Attracting
Backyard Wildlife
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There are three essential factors in attracting wildlife to your yard: shelter, food, and water. I also let a part of my yard go WILD by leaving it alone. You can start by planting a wildflower garden one year then letting it grow wild. Adding a water source is also essential for attracting wildlife. I have found that providing a water source that includes flowing or trickling water works best. This way, the animals can hear the water and find it more easily.
| Water- Water sources can be a bird bath or a small backyard fish pond. One thing to take into consideration is the attraction to the sound of water .With a bird bath you must keep the water supply clean so disease does not occur or spread. Once established, a backyard pond requires minimal care if stocked with goldfish or koi . |
 Koi pond in my yard |
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Shelter-
Shelter can be natural cover such as bushes, trees or tall
grasses. Even allowing a dead tree to stand in your yard can serve as
shelter. Shelter can also be manmade such as a bat box or a flying squirrel nestbox. I have both in my backyard. The flying squirrel nest box has been occupied for several years. It is a fun to have in your yard. Most people have never seen a wild flying squirrel since they are small and nocturnal. If you knock on the box during the day they will usually peak out of the box or scurry up the tree for a minute or two. If you are interested in the specifics of how to build a flying squirrel nestbox , a batbox or even an owl box please feel free to email me at mywildyard@comcast.net
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Flying squirrel that lives in my nest box Flying squirrel nest box Batbox |
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Food-
I like to provide natural food sources to
attract wildlife to my yard, although I do have a birdfeeder and a
hummingbird feeder . If you choose to add these please be sure to keep them
clean with hot water and soap since large populations of birds come
and go which can easily spread disease. Natural food sources depend on what you are trying to attract. The majority of NJ Wildlife benefit from berry producing plants , fruit and nut trees and even vegetable or flower gardens. I like to plant a large crop of sunflowers. It is best to try and plant things that produce a food source at different times during the year. We have wild persimmon trees that hold their fruit well into the winter. Often on a cold moonlit night we will see raccoons high in the branches eating what is left
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Dead
trees known as a snag when left standing serve as a food source for
woodpeckers and other animals who eat the insects and then serve as shelter for cavity nesting
birds or even flying squirrels
