CREATING A BIRD SANCTUARY
• Creating a Bird Friendly Habitat at Home
• Upgrade your land to a Bird Sanctuary
Mario Olmos, Ornithologist
Kaytee Products
CREATING A BIRD SANCTUARY
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Identify where you live
Find your State bird’s list
Identify all life zones in your area
Migratory Flyways and Migratory
Species
Research possible birds in your area
Plan your bird friendly site
Develop feeding areas with variety of bird
foods.
Enjoy the best time in your life
Biomes and Life Zones
Biomes and Life Zones (Where do I live)
Common Birding Life Zones
Transitional Areas
Deciduous Forest and Grasslands.
Deciduous forests can be found in the eastern half of
North America, and is characterized by the
broadleaf trees that are leafless during winter.
There are at least 300 kinds of trees and shrubs of
the Eastern forests.
The greatest areas of grasslands occur in the prairie
regions of the Midwest and west. There are two
types of grasslands; Prairie grasslands and the
agricultural grasslands.
Eastern Meadowlarks, Ring-necked Pheasants,
Vesper Sparrows, Bobolinks, Red-winged
Blackbirds, Grasshopper Sparrows and other
sparrows. Short-eared Owls and Northern Harriers
Lakes and Ponds. (80 + species )
Ponds are normally smaller, shallower
and the water usually has a uniform
temperature. Lakes are larger bodies of
water, deeper and the temperature of the
water changes with the depth. Both lakes
and ponds may be of natural glacial
origin, but many have been built. For
instance, farmers build ponds as a source
of water for livestock.
MIGRATORY FLYWAYS
What Makes a Route Popular
Migration flyways are popular routes because they
are rich regions that meet traveling birds' needs.
Typically, a migration corridor features wide swaths
of undeveloped habitats to serve as food sources,
water sources and resting places for migrating
birds. Flyways also lack significant geographic
barriers that can inhibit long flights, such as steep
mountain ranges or extensive deserts. Along
flyways, wind currents aid easy flight.
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• Breeds in deciduous and
mixed woodlands, especially at
the edges, second-growth
woodlands, orchards,
suburban parks and gardens.
Winters in open tropical forest
• Gleans insects from foliage
and branches. Will use bird
feeders.
Results in Fort Worth
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e-birds info / Rose-breasted Grosbeak
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Breeds at edge of boreal forest and
tundra. Winters along hedgerows,
shelterbelts, agricultural fields,
weed patches, and pastures.
Feeds primarily on ground. Picks
food from ground, and scratches
some in litter with both feet.
Comes to feeders.
Results in my home = 0
• The Lesser Scaup is one of the
most abundant and
widespread of the diving
ducks in North America
• Feeds on clams, snails,
crustaceans, aquatic insects,
seeds, and aquatic plants.
Bird Friendly Site – Garden or Sanctuary
Install native plants - Select a
variety of native plants to offer
year-round food in the form of
seeds, berries, nuts, and nectar.
Try to recreate the plant
ecosystem native to your area.
Evergreen trees and shrubs
provide excellent cover through all
seasons, if they are part of your
local ecosystem. The Lady Bird
Johnson Wildflower Center has
lists of recommended native plants
by region and state.
Designate areas of your land
“bird-friendly”:
Minimize human disturbance during
the breeding season (mid-March
through August). Some common
disturbances may include, vegetation
clearing, construction, spraying, and
pet activity.
Create networks of suitable habitat.
Connecting habitat patches is
valuable to birds and other wildlife.
Work with neighbors and local
conservancies to create a network of
“bird sanctuaries” in your
community.
Provide water year-round - A simple birdbath
is a great start. Change water every 2-3 days in
summer and use a heater in the winter. Place the
water container about 10 feetfrom dense shrubs or
other cover that predators may use.
Keep dead trees - Dead trees provide cavitydwelling places for birds to raise young and as a
source to collect insects for food. Many species will
also seek shelter from bad weather inside these
hollowed out trees.
Provide Nesting Sites - Planting a variety of
native shrubs and trees in multi-species clumps
provides the most nest sites with the best cover. A
structurally diverse habitat is one that has plants
growing at different heights and different
assemblages. This provides birds with many places
to build nests and find food. It also provides adult
and young birds with excellent concealment from
predators.
Put out nesting boxes - Make sure the boxes
have ventilation holes at the top and drainage
holes below. Do not use a box with a perch, as
house sparrows are known to sit on a nesting box
perch and peck at other birds using the nesting
box. Be sure to monitor the boxes for invasive
animal species known to harm or outcompete
native species.
Offer food in feeders - Bird feeders are great
sources of supplemental food during times of food
scarcity, and also enhance bird-viewing
opportunities.
Bird Feeding Tips
• Provide multiple feeding stations in different
areas of your yard to disperse bird activity.
• Clean your feeders regularly with hot water, and
let them air dry completely. Also keep areas
under and around the feeders clean.
• Keep seed clean and dry, and watch for mold.
• Use a seed blend designed for your feeder and
the types of birds you feed. Blends that contain
filler seeds and grains (milo, and sorghum)are
not typically eaten by birds, and will often end
up on the ground.
• Place bird feeders in locations that do not
provide hiding places for cats and other
predators. Place feeders ten to twelve feet from
low shrubs or brush piles.
• Suet feeders are a favorite of woodpeckers and
other insect-eating birds.. Typically suet blocks
are placed in a wire cage that hangs on the side
of a tree.
THANK YOU