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Wildlife Basics
6 Places Not to Install a Wildlife Feeder, House, or Birdbath
Where should you NOT install a feeder, birdhouse, or birdbath?
How Do I Start to Attract Wildlife in the Middle of the Summer? 3 Easy Ways to Attract Wildlife Now
Butterfly on Flowering Container
Has the bug to attract wildlife just bitten you? Or has circumstances overrun your plans for wildlife this year?
Want a Water Feature But Have No Way to Supply Water? 5 Cordless Water Feature Styles
Cast Iron Cranes Birdbath with Water Wiggler
Do you want a water feature to attract wild birds to your porch, patio, deck, or balcony?
Does where you live prevent you from a hooking up a water line or power line to your fountain, sprayer, or other water feature?
You still have plenty of choices when it comes to water features -- some solar, some battery-powered.
5 Steps to Prepare Your Wildlife Space If You're Going to Be Busy
Is your life about to become very busy? Wondering how you're going to keep your small outdoor space for wildlife going?
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers up a clear, short, detailed article on attracting wildlife to small spaces.
This pamphlet is designed to give you ideas on how to turn your porch, deck or window into a wildlife garden, with helpful hints on how to arrange food, water and shelter elements of habitat for wildlife in small spaces. Songbirds, butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and moths comprise the majority of wildlife species that will visit a porch, deck or window wildscape.
How Much of a Danger Do Cats Pose to Wild Birds and Other Wildlife?
Cats eat birds.
Yes, some cats will never kill a bird, like a cat kept entirely indoors, but outdoors cats - both domesticated and feral - hunt and kill birds.
But how much of an impact do these cats make?
Have Fun Certifying Your Porch, Patio, Deck, or Balcony as a Wildlife Habitat
Want a specific goal in attracting wildlife?
Certify your small outdoor space - porch, patio, deck, balcony, or backyard - as a wildlife habitat.
The National Wildlife Federation is arguably the leader in backyard or small space wildlife habit certification. They have tons of information to make it easier for you to attract wildlife to your small porch, patio, deck, or balcony.
Watching wildlife in action can be fun and relaxing for everyone. Your habitat may attract beautiful songbirds, butterflies, frogs, and other interesting wildlife for viewing from your very own window...
Once your habitat is certified by NWF, you can order and display an attractive Certified Wildlife Habitat sign to convey your commitment to wildlife conservation and the environment, and help you spread the word to your neighbors.
Welcoming Wildlife to the Garden: Creating Backyard and Balcony Habitats for Wildlife
This book
Want to mount a bird feeder to your deck? Looking for a simple hook to clamp to your deck railing?
This angled deck rail hook could meet your needs.
A Summary of Migrating Wildlife You May See Outside Your Home in Springtime
Now that spring is on its way here in North America, what returning or new visitors could you see around your wildlife porch, patio, deck, balcony, or other small outdoor space?
Help the organization Journey North to track migrations and signs of spring.
Container Water Gardens for Attracting Wildlife in Small Areas: 4 Considerations
Do you want to attract wildlife with a water garden but live with a small outdoor space?
Think about these 4 considerations for container water gardening.
Instructions on building a small container water garden.
Container water gardening instructions, with a select plant list.
Pond Lifestyles brings you information on types of container water gardens and how to build them
When creating a water garden from scratch, you are in essence taking 'dead' tap water and bringing it to life, establishing an entire ecosystem of water, plants, bacteria and other critters. In order to create a healthy environment for the plants and fish, several elements are needed to keep it in balance.
if Winter temperatures remain above 20 degrees F the whole time, you can leave your containers outdoors. It is recommended you bury them in the ground nearly to the top rim, with the idea being that minimal frost depths will allow your containers to maintain a more consistent temperature.
4 Links to Articles on Balconies and Wildlife
Looking for information about wildlife balconies?
If you or a friend have a balcony and are interested in attracting wild birds and other wildlife, here are a few links for your reading pleasure.
Also posted separately
Birders who have only a window or a small apartment balcony may still be able to attract a few birds to their tiny habitat.
...one couple's 25 square-foot balcony is strung with four hanging feeders that lure pine siskins, cardinals, redpolls, blue jays and a half-dozen other kinds of birds. The couple have also put out hummingbird and oriole feeders, and have created a small garden of columbine, lobelia and other flowers, plus red-twig dogwood and other plants that provide food or shelter for wildlife.
...you don't need a large garden to succeed. Even if you have a rootfop [sic] garden, or a small apartment balcony, using a little effort and bit of creativity can transform your balcony into a wildlife haven.
No matter how big or small your balcony is, you can turn it into an outdoor living space with a few key items...Even if we didn’t use the space much over the winter, the birds did. Our job was to keep the feeder filled, that’s all
What's My Dream Wildlife Porch? Part 5: Shelter
This is the fifth in a series on ideas for a dream wildlife deck. This week, I'm focusing on providing shelter for wildlife. I'll provide homes for at least wild birds, bats, and orchard mason bees. I'll also put up roosts for wild birds in cold weather.
Want to know what birds, butterflies, or amphibians can be seen in your area? What a particular bird sounds like? How to garden for wildlife? What critters are endangered in your area? Information about birding? Parks for wildlife? Frequently asked questions?
eNature has quality answers to the above, and more.
Note that, although packed full of useful wildlife information, the site contains very little information on attracting wildlife to your home's small wildlife area.
What's My Dream Wildlife Porch? Part 3: Bird Food
Updated on 2/26/2008
This is the third in a series on my own small "dream" wildlife porch (or deck). This week I'm focusing on food that attracts wild birds like birdseed and nuts (in another post I'll cover plants that provide food).
This book on container water gardens
While this article on how to make your own water garden doesn't focus on wildlife, it still is a beautiful look-see on the basics.
...small gardens can be even better—they permit you to get close enough to really appreciate the intriguing foliage of the aquatic plants, their spectacular flowers, and their sometimes vibrant scents.
How to Enjoy Wildlife by Providing Water on your Porch, Balcony, or Deck
Providing water on your wildlife porch, patio, or deck can mean anything from a shallow saucer to a barrel pond or a formal fountain. Saucers and even birdbaths are perhaps easier to maintain, while barrel water gardens and fountains can be a creative touch.
4 Online Articles Worth Reading
This week: the importance of bees, creating a wildlife haven on your balcony, some rules for creative container gardening, bird watching myths, and a primer on making small or no backyards into wildlife habitats.
