Audubon at Home -- Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening and Landscaping for Wildlife Habitat

1. Q -- Why should I plant native plants and create habitat for native wildlife?

A – In the past several decades, we have lost vast tracts of wildlife habitat due to urbanization. The relatively small amount of protected natural areas in parks and preserves is unlikely to sustain our native biodiversity for the long term. In our decade and a half of bird surveys, ASNV has noted worrisome declines in a number of species, especially those dependent on native habitat. The largest area of land available for restoration of some of this lost habitat is in our yards, school grounds and other places with open space where native plants can be planted.

The vegetation in most of our developed areas is dominated by exotic species, some of which have proven to be invasive. Reintroducing native plants to these areas is critical to restoring habitat for native wildlife because native plants form the basis of natural food webs. Native insects are adapted to feed on native vegetation and native insects are, in turn, the preferred food for many native animals, especially songbirds. Without native plants, there are fewer native insects and less food for other wildlife.

To learn more about why we need to restore wildlife habitat in are yards and other managed environments, see the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia’s Nature of Change at http://www.audubonva.org/index.php/nature-of-change. For an even more in-depth understanding, read Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy’s Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants.

2. Q -- Where can I find native plants in Northern Virginia?

A – There are few native plant vendors in Northern Virginia, but one that specializes in locally native plants is Nature by Design (http://www.nature-by-design.com/) in Alexandria. Local public gardens and parks, such as Green Springs Gardens in Alexandria (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/gsgp/) and Long Branch Nature Center in Arlington, and local chapters of the Virginia Native Plant Society (go to http://www.vnps.org/ to find your local chapter) and other groups hold native plant sales. Earth Sangha (http://www.earthsangha.org/), a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental restoration, holds sales of locally native species. Some local nurseries, such as Merrifield Gardens, are also carrying larger selections of native plants. Also, you can mail-order native plants; our website lists a number of local and mail-order vendors at www.audubonva.org/index.php/eco-friendly-landscaping/where-to-buy-native-plants.

Keep in mind that prices for native plants are usually higher than those for exotics, especially for local natives. That’s partly because most native plants are raised in much smaller numbers than exotics, so natives growers don’t realize the economies of scale that growers of exotics often do. Even if your favorite plant vendor doesn’t carry natives, ask them occasionally if they would consider doing so. If they hear from enough people, perhaps they’ll realize that there is a market for natives.

3. Q -- I live in a townhouse/apartment/condominium, how can I create wildlife habitat?

A -- You can create habitat in surprisingly small spaces. Most townhouses have at least a small patch of land suitable for a pollinator garden with flowering plants that provide nectar, pollen and host plant for butterflies, bees and other native pollinators. If you have a little more space, consider shrubs or small understory tree to provide food, roosting and nesting sites and cover for birds and other animals. Even an apartment or condominium balcony can provide habitat – a number of native wildflowers can be grown in containers. Another option is to talk to your homeowners association or apartment management about adding some native plants and a wildflower garden to the landscaping.

4. Q – Won’t planting lots of native vegetation around my home attract rats and snakes?

A – Rats are a fact of urban life and are likely to become a problem wherever they can find food and shelter. Native plants are no more likely than any other kind of vegetation to attract rats (in fact, some believe rats are associated with the cover they find under English ivy, an invasive exotic). Keys to avoiding rat problems are denying them food and shelter. Steps you can take include not feeding pets outdoors, keeping garbage in tightly covered trash containers, keeping meat and eggs out of compost or using a compost tumbler, and sealing holes or other possible entryways into your house and outbuildings. Also make sure outdoor barbeques are kept clean and free of grease. If your neighborhood has a rat problem, let your neighbors know how they can help.

The presence of snakes is actually a sign of success in developing a habitat that is a functioning ecosystem. Snakes are important predators and most species do not tolerate development very well because it deprives them of habitat. We have only two poisonous snakes in Northern Virginia, the timber rattlesnake and the copperhead. Rattlesnakes are confined to a few places on the Blue Ridge on the western edge of Loudoun County and Bull Run Mountain in northwestern Prince William County. Copperheads are more widespread, especially in more rural or semi-rural areas, but they are rarely encountered. Moreover, copperheads are not highly venomous, although bites do require immediate medical attention. We do not have cottonmouth snakes (aka water moccasins) in our region, they don't occur much north of the James River in Virginia. The best rule of thumb for snakes is that if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. Also, never approach a snake if you are not completely certain as to what species it is. If you find a snake in the house, contact your local animal control.

5. Q -- How do I avoid attracting rats to my bird feeder and what do I do if rats appear?

A – As noted above, rats are a fact of urban life and the species you are most likely to encounter in our region, the non-native Norway rat, is a classic example of a species that has adapted to a close association with human habitation. Rats can become a problem at bird feeders, but you can take some preventive measures such as using feeders with seed catchers (and keeping the seed-catchers cleaned out), not feeding on the ground, and cleaning up spilled seed (a shop vac can be useful for this). If you do have a rat problem related to bird feeding, it might be best to stop feeding, a least for awhile. Birds generally do not depend on bird feeders and can find other sources of food.

6. Q – What can I do to avoid attracting house sparrows and starlings to my bird feeders?

A – House sparrows and starlings are exotic species that are well adapted to human habitation; indeed, they are rarely seen far from human-dominated landscapes. You probably won’t be able to eliminate these species from your feeders entirely, but seed selection and bird feeder styles can help. Feeders with short perches can help exclude larger birds, including starlings, although this won’t help with the smaller house sparrows. Upside-down suet feeders are generally inaccessible to house sparrows, but perfectly accessible to more nimble species such as chickadees and woodpeckers. Unfortunately, starlings can also learn to hang from these feeders and get at the suet. Birdseed mixes are attractive to starlings and house sparrows: try offering safflower seeds instead, which starlings generally don’t eat and avoid using mixes with millet, which sparrows like. If starlings and house sparrows are becoming regular and abundant, you might consider suspending feeding for awhile.

7. Q – What can I do about hawks eating birds at my feeder?

A – Predation by hawks and other native predators are naturally occurring hazards that birds have had to cope with for millennia. While these predators do take a toll on birds, this toll pales in comparison to the hazards humans impose on birds, such as habitat loss, free-roaming cats, or lights from tall buildings. Nonetheless, when we set up bird feeders, we are unnaturally concentrating birds, which make them a tempting target for local hawks. To help even the odds, make sure you place feeders in places where birds can see predators coming. At the same time, you’ll want to place your feeders near cover, such as thick shrubs, so that the birds have somewhere to escape. Also, remember that birds of prey are also a part of our native bird-life and play an important ecological role.

8. Q – How can I keep mosquitoes out of my bird bath or pond?

A – One approach is to have moving water in your water feature, such as a fountain or waterfall. An added bonus of dripping or falling water is that birds are attracted to the sound. Mosquito larvae breathe through a snorkel-like tube that sticks just above the water and it’s hard for them to maintain contact with the air in moving water, so they drown. Another approach is mosquito larvicidal dunks made with the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis, which targets fly larvae, including mosquitoes, but not other aquatic insects. Most places that sell lawn and garden supplies and bird stores stock mosquito dunks. Fish are another option for mosquito control, but fish will also eat amphibians and beneficial insects, such as dragonfly nymphs, trying to use your pond for breeding. Finally, bird baths should be cleaned regularly, both to avoid mosquito problems and to protect the health of birds.

The most troublesome mosquito in our region is the introduced Asian tiger mosquito. The larvae of Asian tigers have a very short larval period, only a few days, so they can develop in very little water. Breeding sites for this mosquito can include places such as blocked roof gutters, bottles, cans and other trash, and other small, temporary water bodies. Make sure to eliminate as many such breeding sites as you can around your property and encourage your neighbors to do the same.

9. Q – What can I do about cats coming into my yard to prey on birds and other animals?

A – Domestic cats are a major threat to birds and other small animals. Conservative estimates in the scientific literature are that over 100 million birds are killed annually by at-large and feral cats. Even well-fed cats will hunt and they occur in much higher concentrations than natural predators. Moreover, cats are subsidized predators. Since they are usually fed by humans (this applies equally to many feral cats, especially those in trap-neuter-and-release colonies), cats do not have to budget their energy expenditure as carefully as wild predators.

If a cat is frequenting your bird feeder, the best approach might be to suspend feeding. You can try resuming feeding once the cat stops coming around, but you should monitor the feeder for a re-appearance. Also, educate yourself about cat predation on native wildlife by visiting the Cats Indoors Campaign website at http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/cats/index.html and share this information with your neighbors. It is important for cat owners to understand that their pets face serious dangers when they are allowed outdoors, especially now that coyotes are becoming more common in our region.

10. Q -- What can I do about deer eating my plants?

Large deer populations in Northern Virginia can make gardening and landscaping of any kind a real challenge and habitat gardening is no exception. While there is no such thing as a deer-proof plant, if they’re hungry enough deer will eat just about anything. Nonetheless, some native plants are less palatable to deer than others. See our list of Top 10 Deer Resistant Plants on our Audubon at Home page. You can also try physical barriers, such as tree tubes for sapling trees and shrubs, and various forms of repellents such as Deer Off (www.deer-off.com). Also, small, battery operated posts that deliver an electic shock can be effective at strategic locations where deer browse (www.wirelessdeerfence.com). You might find that a combination of strategies works best.

The unnaturally high deer populations in our region and many other parts of the country are not only a problem for habitat gardeners. They put local forests and the other wildlife that depend on them at severe risk. Forest regeneration is becoming a concern where deer browse sapling trees so heavily that few survive to replace older trees as they die. Deer also reduce the shrub and herbaceous layers in our forest, eliminating cover for nesting birds and other animals and changing the microclimate on the forest floor from humid to dry, to the detriment of many plant and animal species. Human health and safety are also placed at risk through increased incidence of Lyme disease and collisions between deer and cars. We should not forget, however, that high deer populations are a direct result of human activities. We have eliminated natural predators and created vast areas of edge habitat, the preferred habitat of white-tailed deer, through forest fragmentation and suburban development.

11. Q -- Where can I get help with creating native habitat on my property?

A – The Audubon at Home program can help – contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it about getting a free consultation from one of our volunteer Audubon at Home Ambassadors. Also, click on Audubon at Home on this website for a wealth of information and links about habitat gardening. The National Audubon Society Audubon at Home website is also a great resource at http://web4.audubon.org/bird/at_home/.

Other valuable sources include the National Wildlife Federation Garden for Wildlife website (http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdoor-Activities/Garden-for-Wildlife/Create-a-Habitat.aspx), the Virginia Cooperative Extension Backyard Habitats website (http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-070/426-070.html), and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Habitat for Wildlife page, available at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/habitat/.