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December 22, 2009

Gifts of the Season

Share holiday happiness with your wild neighbors

The Humane Society of the United States

Yes, the holidays are upon us once again, and in the spirit of giving, let's remember our wild neighbors. As we begin to settle inside our warm and cozy homes, the wild creatures outside are readying for the long winter ahead. And in a human-dominated landscape it's sometimes difficult for them to find the necessities of life.

Winter may seem a quiet time for your backyard wildlife, but a surprising number of animals are still around—some in deep hibernation, others laying low to stay safe from predators and conserve energy. Still others are actively foraging. You can help them by making sure your backyard habitat offers the basics—food, water, and shelter.

Here are a few holiday activities to help the wild in your midst:

Bird feeder basics

Keep the bird feeders full, and provide ample suet (you can even find vegetarian options) for tweets. Though wild birds populations probably won't ever be wholly dependent on the food you give them, individuals may benefit greatly from such help, especially during periods of extended cold temperatures and snowcover that make food scarce or hard to find. If you leave home for vacation, make sure someone is filling your bird feeders.

Creative ways to feed wildlife

• Decorate the trees in your yard with light cotton string threaded with unsalted popcorn and cranberries. You'll be laying out a yummy feast for birds and other animals—and by placing it on trees, you're giving the wild diners the chance to duck into the tree for cover should a predator come along. Bonus: The treats will give you opportunities for wildlife watching.

• Place a cotton string around a pine cone, and tie the ends together. Smother the pinecone with a mixture of cornmeal and unsalted peanut butter; then roll it in birdseed, and hang it in an outside tree. You may not find this unique holiday ornament beautiful, but birds and squirrels will go gaga over it. 

Foods birds prefer in winter

• Seeds (black oil sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and white proso millet)
• Suet and suet mixes (vegetarian options are available)
• Peanut butter mixed with cornmeal (spread on pinecone, roll in seeds, and hang on tree branch with string; or press into cracks of bark)
• Pumpkin seeds can be washed and dried in the sun or oven and offered to jays, nuthatches, and grosbeaks
• Cut pumpkin shell in pieces can be offered on the ground
• A feeding wreath can be created using a straw wreath base and wild flower or grass seed heads (sunflowers, purple coneflowers, grass, wheat, rye, barley, safflower)
• Dried, untreated corn on the cob or whole or cracked kernels

Living gifts

• Choose a living tree to bring into your home this holiday. They may be smaller and need a little TLC, but these small, green bundles of joy promise to be the give that keeps on giving upon spring planting. The tree you use to celebrate Christmas may grow up one day to provide food and shelter for a host of wild critters.
• Winter is the perfect time to start seedlings of native plants, bushes, and trees to plant for your wild neighbors in the spring. You can naturally provide seeds or berries animals eat or that support insects that they eat.
  
  First, find out what native plants grow in your region that can provide food and shelter for wildlife. Because dozens of native species provide cover, nest sites, and food, there is no reason to settle for plants that address only two of these needs. Many native plant seeds can be purchased online or from your local garden center, and what began as Christmas seedlings can become next year's winter feast for a host of hungry critters.  

Native berry producers

• Arrowwood viburnum
• Elderberry
• Alternate-leaf dogwood
• Virginia creeper
• Spicebush
• Red or black chokeberry
• Winterberry
• Hawthorns 
• Red cedar

Join the Christmas Bird Count

The Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count (through January 5) can be a fun holiday activity for the entire family. The data collected allows researchers, conservation biologists, and others to study the long term health and status of bird populations across North America.

What's food without drink?

Water is essential to life, and in winter, it can be hard to find. Here are some tips for giving your wild neighbors one of the most important gifts of all.

Spread the coziness

After the holidays, don't waste that Christmas tree. Make it a gift for wildlife by setting it outside.

If you notice trees in your yard that are beginning to die, don't cut them down, unless they present a safety concern. Their cavities will supply significant food and shelter for a host if animals, large and small. You can easily build a brush pile and decorate it with peanut butter pinecones and other edible holiday goodies on which animals can feast.

Holiday windows

Put decorative snowflakes or other holiday decorations 4" apart on any windows where birds might hit, or have hit, in the past.

Now buy yourself a present

Get to know your backyard wild neighbors by going on an adventure around your own yard in the snow. Try to identify different species by looking at tracks and other signs they leave behind, such as partial remains of food like cracked nuts or twigs. Buy a good wildlife tracking guide—or give one as a gift—to learn more and to better appreciate these animals.