Living Landscapes in South Dakota - Plant Materials Program - US ...

Food
Learn the food needs of the species you
wish to attract and plant accordingly. Provide
plant species that will yield a variety of
foods during the year. If you wish to attract
birds, plant species that retain fruit into the
winter season, such as junipers, highbush
cranberry, native rose species, or species
that will retain seeds into the winter such
as Maximilian sunflower. Native grasses
also provide seeds for birds. A variety
of flowering forbs attract insects and will
attract birds that feed on those insects.
Hummingbirds can be attracted by planting
flowers with high nectar levels. Butterflies
seem more attracted to purple and white
flowers than yellow.
Highbush c ranberry make an
excellent food s ource
Considerations
Water
Wildlife needs may vary. However, they
all need water to survive. Some species
utilize dew on plants while other species
need open water. Plan for water in your
backyard. If natural water is available,
protect it from sedimentation and nutrient
loading with grass buffers. Artifi c ial water
can be added by use of bird baths, lined
ponds, or construction of a clay-lined
created wetland. Year-round water is
important. A heated water source can
A variety of fl owe owe ring forbs
attract birds to backyards. Keep water
fresh, and provide logs or rocks as escape
areas around deep water sources for birds
and maybe even a basking turtle. Small
Cover
depressions in rocks can collect water and
Wildlife species need multiple cover attract butterfl ies .
types located close to food to avoid
predation and exposure to harsh winter
elements. The type of wildlife you wish
to attract will dictate the required type of
covers planted. Planting native grasses
and forbs will attract birds that nest on
the ground and feed on small seeds and
insects. Planting a variety of trees and
shrubs will attract bird species that nest
in woody vegetation and use fruits or nuts
as food sources. Cover must be close
enough to food to provide safe access for
wildlife. Cover types that provide an array
of vertical structure will attract a wider
variety of wildlife species.
Management of cover is a key component
to attract wildlife. If native grasses and
forbs are mowed during the primary
nesting season, nesting cover is
destroyed. Leave residual cover into
winter to provide adequate nesting cover
in spring. To provide nesting cover, native
grasses should not be mowed during the
nesting season from mid-April to late July
and should only be mowed periodically
(once every 3 to 5 years) to provide the
residual cover needed for ground or grass
nesting birds.
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For information on backyard landscaping
for wildlife consult this publication from the
Natural Resources Conservation Service:
Ba ckyard Conservation
“Backyard Conservation” can be ordered
by contacting the Natural Resources
Conservation Service Landcare Office at
http://landcare.nrcs.usda.gov or call
1-888-LANDCARE (526-3227).
For more information on backyard
landscaping and habitat for wildlife go
to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/feature/
backyard/.
Planning and Planting for Wildlife