Landscaping in Urban Areas Can Help Native Birds
August 22, 2012
You would think that urban landscaping has nothing to do with helping birds because they predominately live in trees, but in reality it does. A recent study by the University of Massachusetts of residential areas and the native bird population has shown that yards imitating natural vegetation offer birds “mini refuges”. These yards provide a mini oasis which help offset the loss of biodiversity in cities. The study showed that birds that lived in the “refuges” had more available resources such as seed, shelter, and lived longer but birds that lived in a more natural habitat had more alternative food resources and had a higher death rate. The researcher’s method of observation and experimentation also allowed them to separate some of the effects of bird community composition and density of competitors, and how these factors affect foraging decisions between two different landscapes. I believe that the researchers from the University of Massachusetts carried out a thorough experiment. Their data has opened my mind to what I can do to help conserve certain species that ultimately make my world a better place by eating insects. If we all just put in a little work by making our yards a little nicer, we will be providing a better habitat for not only birds but other species as well.
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| Check out this "bird refugee" I made using Microsoft Paint and a picture. I know it looks more like a hobo, but you get the idea. |
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