Data Entry Contest: How do you support birds at your count site?

For the tenth season in a row, Project FeederWatch and our sponsor Wild Birds Unlimited are rewarding registered FeederWatchers with the chance to win prizes. Celestron has joined the fun by offering one pair of binoculars to each data entry contest winner as well. After entering counts into the FeederWatch website, participants have the opportunity to share a story, memory, or tip by clicking the “Enter to Win” button on the Count Summary page. We randomly select two winners per prompt. Our fourth Data Entry contest prompt of the 39th season was:

There are many ways to improve habitat for wildlife. What do you do to make your count site a haven for your avian friends?

Congratulations to our winners, Lynne Patenaude and MacKenzie Cochran!

Lynne shared,

In 2021, I started removing invasive plants and turf grass from my front and back yards and replacing them with native plants. I learned that year about the role of native plants in our ecosystems, especially for birds. The statistic that really amazed me is that over 95% of songbirds feed insects to their young, mostly caterpillars that feed on trees and shrubs in the spring. We have utility lines along the back of our lot so planting a large oak was not a great idea. Instead I planted a gray birch, a serviceberry and a chokecherry, and lots of smaller shrubs in a mixed hedgerow for spring and summer and berries too. I added in many seed-producing plants like asters, purple giant hyssop, hoary vervain, switchgrass, tall sunflower to help the seed eaters that overwinter in Ottawa like Dark-eyed Juncos and goldfinches. We have over 120 species of native plants on our property now. It is so much fun to watch the birds, bees, butterflies and other insects explore the garden through the seasons 🙂

Insects are a vital part of many birds’ diets, especially during the nesting season, so a great way to support birds is by planting native plants that provide a home for insects. Some native plants, such as those producing seeds and berries, are also direct food sources for these birds, as Lynne points out. You can learn more about the importance of planting native plants in your garden from the new Garden for Birds website. Thank you for sharing your story, Lynne!

MacKenzie shared,

One of my favorite ways to make my urban yard welcoming to birds is to (responsibly) collect logs and branches to place within gardens. Despite my background as a Landscape Designer, my personal gardens are much wilder than my clients’ ever were! I love seeing a woodpecker use an old log I’ve mounted upright to help birds feel safer coming close to the birdbath or finches wait their turn on a beautiful branch I’ve mounted on my bird feeder pole.” 

Bringing that bit of the woods into my small city lot has brought more birds to my yard than I could’ve imagined!

It can be tricky to create natural habitat for birds, especially if you have little space around your home or live in an urban area, but a little effort can make a huge difference for birds. Often, less work can be better for birds; a “messy” yard with fallen leaves, flowers, and seeds can actually create an important layer in the habitat that provides shelter and food for insects and birds. For those of us who don’t have the space to plant sprawling gardens, adding a couple potted native plants or other natural features such as old logs are great ways to support birds. Thank you for sharing your story, MacKenzie!

Thanks to everyone who participated and shared their stories for this prompt—we love reading your submissions! Read the stories from past winners on our blog. Email feederwatch@cornell.edu with questions.