Welcome birds to your yard with native plants

Posted: Feb. 4, 2010

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PRAIRIE FLOWERS - Prairie gardens offer a native habitat for birds and animals.

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PRAIRIE FLOWERS - Prairie gardens offer a native habitat for birds and animals.

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Mariette Nowak's main interests are birds and native landscaping. She combines the two in her book, "Birdscaping in the Midwest," which was published in 2007, and in some of the talks she gives, such as her appearance at Alice Baker Library on Jan. 30.

"It's so important to use native plants for animals and birds," said Nowak. "It's nice for us, it's great for the birds, it's great for kids to play, explore and investigate."

Nowak has a degree in botany and zoology; for 18 years she worked as the director at Wehr Nature Center, where she started a natural landscaping club. She is on the board for the Wisconsin Society of Ornithology.

As more and more areas are developed there are fewer and fewer areas of natural habitat. By planting native plants, gardeners can do much to provide native habitat for birds that is rich in food that keep common birds common, said Nowak.

"Loss of habitat is one of the greatest threats to birds. It's important to restore habitat and support groups of birds," Nowak said. "You can do this in your own yard."

At Nowak's East Troy home, native plants welcome 110 species of birds throughout the year. When she lived on less acreage in a suburban setting, the natural landscaping provided refuge for 80 species of birds.

"Only a certain number of birds are feeder birds," Nowak pointed out. "You get more birds with native plants. You get the birds that go beyond the feeder."

Natural landscaping is for all wildlife as it welcomes butterflies and insects, which provide food for birds that don't come to bird feeders. Nowak said 96 percent of land birds feed their young little caterpillars, and bluebirds can feed up to 300 grubs a day to their young, which make birds a natural insecticide. In addition to food provided by insects, natural plants provide berries and seeds for birds.

Going natural

While landscaping with native plants may be more accepted now than it was years ago, Nowak recommends checking municipal codes and informing neighbors about your plan before you decide to convert to a natural landscape. When she turned her quarter-acre lot to a natural landscape, Nowak first went to the village to learn the municipal requirements. Her neighbor said it was like living next to a park.

"I think a lot of people are learning the value of native plants," said Nowak. "I don't think there is as much conflict."

The first step in going natural with native plants is to remove the existing lawn so you can start with bare soil where either plants or seeds can be used to start your natural garden. This can be done with a sod cutter or by covering the grass with paper or cardboard and topping it with shredded bark or wood chips for one season. This causes the lawn to diminish and turn into mulch, according to Nowak. Spraying with Roundup will also kill the grass without disturbing the layers of soil.

In Southeastern Wisconsin, prairies and oak savannahs are native and do best. An oak savannah is an oak tree or other tree with native plants underneath..

Septic fields are great places for prairie, Nowak noted. The prairie plants help with water seepage, and roots do not cause a problem with the septic system.

Diligence may be needed to rid the area of invasive species such as buckthorn or honeysuckle, both of which can be dug out or cut close to the ground and sprayed with Roundup to prevent sprouts from reappearing. Deer track in garlic mustard, which can sterilize the soil, removing the microorganisms native plants need to survive. Using too many chemicals on lawns can also result in sterilized soil, which can be offset by bringing in additional soil if you decide to start a natural garden.

It takes at least three years to get a natural garden established, according to Nowak. With a woodland garden it's best to go with plants since starting a garden from seed is very slow, Nowak said.

Nowak provides guidelines for nine types of gardens in her book: winter, prairie, hummingbird, bluebird, woodland, wetland, migratory, shrubland and birdbath and water gardens. Her book is available at most bookstores or by contacting the publisher, Itchy Cat Press at 5452 Highway K, Blue Mounds, WI 53517.

Landscaping with native plants can provide a "little nature preserve" in your backyard, said Nowak.

"You don't always have to feel like you have to go away to enjoy a preserve," Nowak added. "You're home so much of the time, you might as well enjoy it."