Want to help the region's native birds survive the winter? Take a lesson from healthy forests. A little less yard cleanup and a layered landscape – with a mix of ground covers, shrubs, and trees large and small – make finding food and refuge a whole lot easier for birds.
The payoff? A continual parade of winged visitors, providing visual delight throughout the season. And with appetite in tow, they'll help keep insect pests at bay.
Lend birds a hand this winter with nature-inspired tips from Metro:
- Don't be tidy. Create a brush pile, where birds can get out of the wind and rain and forage for bugs and worms. Rake leaves into garden beds – where birds will hunt for food – and leave edible fruits and berries on trees and bushes.
- Maintain diversity. A mix of plants will attract and harbor a variety of birds. Consider evergreen and deciduous trees, bushes, and smaller plants, which together provide food for birds.
- Plant natives. Native plants typically require less care and fewer chemicals, which can harm birds. A mix of natives easily meets the birds' food and shelter needs.
- Keep cats indoors. The impact of cats is devastating all year, but it’s worse in winter when birds, stressed by colder temperatures and low on calories, are more vulnerable.
- Supply fresh, clean water. Keep a shallow birdbath off the ground and in the open, so birds can see approaching cats. Birds need the water to drink but also to keep feathers clean and insulating.
Metro and the Audubon Society of Portland offer resources to help create bird-friendly yards. To learn about natural gardening, including composting, choosing native plants and working without harmful pesticides, call Metro's recycling hotline at 503-234-3000.