Help Birds With Native Plants COLUMNS

I rst became interested in bird-watching 44 years ago. I know the date because my eldest son was on my back in a carrier as a one year old when I went birding for the rst time with my relatives in the Rocky Mountains. My son will be 45 soon. I spent many years after that watching birds, learning to identify them by sight. en when I retired and was asked to join the board of the North Shore Audubon Society I learned about identifying birds by their calls and songs. By the way if anyone wants to join bird walks with North Shore Audubon Society every Wednesday and Saturday go to our website, northshoreaudubon.org and check the calendar.

While on the board as President over a dozen years ago, I read a review of Douglas Tallamy’s book, Bringing Nature Home. Tallamy is now a professor emeritus of entomology from University of Delaware and a former head of that department. While insects are his specialty, birds and their survival are of great interest to him. After reading his rst book on this subject from the library, I bought my own copy and have heard him speak at numerous venues. His latest speech is on youtube.com, “ e Little ings that Run the World.”

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All About Birds

You may be asking how I know that many bird species are endangered. I know from my own experience doing bird walks with many older birders. In one walk at Muttontown Preserve, we were with a leader close to 90 years old. When some of us stayed behind to get a better look at a scarlet tanager, the male, a beautiful red bird with black wings, she continued walking. I followed her and asked why she didn’t wait and she said because years before she knew we would see many more, but actually now that isn’t the case any more. And we did not see another one for the rest of the 3-hour walk.

ere are many studies that show bird species’ declines including those in Tallamy’s book, Bringing Nature Home.

After reading the book I decided to start native plant gardens in public places, one of the first in Plandome at the Science Museum of Long Island. For the next few years with grants from AudubonNY, with the help of volunteers, we planted over 15 native plant gardens after spending hours removing invasive non-native plants. But Tallamy advocates for yards to be planted with native plants and invasive non-natives be removed, not just in public places. So I started the Bird-friendly Habitat Certification program and have certified about 75 yards in the past 5 years. When asked, I go to a yard of any size and advise the occupant on what non-native plants to remove and what native plants to use to replace them. If you look at the youtube video I recommended, you will understand the relationship between native plants and birds and insects. Native plants are vital to native insects and native insects are vital to birds. This video explains that you help birds by helping insects which birds need to feed their young and many need to thrive. “Insects are bird food. Take away the bird food and you lose birds.” If you have any questions you can contact me at nsaudubonsociety@gmail.com.