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Backyard Basic Requirements Food

Major Food Categories for Wildlife Habitat

• Insects
• Seeds
• Green Vegetation
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Nectar

Insects - Why would I ever want to attract insects to my back yard? While this may not seem like a good idea at first, many of the wildlife species coveted in Hoosier backyards such as hummingbirds, bluebirds, purple martins, swallows, wrens, bats, warblers, frogs and toads depend on a rich population of insects to support them through the summer. In natural settings, insects are attracted to pockets of patchy "weedy areas" that contain a rich mixture of forbs (non-woody, broadleaf plants) and grasses. These can be created in your yard by simply tilling small areas in the spring and leaving them fallow for 3-5 years. Leaving borders or selected areas of lawn un-mowed is another cost effective way to provide insect habitat. However, local ordinances and weed laws in some neighborhoods may preclude such practices. Check your local codes and ordinances prior to initiating these practices.

For backyard landscaping, it is critical to present these naturalized patches in a manner that is pleasing to you and your neighbor. Integrate them with other landscape features so they don't stand out. Naturalized areas can be made more attractive and acceptable to neighbors by giving them some limits and defining their boundaries. Mow definite borders around them, pave a path through them, place a small segment of fence in front of them, or plant a few brightly colored flowers around their borders. Applying a few of these suggested practices will enhance the aesthetics of insect producing areas in your backyard.

When naturalized areas are not appropriate, perennial wildflower plantings and flowering trees and shrubs can provide abundant insects. Grasses can be used as accent pieces around flower gardens. Any of these will be attractive additions to any yard and provide the needed structure insects require. Careful selection of species can also satisfy many of the seed, vegetation, and nectar requirements discussed below.

Seeds - A number of favorite backyard wildlife species are seed eaters. Juncos, chickadees, cardinals, and chipping sparrows depend on an abundant seed supply especially during fall and winter months. While this need can be met by supplying seed feeders throughout your yard, a mixture of seed producing plants can enhance the attractiveness of your yard for these species. Many of the flower species selected for flower beds (black-eyed Susan [Rudbeckia spp.], coneflowers [Echinacea spp.], Coreopsis spp., etc.) are attractive to birds. As they die back or go dormant, the seed heads provide food for wildlife. Therefore, it is critical that you leave the residual growth standing throughout the fall and winter. In addition to the seed heads, these plants add structure (cover) to your garden. Adding some sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) or sorghum (Sorghum spp.) can broaden their attractiveness to larger bird species that also frequent your feeders (finches, sparrows, doves, etc.).

Green Vegetation - Several popular backyard wildlife visitors including cottontail rabbits, deer, and wild turkeys require a rich mix of tender grasses and legumes in their diet. Adding a short clover species (Trifolium spp.; ladino, or white dutch clover, for example) and palatable grasses (bluegrass [Poa spp.], for example) to your lawn mix will make your yard extremely attractive to these popular and interesting visitors. If allowed by local ordinances, mow your lawn at a height of 6-10" for maximum benefits to wildlife.

Fruits - A number of bird (cedar waxwings, robins, orioles, and mockingbirds) and mammal species (squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and raccoons) are attracted by an abundance of fruits available to them throughout the summer, fall, and winter. Many fruits can be provided from attractive landscape trees and shrubs.

Tall shrubs including flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), flowering crabapples (Malus spp.), highbush cranberry (Viburnum triloba), hawthorns (Crataegus spp.), and many of the domestic fruit species (apples, cherries, peaches, pears, etc.) are attractive yard trees. Many of these flower during the spring and have decorative fruit during the fall and winter. Short shrub species such as the shrub dogwoods (Cornus spp.), viburnums (Viburnum spp.), chokeberry (Photinia spp.), bayberry (Morella spp.), elderberry (Sambucus spp.), etc. also provide an abundance of fruit needed by wildlife calling your yard home throughout the fall and winter. Selection of these and other tall and short shrub species can provide attractive accents to your home and yard in displays of spring flowers, colorful fall leaves, and ornamental winter fruits.

Having a mixture of tall and short shrub species is also important for your wildlife visitors. More species translates to more food for wildlife throughout the fall and winter months. Different heights and structures are important because different species of wildlife forage and nest at different heights. Tree species including persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), black cherry (Prunus serotina), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), and sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) also can be attractive yard trees and greatly broaden the fruit available to wildlife visiting your yard.

The length of time fruit stays on a plant is important. Hawthorns and highbush cranberry usually retain their fruit throughout the winter and are available to attractive spring migrants including cedar waxwings and robins when they visit your yard in February and March on their return north. While these are not highly preferred foods when they are first available, the fruit is persistent and is available when others are not.

Nuts - Squirrels, chipmunks, deer, blue jays, and turkey are among the visitors attracted to an abundant nut crop in the fall and winter months. Favorite yard trees, such as oaks (Quercus spp.), black walnut (Juglans nigra), hickories (Carya spp.), or beech (Fagus grandifolia) can provide shade and beauty to your home and yard while being the anchor for year around residents depending on the mast they produce. Oaks and beech produce plentiful food for wildlife, and are also excellent live den trees for species that utilize cavities.

Nectar - Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to nectar-producing plants. In general, flower species with bright colored blossoms and tubular shaped flowers (for hummingbirds) are valuable additions to nectar feeding wildlife. See Attracting Butterflies and Attracting Hummingbirds for more information.