Archives

HAVE YOUR NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS DISAPPEARED?

Dec28

       Mockingbirds are common permanent residents across the Peach State.  In spite of this, many mockingbirds do not inhabit some backyards during the winter.  Did they migrate? No. Well, if they did not migrate, why did they leave and where they go?

       Look around your yard; if you do not see any berries or fruits on the plants in your yard right now, chances are birds have set up winter-feeding territories that do include plants that produce fruits and berries that persist into the winter.

      It seems that during the warm months of the year invertebrates make up the bulk of the mocker’s diet.  As soon as the days and nights get colder and insects are difficult to find the birds’ diet primarily consists of fruits and berries.  Consequently, if your yard does not contain plants that display berries and fruit, mockingbirds will set up a feeding territory that has plenty for them to eat.

       While both a male and female, will often defend the same winter-feeding territory, sometimes a single male or female will defend its own territory.

              If you want to retain mockingbirds throughout the winter, the best thing you can do is to plant a variety of shrubs, vines and trees that produce an abundance of winter foods. Here are just a few examples of some of these valuable winter food plants:  American holly, native hawthorns, Virginia creeper, Callaway crabapple, smooth sumac, American beautyberry and hackberry.

       If you successfully establish a variety of these winter fruit and berry-producing plants, chances are you will be able to enjoy the handsome beauty and songs of this popular bird throughout the entire year.

      

BACKYARD SECRET – BIRDS PREFER AMERICAN HOLLY BERRIES

Dec17

      Nowadays, homeowners are including hybrid and exotic hollies in their home landscapes more often than American holly (Ilex opaca).  However, if you are interested in adding an attractive evergreen tree that bears shiny red fruit that is relished by 29 species of birds, you would be better off, planting America holly than an exotic or hybrid holly.

       In addition, American holly berries typically have more nutritive value than the berries of nonnative hollies. This can be critical for birds that birds that forage for food throughout the winter.

       While some hybrid cultivars may be an exception to that rule, based on my experience the berries found on other hollies are often ignored or only eaten when American berries have all been eaten.

       Another reason why the berries found exotic and hybrid hollies are not consumed as often as American hollies – they are too large for some birds to swallow.

       Finally, American holly is an important addition to backyards because it serves as the primary host plant for the Henry’s elfin butterfly and is often used a host plant for the holly sallow moth.

BACKYARD SECRET – MOST EXOTIC PLANTS IN OUR YARDS HAVE LITTLE OR NO FOOD VALUE FOR NATIVE WILDLIFE

Nov19

       Some experts say that at least 80 percent of the plants growing in our yards are exotics that have little or no food value for native wildlife. This has contributed to the decline in native plant and animal populations in suburban settings. 

       Just one example of this is studies have shown there is 35 times more caterpillar biomass in native woody vegetation than is found in exotic woody plants.  This is important because caterpillars are a key source of food for many wild animals.  For example, 96 percent of terrestrial birds eat caterpillars.

       With this in mind, if you are interested in increasing the variety and numbers of native animals in your yard, expand the number and diversity of native woody plants that grow on your property.

FLOWERING DOGWOOD

TWO LATE AUGUST POLLINATOR FAVORITES

Aug11

        By this time of the year, gardens are often losing their value to pollinators day by day.  The reason for this is many of the plants we plant for their beauty and ability to provide pollinators with nectar and pollen have already stopped blooming.  This is unfortunate because butterflies, bees and other pollinators still desperately need sources of food.  Consequently, if you spot bees and butterflies flying about your yard vainly looking for flowers, don’t let this happen again. With that in mind, I suggest that next spring you add some nectar plants that continue to bloom until frost. Two of the best are purple coneflower and cosmos.

       Both bloom throughout the summer into the fall. They are also hardy. In addition, birds will eat the seeds produced by both plants.  Although a number of birds eat the seeds, American goldfinches are especially fond of them.

BLACK-EYED SUSAN – A NATIVE PLANT OF VALUE TO WILDLIFE THAT CAN BE GROWN IN CONTAINERS

Apr23

        If you are looking for a native plant that can be grown in containers, is both beautiful, hardy, and benefits wildlife too,  the Black-eyed Susan  (Rudbeckia spp.)  just might fit the bill.

       My wife and I have grown Black-eyed Susans in containers on our deck for several years.  The tall plants produce a profusion of gorgeous long-lasting blooms.  While the blossoms are visited by pollinators, I would not call it a butterfly magnet.  This is because, at best, butterflies only sparingly nectar at the large blossoms.  The pollinators I see most often on our plants in search of nectar and pollen are small, solitary bees.

       In addition, the Black-eyed Susan is a host plant for the Silvery Checkerspot butterfly.  Well after the plant’s blossoms have withered and died, a number of songbirds eat plant’s seeds.

       The fact the plant is deer resistant make a favorite among gardeners plagued by hungry deer.

THE COMMON BLUE VIOLET – A GREAT CONTAINER PLANT

Apr2

       If you are looking for a native plant that does well in containers, consider the common blue violet Viola sororia).

       This Georgia native grows throughout the state; it has attractive heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous blooms.  Typically, the plant’s flowers are blue-violet; however, they are sometimes pink, purple, white and yellow.

       One of the neat things about this violet is it is also a super wildlife plant.  It is a host plant for 29 species of moths and butterflies including the giant leopard moth and variegated fritillary butterfly.

    

       It also produces nectar used by sweat and mason bees, and even ruby-throated hummingbirds.

       The common blue violet’s seeds are eaten by juncos and sparrows.

       In my neck of the woods (middle Georgia), it blooms from as early as February into August.

       To top it all off, even gardeners that do not have a green thumb can grow this plant.

       If you try it, I am sure you will like it.

BEEBALM IS A HUMMINGBIRD, BEE AND BUTTERFLY MAGNET

Mar26

       Beebalm (Monardo didyma) is also known as Oswego tea or monarda), is a plant that anyone trying to attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators need to plant in their backyard. This perennial native is easy grow and produces flowers from June into September.  It grows to a height of one to five feet.  Beebalm grows best in moist to dry soil types.  It will grow in partial shade to full sun.

       The plant’s flowers attract a number of species of butterflies ranging from the eastern tiger swallowtail, and fritillaries, to whites and sulphurs.  It is also visited by snowberry clearwing moths (better known as hummingbird moths).

       Some of the native bees attracted to the plant are sweat bees, carpenter bees, digger bees, leaf-cutter bees and mason bees.

       After the colorful blooms die, American goldfinches, sparrows and others eat beebalm seeds.

AMERICAN ROBINS EAT LOTS OF FRUITS AND BERRIES IN FALL AND WINTER

Oct28

       Earthworms and other invertebrates make up a significant portion of the American Robin’s summer diet. However since invertebrates become more difficult to for the birds to find during fall and winter, how to these familiar backyards birds cope with the scarcity of these important foods?

       The answer is they change their diet.  This begins to take place late summer.  By winter, fruits and berries comprise 80 percent of the birds’ diet.  Here is a list of some of the native plants that bear fruits or berries eaten by American Robins during the coldest months of the year:  possumhaw, American holly, flowering dogwood, winged sumac, American beautyberry, pokeberry, sassafras, poison ivy, and viburnum.

       If you have been wondering why you do not see many robins in your yard during the fall and winter, it could not many of these plants grow on your property.  If that proves to be the case, some of the plants mentioned above might work well in your landscape.  If they do, some of them to your backyard plant community.

EYE-CATCHING AMERICAN BEAUTYBERRIES ARE CURRENTLY HEADLINERS

Sep4

      The plants that catch my eye every time I step into my backyard during this, the first week of September, are American Beautyberries (Callicarpa Americana).  The reason for this is their stems are covered with clusters of round, magenta berries (actually called drupes).  I know of no other native berries that have such a unique color.

       If you had gazed on them in spring and early summer, you would not believe these are the same plants.  Before the American beautyberry is festooned with clumps of magenta berries, they are unimpressive plants that blend into the landscape.  Now however, their transformation into beautiful shrubs make it impossible not to notice them.  Since these berries are beginning to disappear, it is obvious that wild birds have also noticed them.  More than 40 species of birds dine on the colorful drupes.  Some of the birds than dine on them in my backyard are gray catbirds, northern mockingbirds, northern cardinals, and house finches.

       American beautyberries also provide food for migrating warblers and other Neotropical migrants.  I must admit that I have never seen what I was certain was a bird on migration eating beautyberries in my hard.  However, one migrant I would love to see do so is the black-throated blue warbler.  The drupes of the American beautyberry are said to be a favorite food of this colorful bird.

       If this short Georgia native shrub is not growing in your yard, you might consider adding one or more to your home landscape.  It will grow in both moist and dry sites, is hardy, and drought tolerant.  The only negative thing I can say about this native is that it has a tendency to spread away from where it is planted.  However, if volunteers sprout in spots where you don’t want them, they are easy to control.

 

 

 

WAXMYRTLE – GREAT FOR WILDLIFE AND BIRDS TOO

Jan14

      The southern waxmyrtle (Morella cerifera) is a great evergreen shrub or small tree for Georgia backyards.  The plant is attractive and provides food and cover for birds and other wildlife.

       Since this Georgia native grows 3-5  feet a year and can reach a height of 15 feet or more, it can be used to create an ideal natural privacy fence.  If you use it for this purpose, place the transplants 4-5 feet part at least 5 feet from your property line.

       The shrub’s thick foliage creates super nesting sites for birds as well as a place to escape severe weather and predators.

       Female plants produce  1/8” purplish berries that at least 42 species of birds eat.  Some of the birds that dine on waxmyrtle berries are gray catbirds, eastern bluebirds, ruby-crowned kinglets, eastern towhees and the yellow-rumped warblers.  In fact, before the bird’s name was changed, it was known as the myrtle warbler because it eats lots of waxmyrtle berries in the winter.

       Keep in mind only female plants produce the berries. Consequently, if you want your waxmyrtles to produce berries for birds, you must plant at least one male plant.  One male will pollinate all of the female plants within a 40-foot radius.  The problem is most of the plants you purchase will be females.  As such, make sure the folks that sell you your waxmyrtles are supplying you at with at least one male.

       I hope you will give waxmyrtle a try.  It will grow in a wide range of soil types, requires little maintenance and is attractive. What more can you ask?