and are valuable when quick dashes to safety may save small birds from hawks or other predators. Many people worry that brush piles attract rats; in fact it is only the presence of human food and refuse, or grain from domestic animal feed, which attracts rats.

Another important provision for birds is drinking water, clean and in a safe position. A bird bath away from plants which may conceal cats will be much appreciated. In hot weather birds often have to travel considerable distances to drink. It is not a good idea to use a water heater in winter, as birds may bathe in the water, which then freezes on the feathers, often preventing a quick getaway, and sometimes causing death. Shelter in winter is provided by conifers, especially closely-foliaged ones like cedars and junipers. This is another place where small birds can quickly retreat to if danger threatens.