Birds are essential for the Pacific Northwest ecosystems because they control pests and act as pollinators. Some species, like hummingbirds, help plants reproduce. Others eat pest insects, while some others eat native berries and spread their seeds across different areas.
As more and more areas become urban, our yards play an important role in supporting birds and their ecosystems. With sustainable landscape design and a few simple practices, your yard can make a difference, especially during fall when plants start to wind down for the season.
Here are five ways your yard can support birds in Seattle this fall:
1. Offer Fresh Water With a Birdbath
Birds and wildlife need water for drinking and bathing, and a shallow birdbath gives them a safe place to do both. Refresh the water every few days and rinse the basin regularly so it stays clean.
Birdbaths come in many different styles, making it easy to find one that fits your landscape design.
2. Leave the Leaves In Your Garden Beds
Fallen leaves break down into mulch and create a home for insects and worms, which birds pick through for food. Keep the leaves in your beds, but rake them off the lawn where a heavy layer could smother the grass.
3. Leave the Flower Heads Standing
Skip deadheading on perennials like Echinacea and Rudbeckia so birds can eat the seeds throughout fall and winter.
4. Plant for Berries
Native plants like Snowberry or Evergreen Huckleberry produce berries in fall that feed birds long after other plants have gone dormant for the season.
5. Join Lights Out Washington
Most migratory birds travel at night and navigate by the stars and natural light, so artificial light can disorient them. In Washington, bird migration happens from August through mid-November. Through the Lights Out Washington program, homeowners are encouraged to dim down outdoor lights and turn off unnecessary ones between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m to keep migrating birds safe.
Support Local Birds This Season
Small changes and additions in your yard can make a big difference for local birds this fall.
Whether you want to add native berry shrubs, incorporate a water feature, or rethink your outdoor lighting, our team would love to help out!
Contact Seattle Sustainable Landscapes to explore ideas that welcome birds to your yard.