Landscaping for Wildlife Mark Hostetler Extension Wildlife Specialist Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation IFAS, University of Florida Overview
Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Wildlife Landscaping for wildlife Birds Butterflies Design process
Florida bird monitoring program How to certify your yard Florida Cooperative Extension Service Wildlife Who are we? Department of Wildlife Ecology and
Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida What do we do? In issues regarding wildlife Advise the public Develop educational programs Disseminate information
Conduct research Available Wildlife Information? Landscaping for wildlife Conservation and management of wildlife Human/wildlife conflict
Detailed information on species Wildlife education programs Where to Go for Info? Web site: www.wec.ufl.edu/extension Print on demand Links and information
Educational programs Call your local extension office Call Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission or visit www.state.fl.us/fwc
Landscaping for Wildlife All animals need: Food Cover Water Space
Habitat Photo by Joe Schaefer Birds?
Y.-rumped Warbler Northern Mockingbird R.-thr. Hummingbird Red-tailed Hawk
O.-crowned Warbler Life History Stages of a Bird Egg
Baby Bird Immature Adult Reproductive Adult Seasons of a Bird
Breeding Wintering (non-breeding season) Migrating (Fall and Spring Migration ) Range Map House Wren
Summer Winter Year-round Species
Northern Mockingbird Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Screech Owl
Migratory Species Red-eyed Vireo American Goldfinch
American Redstart Partial Migrants Your Yard Can Serve As: A breeding site
A wintering site A stop-over site (A dispersal site) Different species may appear in your yard at different times of the year
Providing Habitat for Birds FOOD Provide Insects Photos courtesy of www.flwildflowers.com
Insect Eaters Yellow Warbler Great-crested Flycatcher
Hairy Woodpecker Insect Habitat = Bird Habitat Plant native species Save dead trees (snags) Reduce pesticide use - Spot treat
- Use alternative methods of insect control Reduce the amount of mowed lawn - Design islands of wild areas Suet/Peanut Butter Feeder During winter, stock a
wire cage with peanut butter or suet Provide Seed Seed Eaters
House Finch Tufted Titmouse White-crowned Sparrow Blue Jay
Seed Feeders Hanging feeders Platform feeders Provide Fruit
Plant native fruit species Many different plant species produce fruit (hollies, cedar trees, beauty berries, wax myrtles) www.flwildflowers.com Beautyberry
Holly spp. Provide Nectar Plant species with red, tubular flowers www.flwildflowers.com
Trumpet vine Provide a hummingbird feeder ( cup of sugar to 1 cup of hot water)
Fruit and Nectar Eaters Ruby-throated Hummingbird Cedar Waxwing Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher Provide Meat Meat Eaters Loggerhead Shrike
Barred Owl Great-horned Owl COVER Cavities
Cavities are in short supply in neighborhoods Primary Cavity Nesters Pileated Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Secondary Cavity Nesters Photos of owls, titmice, chickadees, etc.
Tufted Titmouse Carolina Chickadee Great-crested Flycatcher Eastern Bluebird
Providing Cavities Leave a snag on your property (woodpeckers) Provide a nesting box (secondary cavity
nesters) Vegetation for Cover Plant or maintain a variety of plant species Increase vertical height diversity
Organized Chaos Stop mowing! WATER Water
Bird baths Running water Ponds Space
Example: Trees and a Bird Scale-dependent Decisions of a Wren and a Hawk Tract Home Range Habitat Patches
Food Patches Tract Home Range Habitat Patches Food Patches
Different Birds Make Decisions at Different Scales Larger birds = broader scales and larger patch sizes Smaller birds = limited scales and smaller patch sizes
How To Plan For Space? Be aware of habitats surrounding your property and plan accordingly Think about the size of the bird Talk with your neighbors (e.g., plan bigger patches) Experiment! Embrace uncertainty!
Summary Bird Habitat food, cover, water , & space Life Stages breeding, wintering, & migration Food - plant for insects, fruit, nectar & small
animals; provide bird feeders Summary Cover - vertical height diversity; wild areas; keep snags, provide nest boxes Water ponds, bird baths, running water
Space scale and bird size, talk with neighbors, group vegetation Landscaping for Butterflies Giant Swallowtail By Joe Schaefer
Habitat for Butterflies Life History of Butterflies (Lepidopterans) Egg
By Sharon David Butterflies vs. Moths Butterflies Most fly during day Most are bright
colors Have slender bodies Antennae slender & have knobs at tip Most rest with wings folded above body
Moths
Most fly at night Many have drab colors Have stout bodies Antennae can be feathery, no knobs Rest with wings
horizontal Food for Caterpillars Host plants must be tailored to specific butterflies Some plants are hosts to several different butterflies (passion vine Gulf fritillary,
Zebra long wing) Some feed on one specific plant Pipevine swallowtail feeds on Dutchmans Pipe Food for Caterpillars An easy way to provide larval food: Do not mow certain sections of the yard!
If you do plant a garden, dont forget host plants for larvae! Food for Adult Butterflies Phlox
Milkweed Purple Coneflower Thistle Photos courtesy of www.flwildflowers.com
Additional Food for Adult Butterflies Rotting fruits: oranges, apples, bananas
By Joe Schaefer Cover for Butterflies Increase vertical height diversity Plan for natural areas Brush Pile
Butterfly boxes do not really work Provide Basking Area Provide lots of sunny areas Place flat stones in these sunny areas
Provide Puddling Areas Include damp areas or shallow puddles using sand or dirt as base Provides source of minerals, especially sodium By Joe Schaefer
Reduce Pesticide Use Almost all pesticides are non-specific, they kill both the pest species and butterflies Spot treat areas Space for Butterflies
Group flowers and host plants together, make large patches Yard contains sunny areas, puddling areas, and woody areas for cover Think about the landscape near your property
Benefit to Pollinators Your butterfly garden attracts a whole host of insect pollinators Important for production of vegetables and fruit !
Summary Food - flowering plants for adults and host plants for caterpillars Cover - dense vegetation or a brush pile Basking and puddling areas
Reduce pesticide use Space group plants; what surrounds your yard?
Where to Find Info on Butterfly - Plant Associations? www.wec.ufl.edu/extension Florida Butterfly Gardening Book Marc & Maria Minnow
Design Process First year Third year
Get to Know Your Property OBSERVATION Shady areas Wet areas High traffic areas Existing plants Views
Topography Step 1 Draw a Base Plan Sketch your site (to scale) Draw property lines
House, driveway Fences, any other human-built structure Step 2 Sketch Existing Landscape Structure
Water (where is it? where does it go?)
Views (good views and unsightly views) Type of soil Plants (what kind, where are they?) Topography (low and high ground) Step 3
Checklist of Desired Uses Functional areas humans Functional areas wildlife Step 4
Create a Diagram Draw your future landscape Step 5
Summary - Landscaping for Birds & Butterflies Refer to www.wec.ufl.edu/extension Habitat - food, cover, water, and space Take time to design Bird Monitoring Program
Birds? Y.-rumped Warbler Northern Mockingbird
R.-thr. Hummingbird Red-tailed Hawk O.-crowned Warbler Objectives
Create simple, standardized methods to survey birds Create a Web site linked to a data base where participants can enter and view collected bird data
Utility Can measure how bird diversity changes over time Participants can compare results and interact with other wildlife landscapers Participants interact with their environment Added component for any educational or experiential program
Point Count Stationary survey of birds in a given area Used for small lots or landscapes where it is difficult to walk through
Point Count 10 minutes 20 m Transect Count
A route is walked and birds are counted on each side Used for large properties or surveys of neighborhoods Transect Count
20 m 20 m Enter and View Data Participants enter data through the Web site (need User ID and Survey Code)
Anybody can view the results online THE WEB SITE! Florida Bird Monitoring Program
http://bird.ifas.ufl.edu Florida Wildlife Habitat Program Certification Program: Apply through the wildlife extension web site
www.wec.ufl.edu/extension Participants describe current yard, wildlife seen and future landscaping plans We evaluate and make recommendations Upon certification, participants receive a certificate and sign
Summary Wildlife Info: www.wec.ufl.edu/extension Landscaping for birds and butterflies: - Food, Cover, Water, and Space Bird monitoring program Certify your yard
Acknowledgements Developed by: Dr. Mark Hostetler, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, IFAS, University of Florida, 2001. Acknowledgements
Photo & Sound Credits: Mark Hostetler, Joe Schafer, and Dan Sudia USGS Patuxent Bird Center (Bird Photos): http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/Infocenter/infocenter.html FL Museum of Natural History: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu Flower Photos: Florida Wildflower Showcase : http://www.flwildflowers.com
