GO NATIVE (WITH PLANTS)!
There are many benefits to using native plants in your landscape – namely they fit naturally with the soils and climate of your area. With native habitat disappearing at an alarming rate, you can help provide owls and other birds and wildlife with the habitat they need. In his 2009 book “Bringing Nature Home,” Doug Tallamy wrote that almost 63,000 square miles of land in the U.S. had been converted to lawns. That’s a big chunk of real estate that equals 8 times the size of New Jersey! And that figure has undoubtedly grown since then.
The native plants that you use can meet the needs of native birds and other wildlife without negatively affecting the local plant communities. With a diversity of native plants in your urban, suburban or rural landscape, you can provide the following 5 important items:
- Cover for birds and other animals to hide, nest, and roost
- Seeds, nuts, and fruits for birds and mammals
- Insects for birds, dragonflies, lizards, and toads
- Nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and moths
- Larval host plants for butterfly caterpillars (like pawpaw for the zebra swallowtail)
Planting natives that evolved naturally in your area means saving water which means saving money. That’s good for anyone’s pocketbook. For more information, please visit HERE.
Lastly, prevent the introduction of invasive non-native plants – they are one of the Top Three reasons for steep declines in many of our birds (e.g., bermudagrass and the demise of Northern Bobwhite). In summary, go native — do it for the owls!
Order your Owl Shack HERE.