By Julia Hillegass
Public Information & Community Affairs Administrator
February is National Bird-feeding Month and with spring still several weeks away, local songbirds might find available food to be scarce. Help them out now by providing seeds and fruit and help them out later by looking into native plants that will attract songbirds to your yard.
One of the most effective ways to create a bird-friendly yard is to landscape with vegetation native to the Hampton Roads region. A diversity of plants of all shapes and sizes including large and small trees, bushes and shrubs, and smaller flowering plants provide shelter, nest sites, protection from predators, and food for year-round residents and migratory birds. The National Bird-feeding Society provides pictures and tips for feeder foods, as well as plants that will attract your favorite birds. A simple cross-reference with a local native plant guide, or the Hampton Roads Water Efficiency Team’s
Water-wise Landscape Guide
can help get you started on planning your next wild bird concerto!