[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]



              Planti*ng a Refuge
              for Wl*ldll*fe
              How to create a backyard
              habitat for Florida's birds
              and beasts.

                                                            !L



              Florida Game and
              Fresh Water Fish
              Commission
              Nongame Wildlife
              Program


              United States                                                            Written and edited by
              QL     tment of                                                          Susan Cerulean, Celeste Botha
              59                                                                       and Donna Legare
              C47    ilture
                      onservation                                                      Designed and illustrated by
                                                                                       Swannee Nardandrea







                                                                      Planting a Refuge
                                                                      for Wildlife





                                                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                        ci Preface   ....................................................................................                         1
                                                                        0 How to use this guide      ........................................................................                     I
                                                                        0 Introduction   ................................................................................                         2
                                                                        0 What animals might live in your backyard?         ......................................................                4
                                                                        C3 Create a backyard habitat plan     .................................................................                   5
                                                                        0 Evaluate your environment        ...................................................................                    6
                                                                        0 Managing your backyard habitat
                                                                              Modifications and maintenance       ..............................................................                  7
                  j                                                           A caution about exotics     ....................................................................                    8
                                                                              Cavity trees, lawns and soil    .................................................................                   9
                                                                        0 Attract the wildlife you want
                                                                          (eBirds    ...................................................................................                        10
                                                                              Mammals    ...............................................................................                        16
                                                                              Reptiles and amphibians     ...................................................................                   17
                                                                              Butterflies ...............................................................................                       18
                                                                              Hummingbirds      ...........................................................................                     19
                                                                              Problem guests    ...........................................................................                     20
                                                                        0 Supplementing your backyard habitat
                                                                              Nest boxes    ..............................................................................                      21
                                                                              Feeding stations   ..........................................................................                     22
                                                                              Water    ..................................................................................                       23
                                                                        0 Native plants for backyard Florida habitats       .....................................................               24
                                                                        0 For further information      .....................................................................                    33





                                                                                                          Feeding stations that           How to use this guide
                                                                                                          p
                                                                         V                                  rovide water and
                                                                                                          supplemental foods can
                                                                                                          concentrate birds in your
                                                                                                                                              n this booklet, you will find proven ways to
                                                                                                          backyard habitat.
                                                                                                                                              encourage a broad cross-section of Florida wildlife
                                                                                                                                              to visit and live around your home. No matter
                                                                                                                                          what your time or financial constraints, you can
                                                                                                                                          take some of these simple steps to improve wildlife
                                                                                                                                          habitat in your back yard.
                                                                                                                                            The first section outlines what animals you might
                                                                                                                                          expect to find in your Florida yard and their basic life
                                                                                                                                          requirements. Next you will find a step-by-step
                     14.
                                                                                                                                          overview of how to plan a backyard habitat that takes
                                 S
                                                                                                                                          your living requirements into account as well! The
                                                                                                                                          manager's checklist on page 7 should be helpful
                                                                                                                                          after you have landscaped your property, or if you
                                                                                                                                          already have an established landscape. Pages 10-t9
                                                                                                                                          describe specific management techniques to help you
                                                                                                                                          attract the wildlife you want, including birds,
                                                                                                                                          mammals, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies.
                                                                                                                                          Solutions for some common wildlife-human conflicts
                                                                                                                                          on small properties are discussed on page 20. If you
                                                                                                                                          want to supplement your habitat or attract wildlife for
                                                                                                                                          close observation, the sections on feeding, housing and
                                                                                                                                          providing water for wildlife will interest you. Finally,
                                                                           Sandy Morrill. The landscape design was prepared by            you will find an extensive listing of the native plants
              Preface                                                      Jody Walthall of Native Nurseries in Tallahassee.              you will want to use to create your backyard habitat. If
                                                                           Many of the techniques for attracting birds in south           you seek a more complete discussion of any of these
                  n a recent public opinion poll, 88 percent of all        Florida were suggested by Cynthia Plockelman and               topics, review the resources and publications listed
                  Floridians said it is important to know that wild        Thomas McElroy. David Cook prepared the section on             under "For Further Information" (page 33).
                  animals live around their homes. Yet millions of         reptiles and amphibians. Victor Heller, Assistant                As you are planning your backyard wildlife habitat,
              our residents don't realize how closely the health of        Director, Division of Wildlife, provided initial guidance      learn as much as you can about the wildlife species you
              wildlife populations is tied to the health of their          and support for this project. Dave McElveen                    wish to benefit. Use native plants to attract the animals
              habitats-the living spaces that provide animals with         contributed valuable advice and suggestions. Many              native to your areas. This will add to your enjoyment
              food, water, shelter and cover. This guide suggests          other reviewers volunteered their time and expertise to        and your efforts to conserve Florida wildlife. Learn to
              specific techniques for creating viable habitats on small    assure the accuracy of this guide, including Jim Cox,          identify and eliminate harmful exotic species.
              properties in Florida. We hope it will help you attract,     Jeff Gore, John Waters, the Board and staff of the               A final word: be patient and realistic in your
              enjoy and conserve wildlife close to your home.              Palm Beach Soil and Water Conservation District,               expectations. Remember that it will take time, often
                This guide was produced jointly by the Florida             John Vance, Durbin Tabb, Craig Tufts (National                 years, to increase the number and kinds of wildlife in
              Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and the                 Wildlife Federation), Charles Potter (Audubon                  your back yard.
              United States Department of Agriculture Soil                 Society of the Everglades), Judy Gillan, Jeff Priest,
              Conservation Service in cooperation with the Palm            Brian Millsap and Bruce Neville.
              Beach Soil and Water Conservation District. Native
              plant information was compiled by Donna Legate,
              Gary Schultz (The Nature Conservancy), Richard
              Moyroud (Florida Native Plant Society), Roger
              Hammer (Castellow Hammock Nature Center) and





       Introduction                                                    Attracting wildlife to your garden by planning and          There is an ever-increasing need to manage not only
                                                                    planting for their needs is simple and satisfying. If we       the existing forests and large landholdings for wildlife,
                                                                    make adequate food, water, shelter and space available,        but also the developed land: the quarter-acre suburban
       T
               here are many reasons why birds and other            we can increase the number and variety of species that         lot, the five-acre townhouse development, the 40
               animals appeal so strongly to our affections.        visit our yards and improve our chances to observe             acre subdivision, the small city park, larger county
               The simple truth is-they bring us joy. The           them more closely.                                             parks and even the roadsides of our highways.
       exuberant songs of cardinals and mockingbirds, the              Plants form the natural architecture that animals             We can begin with the pleasant task of inviting
       dazzlinR display of a painted bunting in our birdbaths       need to feed, rest, raise young and hide from                  wildlife to our own yards. No matter where you live in
       or feeders, and the sight of colorful butterflies dancing    predators. The more stable and balanced a plant                Florida, you can make habitat improvements to benefit
       above a wildflower patch-these are personal pleasures        community you create, the greater the variety of               your wildlife neighbors.
       that aren't easily measured.                                 wildlife you'll attract. And you'll find advantages in
          People need to live close to the natural world-to         energy and water savings as well as the natural insect
       trees, flowers and animals. When we watch the                and rodent control your miniature ecosystem will
       complexity and diversity of nature, we become more           provide. Moreover, the National Wildlife Federation
       observant and more in tune with important subtleties         has found that attractive landscaping installed with
       around us. A monarch butterfly seen in September             wildlife in mind substantially increases the value of a
       signals us that the fall migration of many species is        house and lot: a $200 investment in plants can yield a 3
       beginning. The appearance of a purple martin in              to 10 percent increase in real estate value.
       February lets us know that spring is close behind.              As Florida's population skyrockets, more and more
          But many Floridians are becoming increasingly             green space is consumed. Wild animals and birds are
       isolated from the natural world as local populations of      squeezed out of the habitat they need for their survival.
       wildlife are displaced from suburban and urban areas.
       Bulldozers and backhoes are eliminating the living
       spaces of many of our wild birds and animals in this
       fast-growing state. What are the consequences?
       "Suppose a creature dies out within your 'radius of
       reach'-the area to which you have easy access," asks
       entomologist Robert M. Pyle. "In some respects, it
       might as well be gone altogether because you will not
       be able to see it as you could before." This "extinction
       of experience" makes people more isolated from and
       less caring for nature. On the other hand, if we can
       preserve native wildlife and plants in our cities and
       suburbs, we can also maintain the essential bond
       between people and nature that fosters a sense of
       stewardship for the land and its life far beyond city
       limits.








                                                                                                                                                                           t 1@








       2

























                                                                                                                                                                                                             1-D

                                                                                           Expect this yard to have a rich assortment of wildlif
                                                                                                                                                                   1r:r
                                                                                           including flying squirrels, raccoons, frogs, salamand s
                                                                                           and 75 or more species of birds.
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                                                                                                                                             ........ .                                                      ..........  :
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                                                                                                           Only a few animals will live in and use this landscape              . .........                   X
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                                                                                                           Unbroken stretches of turf provide little cover or food
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                                                                                                           for most species.                                                                                                       .............
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                                                                  . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . ....             . . . . . .            --- - - - -
                                                                                      Increasing Habitat Diversity


                                                              Figure 1. As this graph illustrates, the greater the habitat diversity your property provides, the more types of
                                                              wildlife will choose to be your neighbors. For the small property owner in Florida, increasing habitat diversity
                                                              usually means replacing expansive, closely mowed lawns with creative landscaping. Even within a quarter-acre
                                                              lot, habitats that provide variety in both form and height-lawns, meadows, hedges and shade trees-will attract
                                                              a larger number and variety of birds than a quarter-acre lot with uniform plantings.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         3





     What Animals Might Live in
     Your Backyard?
     M
                ore than 1,200 kinds or species of animals
                live in Florida. In terms of wildlife, we are
                the third most diverse state in the nation!
     Of all this bewildering variety, which species can you
     expect to attract to your own backyard? It all depends
     on how well the habitat on your property duplicates
     the natural conditions under which the animals live in
     the wild.
        Some animals, such as raccoons, opossums and
     mockingbirds, adapt well and live throughout Florida,
     but others are much more regional in occurrence.
     White-crowned pigeons and many other semitropical
     species are restricted to the Florida Keys, for example,     A. Food: All animals get their energy for survival             B. Water: Fresh water is essential for all wildlife and
     and it's unlikely that you will ever find a yellow-          from plants or other animals. The ideal wildlife               is often the factor most limiting their presence on
     breasted chat nesting south of Tallahassee. The tables       management plan uses natural vegetation to supply              small properties. Spring and fall migrants are especially
     on pages 10- 17 suggest where and when you'll find the       year-round food-from the earliest summer berries to            attracted to water during long flights. Frogs and
     most common species of Florida wildlife.                     fruits which persist through winter and spring (such as        salamanders require standing water to complete parts
        All wild creatures have unique requirements for           sweetgum, juniper and holly).                                  of their life cycles.
     food, water, cover and space, and they can only live
     where these needs can be satisfied. Together, these
     required elements make up an animal's habitat. The
     key to luring wildlife to your property is to provide                   t
     the four basic components of their habitat: food,
     especially in its natural form; water to drink and bathe
     in; cover or shelter to escape from predators, rest and
     build nests; and space or territory in which to live and     k
     raise young. Birds and other animals usually live in the
     particular habitats or plant communities (pine
     flatwoods, tropical hardwood hammocks, etc.) that                       JA
                                                                                                                                                    IN44 i
     best meet their habitat needs. Most require, or will
     use, a diversity of habitat types at different times in
     their daily or seasonal cycles. You will attract the
     widest variety of wildlife to your land by using native
     plants to simulate small areas of nearby habitat types.
     The "edges" where these habitat types meet will
     probably be the most visited areas in your
     neighborhood.
                                                                  C.    Space: All animals require a certain amount of           D. Cover: Breeding, nesting, hiding, sleeping, feeding
                                                                  space or "elbow room" to mate and rear their young.            and traveling are just a few of the necessary functions
                                                                  On a small lot you may be able to support many kinds           in an animal's life which require protective cover or
                                                                  of breeding birds or other animals, but perhaps only a         shelter. Often cover pla nts double as food sources.
                                                                        4,

                                                                            At
                                                                            2












                                                                  pair or two of each. An animal's requirement for space
                                                                  may be substantially less if food, water and cover
                                                                  resources are concentrated.



     4





                                                                                                                                                                      Create a Backyard Habitat
                                                                                           Snag
                                             (D                                                                                                                       Plan
                                                                                                                      7-;i L
                                                                                                                A
                                                                                                                                                                                 backyard habitat is really just a landscape
                                                                                                                                                                                 designed with wildlife in mind. It will be most
                                                                                                           Brush pile
                                                                                                                                                                      Apleasing and successful when you have
                                             3                                                                                                             6          managed to combine the quality of wilderness with just
                                                            Bird water and                                                                                            enough cultivation to harmonize with your house and
                                                            feeding station                        Purple Martin                                           6
                                                                                                                                                                      the people who inhabit it. Why not design and plan
                                                                                                   house or gourds                      f- I@\J_J;
                                                                                                                                                       L   6          your landscape in an orderly fashion, just as landscape
                                                                                                                                                                      architects do?
                                                                                                                                                           6             This landscape plan includes an extremely high
                           Bird nest box
                                                                                                                                                                      diversity of wildlife-attracting plants. Suggestions are
                                                                                               Hummingbird                                                            provided for both north and south Florida below.
                                is       Butterfly garden/ perennials           De k           garden                                                                 Many other valuable plants are listed on pages 24-32.

                                         rellis
                                         wer                                                                                                                             North Florida                           South Florida
                                         deck with

                           02              honey-                                                                                                                        I .Pine                                1.   Pine
                                           suckle                                                                                                                        2. Red Mulberry                        2.   Red Mulberry
                                                                                                                                                                         3. Flowering Dogwood                   3.   Wild Coffee
                                                                                                                                                                         4. Wax Myrtle                          4.   Cocoplum
                                                                                                                                                                         5. Southern Magnolia                   5.   Paradise Tree
                                                                                                                                                                                                                6.   Blueberry
                                                                                                                                                                         6. Blueberry
                                                                                                                                                                         7. Viburnum                            7.   Stopper
                                        0                                                                                                                                8. Cherry Laurel                       8.   Florida Trema
                                                                                   12                                                                                    9. Red Maple                           9.   Coffee Colubrina
                                                                                                                                                                      10.   American Holly                     10.   Geiger Tree
                                                                                                                                                                      11.   River Birch                        11.   Necklace Pod
                                                                                                                                                                      12.   Fringe Tree                        12.   Sea Grape
                                                                                                                                                                      13.   Red Buckeye                        13.   Silver Palm
                                                                                                                                                                      14.   Black Gum                          14.   Black Gum
                                                                                                                                                                                                               15.   Firebush
                                        A                                                                                                                             15.   Hawthorne
                                                                                                                                                                      16.   Red Cedar                          16.   Red Cedar
                                                                  21
                                                                                                                                                                      17.   Persimmon                          17.   Persimmon
                                                            21
                                                                                                                                                                      18.   Live Oak                           18.   Live Oak
                                                                  21
                                                                                                                                                                      19.   Coral Bean                         19.   Coral Bean
                                                                                                                                                                      20.   Cabbage Palm                       20.   Thatch Palm
                                                                                                                                                                      21.   American Beautyberry               21.   Blolly
                                                                                                                                                                      22*   Elderberry                         22.   Elderberry
                                                                                                                                                                      23.   Pokeweed                           23.   Pokeweed
                                                    19
                                                                                                                                                                      24.   Sweetgum                           24.   Gumbo-limbo
                                                                                                                                                                            L
                                                                                                                                                                              awn

                                                                             .......... ..
                                                                                                        Design by )ody Walthall                                       LLJ
                                                                                                                                                                      EI= Leaf litter/ground cover
                                                                                                                                                                            Native grasses/meadow area





                                                                                  ;f@l         7, V,                                                                        A landscape that is
        Evaluate Your Environment
                                                                                                                                                                           attractive
                                                                                                                                                                                       to wildlife is
                                                                                                                                                                            pleasant for people, too.
         First, walk around your property and make an
        inventory. Sketch a base map, as the following section
        describes, then outline a planting plan. Break your plan
        into a reasonable time schedule. Don't try to do
        everything at once-decide what you can do each year
        for the next five or so years. Think about your
                                                                                                             Al
        neighbors, too. Can you persuade them to share or at
        least tolerate your interest in attracting wildlife?

        Step 1: Your base map should indicate your
        property s dimensions; the area covered by your house
        and other structures (garage, storage shed, pool, decks,
        patio, fences, sidewalks and driveway); and the
        location of underground water pipes and utilities,
        septic tanks, irrigation lines, sprinkler heads, etc.

        Step 2: On your base map, or on a transparent
                                                                                                                                                          logo
        overlay, sketch areas of sun and shade. Notice how                                                                                                             4
        these shift during the day and throughout the year.
          Also examine your soil. Is it primarily fill dirt, sand
        sandy loam, clay, topsoil or other soil types? Sketch
        any changes that occur within your property
        boundaries. How about soil moisture? Are there areas             requirements. Notice how the vegetation in your yard                Now that you have studied your property as a
        of poor drainage or erosion? Is your property affected           interacts with the physical characteristics of the site to       wildlife manager might, you are ready to prepare one
        by salt spray? If so, carefully choose plants for your           form habitats. For example, even the smallest lot may            drawing to guide your landscaping efforts in the years
        design that are salt tolerant. For example, buttonwood           have a dry sunny lawn growing on construction fill,              to come. The landscape drawing on page 5 shows one
        and sea grape are two plants with high wildlife value            and a cooler area shaded by a large tree, perhaps with a         possible plan for a quarter-acre lot. You'll need to
        that thrive in south Florida coastal environments. They          richer soil. Each existing habitat presents different            customize your property, however, by choosing plants
        are ideal choices for backyard habitats on properties            opportunities and constraints in your overall plan.              that will thrive in your region of Florida. Decide
        close to the sea.                                                Take a look at natural plant communities around your             whether you are planning major landscape alterations
                                                                         area. Observe how plants of different height and form            or simply modifying a reasonably acceptable backyard
        Step 3: Give some thought to your family's needs and             grow near one another. You'll want to use these                  habitat.
        uses for your property. What about pets? If cats and             proven successes as models for your own backyard                    Don't plan a clipped, artificial garden that will
        dogs are a big part of your life, your expectations for          habitat.                                                         enslave you! With a backyard habitat, you are working
        wildlife should be lower. Consider space requirements                                                                             with nature and watching natural processes take their
        for work, play, entertainment, access and traffic                Step 5: Begin a list of the wildlife that visit your             courses. Your primary jobs will include pruning and
        patterns, trash collection, security and privacy. Think          property. How well do each of your habitats provide              pulling out some plants from time to time to give the
        realistically about how much and what type of space              food, water and cover for wildlife? Are there native             garden more room to grow.
        you will need for each activity. Sketch these areas onto         seed-bearing plants available that produce fruit on a
        another overlay of your base map.                                continuous basis? Does your present landscape provide
                                                                         adequate cover and safe travel corridors for small
        Step 4: Now list the most abundant trees, shrubs and             animals and birds? Mammals, especially, require
        herbaceous plants already growing in your yard. You              connected shrub and hedgerows or larger wooded
        may want to note their age, size, health, whether they           areas to move about.
        are exotic or nativetO YOUTregion, their value in
        energy conservation, and any special maintenance


        6



                16A/1                                                                                                                                     C0000000                                               ao-
                                                                                    If you want to modify an existing                                                                                         0/ 0/
                                                                                    landscape:
                                                                                                                                                          Maintenance ideas for all
                                                                                    I. Surround your lawn areas with beds of trees and                    landscapes:
                                                                                    shrubs. Plant small shrubs and ground covers around
                                                                                    solitary trees. Design irregular borders for these beds
                                                                                                                                                             Lawn: Convert some of your open lawn to a
                                                                                    to create more wildlife edge.
                                                                                                                                                          "meadow." Mow prudently-just two summer mowings.
                                                                                    2. Mulch your tree and shrub beds with leaf litter,                   will control tree and shrub invasions in your meadow
                                                                                    lawn clippings, tree trimmings or chips. Melaleuca                    (check local mowing ordinances). Wildflowers, butterflies
              If you're working with a barelot or                                   mulch is also very effective. They are a rich food                    and bees can flourish in even a small wild meadow.
              planning major landscape                                              source for ground foragers like towhees and thrushes,
                                                                                                                                                          0 Hedges: Select and encourage a variety of plant
              alterations:                                                          provide cover for small mammals, reptiles and                         heights, but maintain a minimum of 3-1/2- to 8-foot high
                                                                                    amphibians, and also enrich your soil. Leave a few                    hedges. The best hedges for bird cover and nesting are
                                                                                    patches of bare soil for birds that "dust."                           evergreen with dense or thorny branches. From the
              1. Begin by framing your property with a backdrop of                                                                                        viewpoint of a bird or rabbit, blackberries are ideal!
              native trees. This will maximize wildlife benefits and                3. If your yard is already filled with exotic plant                   Thorny hedges also discourage human intruders, and all
              screen you most effectively from neighboring                          species, as is often the case in south Florida, proceed               dense hedges give you privacy and protection from noisy
              properties. Plant a variety of species, some evergreen,               slowly. Ideally you should replace these plants with                  streets. Remove large tree species that sprout and grow in
              some deciduous. They will simulate a forest canopy                    native species. Brazilian pepper (also known as Florida               your hedges.
              and provide nesting sites, protective cover and food                  holly), melaleuca and Australian pine should be
              for small mammals and birds. Plant deciduous trees on                 eliminated as soon as possible (see page 8).                          0 Pruning: Birds prefer unclipped, informal hedges.
              the west side of your house for summer shade.                                                                                               Remove old growth selectively to assure that the plants
                                                                                                                                                          don't overcrowd one another. Avoid pruning during the
              2. Create an understory by planting smaller flowering                                                                                       nesting season. Azaleas and other early flowering shrubs
                                                                                                                                                          that bloom from buds formed during the previous
              or orchard trees in clusters near the tall trees. Stagger
                                                                                                                                                          summer should be selectively pruned or cut back every
              the plants at recommended spacing intervals and avoid                                                                                       few years.
              planting in lines or rows. When planting shrubby
              borders, mix several species of varying shape, height                                                                                          Small trees: Be sure orchard and some flowering trees
              and density to create a greater selection of nest sites.                                                                                    receive full sun. Check light requirements--dogwoods, for
              Try to choose shrubs that fruit at different times of the                                                                                   example, prefer light shade. Avoid toxic sprays; instead,
              year for a continuous food supply. You are                                                                                                  choose fruit varieties that will thrive in your area without
                                                                                                                                                          poisons. Don't prune all the dead wood and be sure to
              introducing more food for butterflies and songbirds!
                                                                                                                                                          mulch well. Leave tent caterpillar nests in your wild fruit
                                                                                                                       .5
                                                                                                                                                          trees-yellow-billed cuckoos can control them for you. If
              3. Now surround the smaller trees with masses of
                                                                                                                                                          caterpillars really get out of hand, spray carefully with
                       brambles or ground cover. These will                ide
              shrubs                                                  provide
                                                                                                                                                          bacillus thuringensis (see a nursery for instructions).
              protective cover areas for ground-feeding birds and
              mammals.                                                                                                                                       Large forest trees: Control seedlings beneath large
                                                                                                                                                          trees, but leave a few young replacements. Allow one or
                                                                                                                                                          two selected vines to climb each tree. You may want to
              4. Install plantings of shrubs and ground covers
              around the foundation of your home. Look into                                                                                               mow once a year in your forested area. Maintain standing
              energy conservation considerations and be careful not                                                                                       dead trees and limbs that don't pose a safety hazard to
                                                                                                                                                          your house or people in your yard.
              to block special views.
                                                                                                                                                             Paths: Add mulched or stonework walkways to your
              5. Lawns are very labor and energy intensive, but
                                                                                                                                                          landscape. Paths can make visiting your yard more
              snaall areas are pleasant for play and circulation. When                                                                                    e
                                                                                                                                                           njoyable when vegetation is wet with rain or morning
                                                                                                                                                               and provide a familiar route through your backyard
                                                                                                                                                          dew
              you identify areas for turfgrass, consider laying sod
                                                                                                                                                          habitat.
                                                                          It        ... . .
              Follow site preparation recommendations from yo
              local Cooperative Extension Office for best results.
                                                                                                                                                                                  Managing Your Backyard Habitat
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        4r 7






                                                                                                                                      -4Brazilian pepper: These fast-growing shrubby trees
                                                                                                                                      have long arching branches that eventually form
                                                                                                                                      impenetrable thickets. Bright red berries are produced
                                                                                                                                      in abundance in the winter months. Crushed leaves
                                                                                                                                      have a turpentine odor, and sap can cause skin
               .... ...... .. .                                                                                                       irritation similar to poison ivy, a close relative. The
                                                                                                            4"';
                                                                                                                                      seeds are widely distributed by robins and other birds,
                                                                                                                                      germina
                                                                                                                                              te in almost all ecosystems, and smother
                                                                                                                                      existing vegetation.
                           10



         Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)



         A Caution about Exotics                                                                                                      --gAustralian pine: This is not a true pine. Several
                                                                                                                                      different species are planted, persist or have escaped
                                                                                                                                      from cultivation. Seeds are produced in small woody
           Exotics are foreign plants and animals imported
                                                                                                                                      fruits; some species spread mainly by root suckers. All
         and introduced into a new environment. Most every                                                                            are fast-growing and reach great heights. Old
         Florida yard has an exotic hibiscus or azalea.                                                                               branchlets are constantly shed and produce a thick
         Although these plants won't do wildlife any harm,                                                                            layer of litter under the trees. This litter suppresses all
         their benefits aren't as high as those of native species.                                                                    other vegetation by physical smothering and chemical
         Many exotics have no natural enemies to suppress                                                                             inhibitors that leach from the leaf litter.
         their spread, so they tend to upset the balance of
         nature and crowd out the native species. South
         Florida's landscape has been visibly and negatively
         altered by three exotic trees: melaleuca or the
         paperbark tree (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Australian                                           X,
         pine (Casuarina spp.) and Brazilian pepper,
         sometimes called Florida holly (Schinus
         terebinthifolius). In north Florida, the worst                                                                               -4Melaleuca: A large, upright evergreen tree with flaky
         naturalized exotic is kudzu (Pueraria lobata) which
         can turn a small pine forest into a green "desert"                                                                           white bark and dark green leaves which give off a
         for wildlife in only a few years.                                                                                            strong aromatic odor when crushed. Flowers cover
                                                                                                                                      branch tips in a bottlebrush arrangement, and produce
         Recommendation:                                                                                   ,X                         pollen which causes severe allergic reactions in many
                                                                                                                                      people. These trees grow quickly and thickly from the
                                                                                                                                      tiny seeds released. This tree is the most serious threat
           Do your best to eradicate these aggressive
                                                                                                                                      to south Florida because it invades all wetlands and
         invaders everywhere you can!
                                                                                                                                      surrounding areas, crowding out all other species as it
                                                                                                                                      spreads. It is also creating a severe fire hazard in some
                                                                                                                                      areas, and has resisted all attempts at control.
                                                                                     ....... ...








                                                                                           %
      80




                                                                           Cavity Trees, Lawns and Soil
                                                                           M
                                                                                      ore than one-third of all forest-dwelling          Recommendations: One of the greatest services a
                                                                                      birds and mammals require a hole or cavity         landowner can do for wildlife is to leave at least one or
                                                                                      in a tree for nesting or shelter. Most cavity-     two dead trees (snags) standing per quarter-acre lot. If
                                                                           nesting birds are insectivorous, and play an important        you have few cavity trees on your property, set out
                                                                           part in the control of forest insect pests. The scarcity      home-built nest boxes (page 2 1 ) to encourage cavity-
                                                                           of nesting and roosting cavities seriously limits             nesting birds and mammals. Obviously, snags that
                                                                           numbers of woodpeckers, nuthatches, wood ducks,               present a safety hazard should be removed.
                                                                           screech owls, bluebirds, flying squirrels and many
                                                                           other desirable backyard dwellers. People are the
                                                                           problem-we harvest mature and dead trees for
                                                                           firewood and remove dead trees and limbs merely to
                                                                           keep our yards neat. Under natural conditions, a
                                                                           woodland recycles everything. It does not become
                                                                           "dirty" and never needs "cleaning"!









                      Ithough a well-kept lawn may provide a grassy snack for a rabbit or a worm for a robin, to qualify as
                      good habitat it must be close to cover and food plants. Most people like to maintain mowed grass for
             Aoutdoor play and entertaining, but remember, manicured lawns extending from property line to
             property line will be nearly as devoid of wildlife as asphalt!

             Recommendation: Think carefully about which lawn areas you don't use and replace them with beds of
             trees, shrubs, meadow and natural ground cover for your wildlife neighbors.

                        ost people have a mental image of what makes a rich soil: it's dark and smells fresh; it's fluffy9         not
                        lumpy or loose like beach sand; and moist, not dry or muddy. These qualities are, in fact, ideal for
             M most plants. If you improve your soil to match your mental image, your plants will mostly take care of                                                                A,
             themselves. Healthy soil will grow healthy plants, and healthy plants will produce lots of food and cover for
             wildlife.

             Recommendation: You have to start with topsoil. If you are trying to garden on soil that was dug out of a                                                  .4
                                                                                                                                                                                  -:0.
             pit to fill your lot, you may have to haul in some topsoil before you do anything else. Assuming you have
             topsoil, the most important thing you can do for your garden is to mulch, which means to spread some type of
             plant material over your soil. On the poorest fill, and even without the addition of topsoil, mulching begins the
             process of soil formation and allows a wide range of plantings to flourish. Don't discard leaves or grass clippings
             if you rake. After they have dried, spread them thickly (at least three inches deep) between your plants and
             shallowly around their bases. Mulch should not touch tree or shrub trunks directly. Mulching will keep your soil
             moist, inhibit weeds, and the clippings will eventually break down and enrich your soil.                                                                                              -

                                                                                                                                                                                              09









                                                                                                                                        Cardinal
                                                                                                                                    Blue Grosbeak                         Purple Martin                            Ruby-throated
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Hummingbird
                                                                                                                                        Buntings



                                    K                                                   Location (NS)                           Cardinal                            Purple Martin                            Ruby-throated
                                                                                        and                                      N (R). S (R)                         N and S (SB)                           Hummingbird
                                                                                        Time of Residence                       Blue Grosbeak                                                                 N (SB), S (R)
                                                                                                                                 N (SB), S (M)
                                                                                                                                Indigo and Painted
                                                                                                                                Bunting
                                                                                                                                 N (SB), S (WR)



                                                                                        Preferred Natural                       Mostly seeds of wild and            Vast quantities of insects.              Flower nectar, tiny insects
                                                                                                                                cultivated grasses, some                                                     and spiders
                                                                                        Food                                    insects. Cardinals eat more
                                                                                                                                than 100 kinds of fruits,


                                                                                                                                Thickets, vines, dense stands       Natural cavities, holes and
                                                                                        Preferred                               of young saplings, other            crevices in sides of bluffs or           Limb of low tree, often
                                                                                        Nesting Site                            brushy plants.                      Cliffs.                                  overhanging water.
           T
                     his table       provides you with specific                         Will They Use...                                     Yes                                    No                                     Yes
                     management techniques to attract the birds                         Feeders?
                     you desire to your backyard. Only 63 of the
           most common species found in Florida yards have
           been included. Creating high quality habitat for
           these species will inevitably attract many more.                             Nest Boxes?                                          No                                     Yes                                     No
              Florida birds fall into four groups: year-round
           residents, summer breeders, winter visitors and
           seasonal migrants. This table lists the geographical                         Special Management                      Cardinals prefer mixed              Prefer open meadows and                  Garden with variety of
           part of the state (north - N, south - S) and the time                        and Landscape                           gardens with hedges and             lawns near water. Have                   plantings is ideal, including
           of year you are likely to encounter the bird (year-                                                                  lawns backed by a variety of        learned to nest in gourds and            herbaceous flowering borders,
           round - R, summer breeder - SB, winter resident -                            Preferences                             trees; have a strong                special apartment houses                 running water, and special
           WR, migrant - M). More detailed occurrence                                                                           preference for sunflower            placed in suitable habitat.              sugar water feeders (see page
           information on all Florida birds is available from                                                                   seeds. Buntings and                 Don't use pesticides nearby!             19). Strongly attracted to red
           the GFC (see "For Further Information")                                                                              grosbeaks like brushy                                                        tubular flowers like native
                                                                                                                                pastures and woodland edges;                                                 firebush.
              We have described the birds' desired natural                                                                      like an exposed perch to sing
           foods and nesting sites so you can be sure your                                                                      om feed on ground; feed on
           backyard habitat is complete. You will also be able                                                                  white proso millet at feedem
           to note whether birds you especially want to attract                                                                 Buntings are shy and require
                                                                                                                                heavy cover near feeders.
           are likely to use a feeder or a nest box (details on
           vi). 21-22).
              Finally, special management and landscape
           considerations are listed for each species.

         Attract the Wildlife You Want
          10 0-                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          i








                                                                                                                                                                                              Mockingbird                                  Carolina
                                                                      Eastern                                  Blue Jay                            Carolina Wren                                  Catbird                                  Chickadee
                                                                     Bluebird                                                                        House Wren
                                                                                                                                                                                           Brown Thrasher                            Tufted Titmouse




                   Location (NS)                             Eastern Bluebird                      Blue Jay                                   Carolina Wren                           Mockingbird                               Carolina Chickadee
                   and                                       N and S (R)                            N and S (R)                               N and S (R)                               N and S (R)                              N (R)
                   Time of Residence                                                                                                          House Wren                              Catbird                                   Tufted Titmouse
                                                                                                                                              N and S (WR)                             N and S (WR)                              N (R)
                                                                                                                                                                                      Brown Thrasher
                                                                                                                                                                                       N and S (R)




                   Preferred Natural                         Primarily insects, some fruits        Acorns, other nuts and                     Mostly insects.                         Insects, grubs, fruits and                Insects and many plant foods.
                   Food                                      and berries.                          berries, insects, small reptiles                                                   seeds.
                                                                                                   and mammals.



                                                             Natural cavities in trees, old                                                                                           Dense, thorny shrubs or vines             Natural cavities and
                   Preferred                                 woodpecker holes in trees             Variety of trees 10-30' off the            Cavities, or crotches of trees          conceal basket-like nests.                abandoned woodpecker
                   Nesting Site                              and fence posts.                      ground.                                    or shrubs.                              Brambles ideal.                           holes.


                   Will They Use...                                     Rarely                                     Yes                                        Yes                                      Yes                                      Yes
                   Feeders?




                   Nest Boxes?                                            Yes                                       No                                        Yes                                      No                                       Yes



                   Special Management                        Prefer orchards, old fields           Prefer yards with large                    Like wooded gardens with                Edge situations provided by               Yards with mature deciduous
                   and Landscape                             with scattered trees, open,           numbers of trees, esp. oaks,               dense shrub undergrowth.                gardens excellent for                     and evergreen trees supported
                   Preferences                               second growth woodlands.              beeches and pines. Water is a              Will nest in almost any cavity          mockingbirds-, native berries             by dense shrub and small tree
                                                             Birds are strongly territorial,       major attractant. Peanuts are              around homes; try hanging a             are important food sources.               understory are best.
                                                             so place nest boxes 100' apart        especially attractive at                   gourd under house eaves.                Catbirds like access to water.            Chickadees prefer to dig own
                                                             (detailed plans available from        feeders,                                   Loves peanut butter/suet                Thrashers forage on the                   cavities in partly rotted
                                                             GFC). Commonly use bird-                                                         cakes.                                  ground where leaf litter is               trunks or stumps, esp. pine
                                                             baths. Restricted to rural and                                                                                           plentiful.                                and bitch. Hanging suet
                                                             agricultural areas in south                                                                                                                                        feeders and sunflower seeds
                                                             Florida.                                                                                                                                                           are especially attractive.






                                                                                                                                        Screech Owl                                                                        Robin
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Wood Thrush
                                                                                                                                        Barred Owl                            Woodpeckers
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Rufous-sided
                                                                                                                                   American Kestrel                                                                       Towhee


                                                                                         Location (NS)                            Screech Owl                           Woodpeckers (Red-headed,                Robin
                                                                                         and                                      N and S (R)                           Red-bellied, Downy,                     N and S (WR)
                                                                                         Time of Residence                        Barred Owl                            Flicker, Pileated)                      Wood Thrush
                                                                                                                                  N and S(R)                            N and S (R)                             N (SB), S (M)
                                                                                                                                  American Kestrel                      Yellow-bellied Sapsucker                Rufous-sided Towhee
                                                                                                                                  N and S (R)                           N and S (WR)                            N and S (R)


                                                                                                                           I
                                                                  Painted bunting
                                                                                         Preferred Natural                        Mice and insects.                     Major consumers of forest               Forage on ground for insects;
                                                                                         Food                                                                           pest insects, grubs and eggs,           also eat fleshy fruits and
                                                                                                                                                                        ants, beetles; and also berries,        berries.
                                                                                                                                                                        nuts and seeds.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Towhee-on or close to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                ground under dense shrub
                                                                                         Preferred                                Cavities.                                                                     cover.
                                                                                                                                                                        Cavities in dead or dying
                                                                                                                                                                                                                Wood thrush-shrub or
                                                                                         Nesting Site                                                                   trees.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                small tree 6-12' high.


                                                                                         Will They Use...                                                                                                       Robin and thrush-rarely.
                                                                                                                                               No                                     Yes
                                                                                         Feeders?                                                                                                               Towhee-yes.



                                                                                                                                                                                      Yes
                                                                                         Nest Boxes?                                           Yes                                                                           No
                                                                                                                                                                               (except pileated)

                                                                        Barred owl
                                                            77
                                                                                         Special Management                       Like gardens with many old            Pileated and red-bellied                Wooded gardens with
                                                                                         and Landscape                            trees close to open, unmowed          prefer old growth forests with          densely planted understory.
                                                                                         Preferences                              areas for hunting. Prefer             mixed hardwoods. Downy                  Robins like lawns with
                                                                                                                                  Cavities in hardwoods and old         and flicker common in                   scattered trees, berry bushes
                                                                                                                                  woodpecker holes in pines.            gardens with mix of                     in winter. Towhees fond of
                                                                                                                                  Readily use appropriate nest          deciduous and coniferous                brush piles, prefer to forage
                                                                                                                                  boxes. Will use water if              trees and shrubs, some open             under feeders on ground,
                                                                                                                                                                        ground. Optimum garden for              close to cover. Shaded,
                                                                                                                                  provided.                             red-headed has lawns and                ground-level birdbaths or
                                                                                                                                                                        shrub beds, a few large pines           pools with close cover of
                                                                                                                                                                        and oaks and some dead                  shrubs excellent.
                                      4
                                                                                                                                                                        snags nearby. Maintain snags
                                                                                                                                                                        in your yard for all wood-
                                                                                                                                                                        peckers. Leave stumps and
                                                             IWO
                                                                                                                                                                        fallen logs as foraging habitat.
                                                                                                                                                                        Will eat suet; red-headed
                                                                                                                                                                        likes bread on platform
                                                                                                                                                                        feeder.

                                                                  Northern flicker

         12










                                                                      Orioles                                                                                                                    Doves
                                                              Summer Tanager                           Cedar Waxwing                                Nuthatches                            White-crowned                        Northern Bobwhite
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Pigeon



                   Location (NS)                            Orchard Oriole                        Cedar Waxwing                            White-breasted                           Mourning and Ground                      Northern Bobwhite
                   and                                      N (SB), S (M)                          N and S (WR)                            Nuthatch                                 Dove                                      N and S (R)
                   Time of Residence                        Spot-breasted Oriole                                                             N (R)                                   N and S (R)
                                                            S (R)                                                                          Brown-headed Nuthatch                    White-Crowned Pigeon
                                                            Northern Oriole                                                                  N and S (R)                              S (R)
                                                            N and S (WR)
                                                            Summer Tanager
                                                            N and S (SB)


                   Preferred Natural                        Insects, fleshy fruits, esp.          Abundant fleshy fruits on                Insects, seeds and nuts.                 Insects, seeds, nuts and fruits.         Seeds, acorns, some fruit;
                   Food                                     berries.                              shrubs and trees. Also, buds                                                      All except pigeon are ground             some insects and spiders.
                                                                                                  and flowers of hardwood                                                           feeders.
                                                                                                  trees.
                                                            Oriole-shade, street trees,                                                                                             Pigeon-often nest in
                                                            preferably near water.                                                                                                  mangroves, usually on                    Ground nest in brushy
                   Preferred                                Tanager-deciduous trees.                                                       Cavities in dead trees or old            offshore islands.                        open grasslands and open
                   Nesting Site                             often oaks.                           Not in Florida.                          woodpecker holes.                        Dove-varies, from ground to              pine woods.
                                                                                                                                                                                    shrubs, vines, etc.

                   Will Thev Use...                                      Yes                                    Rarely                                     Yes                                     Yes                                     Yes
                   Feeders?




                   Nest Boxes?                                           No                                       No                                      Yes                                      No                                      No



                   Special Management                       Prefer high feeding stations          Manage your property to                  Don't cut snags! Many                    Need dense cover of shrubs               Comes readily to seed on
                   and Landscape                            with fruit; northern orioles          include many fruiting natives;           hardwoods and pines are                  near open fields or lawns with           ground. Requires heavy brush
                   Preferences                              enjoy suet. Attracted to              roving flocks of waxwings                preferred cavity trees. Suet             scattered trees. Provide water           for daytime cover, A brush
                                                            gardens with mixed fruit              will devour dogwood, holly               and sunflower seeds are                  on the ground-birds like to              pile (page 16) is ideal.
                                                            trees, esp. orchard trees,            and red cedar berries in late            feeder favorites.                        bathe daily.
                                                            dogwood, mulberry, tupelos,           winter.
                                                            wild cherry and blackberry.
                                                            Orioles attracted to fruit at
                                                            feeders, especially oranges.











                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              13







                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Ruby-crowned
                                                                                                                                        Finches
                                                                                                                                                                            Yellow-billed                              Kinglet
                                                                                                                                     Pine Siskin                               Cuckoo                                Blue-gray
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Gnatcatcher




                                                                                      Location (NS)                           Goldfinch                             Yellow-billed Cuckoo                    Ruby-crowned Kinglet
                                                                                      and                                     N and S (WR)                            N and S (SB)                          N and S (WR)
                                                                                                                              Purple Finch                                                                  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
                                                                                      Time of Residence                       N (WR)                                                                        N and S (R)
                                                                                                                              Pine Siskin
                                                                                                                              N (WR)



                                                          American goldfinch
                                                                                      Preferred Natural                       Buds, soft fruits, seeds,            Caterpillars, grasshoppers,              Tiny insects gleaned from
                                                                                                                              insects in summer.                   other insects.                           foliage high in trees. Kinglets
                                                                                      Food                                                                                                                  also eat wax myrtle berries.


                                                                                                                                                                                                            Gnatcatchers nest on
                                                                                      Preferred                                                                    8-12' high in shrubs or on               horizontal limbs 25' or higher;
                                                                                      Nesting Site                         Not in Florida.                         horizontal tree branches.                use many kinds of trees.


                                                                                      Will They Use...                                    Yes                                     No                                      Yes
                                                                                      Feeders?




                                                                                      Nest Boxes?                                          No                                     No                                       No


                                                      Brown-headed nuthatch

                                                                                      Special Management                      Sweergurn and sycamore               Best natural controller of tent          Prefer mature, diverse garden
                                                                                      and Landscape                           fruits are prized winter foods;      caterpillars. Generally prefer           with good mix of evergreen
                                                                                      Preferences                             water is one of best                 trees with dense canopies,               and deciduous trees.
                                                                                                                              attractants. Most prefer high        such as oaks.                            Occasionally visit small
                                                                                                                              feeders; goldfinches will feed                                                hanging suet feeders. Rarely
                                                                                                                              on the ground. All love                                                       found in urban soutb Florida
                                                                                                                              sunflower seeds and niger                                                     yards.
                                                                                                                              (thistle) seeds.











                                                       Whire-crowned pigeon
      14








                                                                Eastern Phoebe
                                                                                                           Red-winged
                                                                 Great Crested                               Blackbird
                                                                    Flycatcher                                                                        Warblers                                    Vireos                                  Sparrows
                                                               Eastern and Gray                      Common and Boat-
                                                                     Kingbird                             tailed Grackle


                   Location (NS)                            Eastern Phoebe                          Red-winged Blackbird                    Warblers:                                Vireos: Red-eyed                         Sparrows:
                   and                                      N and S (WR)                            N and S (R)                               Orange-crowned and                         N (SB)                                 Chipping Sparrow
                   Time of Residence                        Great Crested Flycatcher                Common and Boat-tailed                    Yellow-rumped                            White-eyed                                N and S (R)
                                                            N (SB), S (R)                           Grackle                                     N and S (WR)                             N and S (R)                            Song, White-throated,
                                                            Eastern and Gray                        N and S (R)                               Parula, Pine and                          Yellow-throated                         and other migrant
                                                            Kingbird                                                                          Yellowthroat                               N (SB)                                 sparrows
                                                            N and S (S13)                                                                       N and S (mostly R)                      Black-whiskered                           N and S (M)
                                                                                                                                                                                         N (M), S (SB)


                   Preferred Natural                        Mostly catch insects, bees,             Mostly seeds and grains,                Insects, some seeds.                     Insects and spiders, some                Feed on ground, mostly weed
                   Food                                     etc. midair; also cat                   some insects.                                                                    fleshy berries prior to                  and grass seeds, some insects.
                                                            grasshoppers, ants, some                                                                                                 migration.
                                                            fruits.
                                                            Often near water; kingbird                                                      Large trees, ex. yellowthroat,           All suspend hanging nests in
                   Preferred                                likes medium shrubs or trees.           Wetlands or nearby fields,              shrubs near water. Parula uses           trees from 3-4' off ground               Chipping-near ground in
                   Nesting Site                             Ureat crested-natural cavities.         often in cattails.                      Spanish moss to construct                (white-eyed) to tree tops                dense thickets.
                                                      I     Phoebe-bridges, rafters, eaves                                                  nest.                                    (yellow-throated).


                   Will They Use...                                       No                                      Yes                             Suet feeders only.                                 No                                       Yes
                   Feeders?


                   Nest Boxes?                                            Yes,                                    No                                        No                                       No                                       No
                                                                   except kingbird


                   Special Management                       Like deciduous and mixed                Forage in all types of open             Many resident and migrant                Same as warblers. Black-                 Require n-dxed garden
                   and Landscape                            woods, edge situations.                 habitat during nonbreeding              warbler species will be                  whiskered vireos favor                   vegetation with close shrub
                                                            Attracted by gardens with               season. Prefer ground feeders,          attracted to a diverse, richly-          mangroves.                               cover. Will visit ground
                   Preference&                              streams, pools with small               but will use others. Highly             planted garden with many                                                          feeders regularly. Liberally
                                                            waterfalls, other sources of            attracted to sources of water.          canopy layers, including                                                          use water if provided.
                                                            running water. Favor many                                                       mature trees. Oaks provide
                                                            wild fruits. Kingbirds need                                                     good source of caterpillars. A
                                                            perch with good view. Great                                                     water source will bring in
                                                            crested flycatcher will nest in                                                 seldom seen species. Yellow-
                                                            gourds.                                                                         rumped, pine and orange-
                                                                                                                                            crowned commonly seen at
                                                                                                                                            Suet feeder.










                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               15





                                                                              Raccoons and opossums live in all but the most urban              Florida's nighttime skies. Most occur in the northern
                                                                            Florida habitats as long as they have access to food, water         half of the state. All are gentle, harmless and very beneficial
                                                                            and daytime cover. Sleeping sites and dens include hollow           insectivores. Some sleep alone in trees or Spanish moss,
                                                                            trees, underground burrows, brush piles and even garages or         while others seek an attic or abandoned building for colonial
                                                                            abandoned buildings. These nighttime foragers are                   roosting. You might be able to attract them by providing
                                                                            opportunists and will eat fleshy fruits, nuts, corn and other       artificial roost boxes (write the Florida Game and Fresh Water
                                                                            grains, small animals and human garbage.                            Fish Commission to obtain building plans).

                                                                              Succulent green plants, woody blackberries and tree bark
                                                                            are the primary food items of cottontail rabbits. Rabbits
                                                                            prefer to live in fields of herbaceous plants and grasses              Managing for Mammals in Your
                                                                            punctuated with dense, thorny low-growing hedges for cover.            Yard
                                                                            There's no quicker way to increase cottontails than by
                                                                            building protective brush piles.
                                                                                                                                                     *Give special protection to cavity trees on your
                                                                              Flying squirrels and gray squirrels are especially                   land. If you have few or none, nest boxes can
                                                                            abundant in wooded suburbs having mature oaks and                      substitute for natural cavities.
                                                                            hickories, dense understories and a supply of cavity trees.              *Plant native trees with edible fruits and nuts,
                                                                            Nuts, seeds, berries, mushrooms and insects make up a                  such as mulberry, wild cherry, beech, pine and oak.
                                                                            squirrel's diet, and they often nest in an abandoned                     *Protect nearby streams, swamps and marshes
                                                                            woodpecker hole or a bird nest box. If you notice Spanish              from destruction and water pollution.
                                                                            moss protruding from your bluebird or chickadee house,                   *Create maximum habitat diversity and edges in
                                                                            you probably have a flying squirrel in residence. Gray                 your backyard habitat.
                                                                            squirrels are active during the day, but flying squirrels are            *Provide ample low cover to supply protective
                                                                            nocturnal animals. Both species, if present, are readily
                                                                            attracted by peanut butter spread on a feeding stand.                  shelter from predators (including dogs and cats) and
                                                                                                                                                   the elements.
                                                                              Florida has a number of native rodents that might visit                *If vegetative cover is scarce, build a brush pile.
                                                                            your backyard. The handsome cotton mouse and old-field
                      ammals                                                mouse are likely residents, or you may even provide a home
                                                                            for the eastern woodrat. No matter which species inhabit
                   t least half of Florida's 62 terrestrial mammal          your land, you will seldom see them, and will even have to             Bottom half of brush pile
                   species might occur in a well-rounded                    look closely just to see their tunnels, nests and droppings.           construction
                   backyard habitat. If you live in an urban or             Nevertheless, they are important members of a backyard food
         suburban area, mammalian neighbors may include                     chain, eating large quantities of insects and weed seeds, and
         the animals described below. Don't count on                        in turn, serving as a meal for owls and hawks. Although they
         attracting larger animals like foxes, bobcats and deer             occasionally enter old buildings, these native rodents are not
         unless extensive areas of suitable habitat adjoin your             disease-carrying nuisances like the introduced house mouse,
         neighborhood. Mammals cannot fly over poor                         black rat and Norway rat.
         habitat like birds can, so if your property is sur-                  The streamlined mole is well-outfitted for life in the
         rounded by unsuitable habitat, it may be difficult to              meandering underground runways it digs in constant search                                   7
         attract them to your yard. Also, most mammals are                  for food. Moles are primarily insect eaters; damage to bulbs
         nocturnal and secretive, and they are very                         and crop plants usually results from drying of roots as the
         dependent upon the cover you provide to protect                    animal tunnels after earthworms and garden pests. Their
         them from predators. Although most mammals will                    contributions to a healthy garden outweigh any incidental
         not be seen as often as birds, they can be just as                 damage they create. Shrews are tiny voracious predators that'
         interesting and beneficial in your backyard habitat.               consume up to half or more of their weight in insects and
                                                                            invertebrates each day. They patrol small flattened runs in
                                                                            the leaves and organic matter that cover the ground. They are
         A

















                                                                            an asset to any garden.

                                                                              You may be lucky enough to have the insect-eating
                                                                            services of a bat or two, particularly if your backyard habitat
                                                                            is near a pond or stream. About ten species of bats frequent
        160





            Managing for Herps in Your Yard                                         The slimy salamander, in its black cloak studded with
                                                                                  flecks of white or gold, is a handsome mini-predator of small
               Most of Florida's reptiles and amphibians are small                insects and spiders in leaf litter and beneath rotting logs.
                                                                                  Most often seen at night when the ground is wet, its name
            and secretive and need a little bit of "wildness" in                  derives from the viscous slime it produces to thwart its
            which to hide and find food. You can improve the
                                                                                  enemies.
            herp habitat in your yard by doing the following:                       The little squirrel treefrog is one of the "chameleons" of                                  77
              *Leave some leaf litter under your trees, shrubs and
                                                                                  the frog world, and can change its color from dark brown to
                                                                                                                                                                  L
            in the garden.                                                        lime green. Often ranging far from water, it is a frequent
              *Encourage native ground cover, grasses and                         stalker of the insects attracted to your lighted window pane
            wildflowers; a finely mowed lawn is attractive to                     at night. By day, it retreats into a nearby tree or shrub where
            people but not to most herps.                                         it may give its nasal, duck-like "waaak" reminiscent of a
              *Leave stumps, rotting logs and stones where                        scolding squirrel.
            possible. Brush piles and wood piles also provide                       You should feel honored if the familiar high-domed box
                                                                                  turtle chooses your yard or garden for its home, because
            valuable shelters and basking sites.
                                                                                  these reptiles may live to be 100 years old! The box turtle is
              *Wooden rail or slat fences not only brighten the                                                                                                                                              y    u-3
                                                                                  so named because the special hinge on its bottom shell lets it
            yard but provide lizards with perches on which to
                                                                                  close up into an armored box when faced with danger. This
            bask, catch insects and set up territories.
                                                                                  familiar land turtle eats a variety of tow-growing plants,
              *Try to discourage cats from using your yard; they                  fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, insects and worms. It avoids
            are efficient hunters and frequently destroy herps and                the summer sun and winter cold by digging a small shelter in
            other wildlife.                                                       the leaf litter or underbrush.
                                                                                    The green anole, sometimes called "the American
                                                                                  chameleon" due to its ability to change from bright green to
                                                                                  dark brown, is one of several lizard species at home around
                                                                                  people. Its insect-catching skills provide great free                             e               e.
                                                                                  entertainment, as do its social interactions. Males pump out
                                                                                  their startling pink throat fan or "dewlap" to advertise their
                                                                                  virility and personal territory.
                                                                                    The southern ringneck snake, which seldom exceeds 14                  ad                     mphifitoans
                                                                                  inches in length, occasionally turns up in the garden, where it                                      i-
                                                                                  eats slugs, earthworms and other small animals. Brown to                        loridi  ns are lucky to share their state with a
                                                                                  slate black with a bright yellow necklace, the ringneck may                     wide   variety of reptiles and amphibians.
                                                                                  escape notice until you see its bright yellow belly beset with          FThanks to its unique geological history,
                                                                                  bold black spots. This and other small snake species may be             climate and diverse plant communities, Florida has
                                                                                  important predators of destructive insects, and can be                  127 species of native herptiles or -herps" (from the
                                                                                  encouraged by providing areas of leaf litter and logs or stones         Greek herpeton, meaning "creeping thing"). With
                                                                                  for cover.                                                              so many "creeping" (and hopping, slithering and
                                                                                    The common "black snake" of Florida is the southern                   swimming) critters around, it's no wonder that
            Top half of brush pile construction                                   black racer, a slender, shiny black, and very fast serpent that         some may choose to make their home near where
                                                                                  grows to over five feet. The racer eats an astonishing variety          you choose to make yoursl At left are
            -4To build your own brush pile, lay four logs (6 feet long            of other animals, from insects and frogs to mice, lizards and
            and 4 to 8 inches in diameter) parallel to one another about          other snakes. While cruising for its prey, each racer covers a          representatives of the Florida salamanders, frogs,
            8 to 12 inches apart on the ground. Then place four more              lot of territory; very likely the one you see will be "just             turtles, lizards and snakes you are most likely to run
            logs of the same size across and perpendicular to the first           passing through."                                                       into in your backyard or side garden, plus some
            four poles. These will keep "tunnels" open under the pile.              Rat snakes are tremendously variable in color, pattern,               hints on how to make them happy. If you are lucky
            Next add brush: larger limbs first, then smaller branches,            and local name (corn or "red rat" snake; gray rat or "white             enough to live next to some woods, a stream or a
            until you've created a structure 4 to 6 feet in height and            oak" snake; yellow rat or "chicken" snake), but all are                 pond, you may see some "herps" not listed here.
            diameter, Sticks and branches can then be continually added           superb climbers that prey on destructive rodents. Their                 For pictures and more information about all of
            to the top as the pile rots at the bottom, providing food for         presence in your shed or near your house may indicate a                 these, we recommend A Field Guide to the
            an abundance of earthworms, enriching the soil and reducing           plethora of mice.                                                       Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and
            the need for trash collection. If you want a brush pile for           NOTE: There are only six species of poisonous snakes
            birds to use, but not rabbits, pile brush one or two feet off         in Florida (two of which are very rare and found only                   Central North American by Roger Conant
            the ground on cement blocks. It will no longer shelter                in extreme north Florida). Learn to recognize these,                    (Peterson Field Guide Series).
            rabbits.                                                              and any others you see will be safe, valuable additions
                                                                                  to your backyard fauna.                                                                                                           011- 17





                                                                      Here are some ways to create a
                              "I                                      backyard butterfly habitat:

                                                                         *Let a few sunny areas in your yard go wild. Grasses
                                                                      and wildflowers native to your region of Florida are
                                                                      the best and most permanent butterfly draws. Over
                                                                      time, introduce seeds of other native butterfly
                                                                      attracting herbs to these natural food patches. Try to
                                                                      introduce vegetation that has staggered blooming
                                                                      seasons so you can offer a steady progression of
                                                                         flowers throughout the warm months.
                                                                          *Mow your meadow areas only at the end of the
                                                                             butterfly season (November in most parts of
                                                                               Florida) to avoid harming larvae.
                                                                                  *As you design your landscape plan, select
                                                                                  some of your permanent trees, shrubs and            A You can make a watering station for butterflies by
                                                                                  vines specifically for their butterfly food
                                                                      value. This                                                     adding sand to the saucer of a bird bath to reduce its
                                low                                                can be as simple as placing a few                  depth. Add a rock to the center that can act as a
                                                                      important shrubs in a sunny spot you can see from
                                                                                                                                      resting spot. A large saucer designed to fit beneath clay
                                                                      your porch or window. Write for a free fact sheet on            flower pots will do the same job handsomely.
                                                                      butterfly gardening from the Nongame Wildlife Program
                                                                      (see page 33) which lists the larval and nectar food
                                     tes                              plants for each common Florida butterfly.
                                                                         *Provide at least one puddle area for your
                 s you create your backyard habitat, don't            butterflies, because these insects cannot drink from
                 overlook the nectar-seekers-hummingbirds             open water. Wet sand, earth or mud are the best butter-
       Aand butterflies. They are valuable plant                      fly watering holes (see illustration).
       pollinators, and delightful to observe as well.                   *Enhance your butterfly management effort with
          It's easy to attract butterflies to your garden by          personal observations. Learn which species already
       providing their favorite nectar-producing flowers.             occur in your area and identify the plants they are
       But to persuade them to stay all summer, you must              visiting. Go a step further and study local butterflies
       also grow those plants that supply food forthe                 and their preferred plants in more natural field and
       insects' larval stage. Female butterflies lay their eggs       forest settings. Many field guides on butterflies and
       only on certain plants that will nourish the young             local flora can help you in your identification (see
       caterpillars (larvae) after they hatch. Some                   page 33).
       caterpillars feed on just one kind of plant, while                *Most important of all, refrain from using
       others may dine on a broad range of related species.           insecticides and herbicides in your habitat. Explain the
       Zebra swallowtail larvae, for example, feed only on            harmful effects of these chemicals to your neighbors as
       pawpaw plants, while tiger swallowtails will                   well.
       consume leaves from many broadleaf shrubs and
       trees, especially willows and tulip poplars.

                                                                                                                                            X





                                                                         Artificial feeders: use with caution


                                                                            The safest, most balanced way to encourage
                                                                         hummingbirds is to provide their favorite nectaring
                                                                         blossoms in sunny habitats. But, as most
                                                                         hummer fans know, sugar-water
                                                                         feeders are usually a sure            PXOWW@
                                                                         draw for these birds. If you
                                                                         choose to supplement the birds'natural diet in this
        4M                                                               way, protect them from hazardous
                                                                                                               spoiled solutions
                                                                         by observing the following safety tips:

                                                                         DO use a feeding solution of four parts water to one
                                                                         part white granulated sugar-no stronger. Bring water
                                                                         to a full boil, dissolve in sugar and promptly cool.
                                                                         Refrigerate unused portions.

                                                                         DO choose feeders that can be dismantled and
                                                                         thoroughly cleaned to remove bacteria and fungus
                                                                         molds. Scrub with hot water and vinegar (no soap)
                                                                         every four or five days.
                                                                         DO NOT use honey. It may contain botulism toxins               Jfummingfit"rds
                                                                         and fungi fatal to hummingbirds.
                                                                         DO NOT use red dye or commercial solutions with                         uby-throated hummingbirds, our only
                                                                         red coloring. The red plastic feeders will attract the                  nesting hummingbird species, are most
                                                                         birds just as well.                                            Rattracted to nectar-rich plants having bright
                                                                                                                                        red or orange blossoms of tubular shape. You will
                                                                                                                                        have to choose your plants carefully-many of the
                                                                         DO NOT use insect sprays to control bees, wasps or
                                                       411               ants on feeders. Vegetable oil applied around the              popular, exotic landscape plants are unsuitable for
                                                                         feeder openings and on the suspending wire should              nectar-seekers. Stick with flowering natives,
                                                                         discourage these unwanted visitors. Many commercially          especially trees, shrubs, vines and perennials which
                                                                                                                                        will require a minimum of care. Annuals, on the
    L                                                                    available feeders come equipped with plastic bee guards.
                                                                                                                                        other hand, must be replaced each year. Single-
                                                                                                                                        flowered blossoms have more nectar than double
                                                                                                                                        ones, so avoid double-flowered and sterile hybrids.
                                                                         Hummingbird gardens                                              Hummingbirds feed most comfortably from
                                                                                                                                        blossoms two feet or higher above the ground. They
                                                                           An excellent planting design for a hummingbird               will also visit hanging potted plants and sugar-water
                                                                         garden follows the wildlife landscaping principle of           feeders on open patios and porches. Be sure to
                                                                         layered vegetation. Build a cascade of plant attractants       consider the best viewing opportunities your
                                                                         by securing a trellis to a wall and covering it with           windows and porches afford as you place your
                                                                         trumpet creeper or coral honeysuckle vines. Or                 hummingbird garden or plants. Remember, too,
                                                                         consider a red buckeye (north Florida) or geiger tree          that flowering plants nearly always require full sun.
                                                                                                                                                                                      '0












































                                                                         (south Florida) for height at the back of your
                                                                         hummingbird garden. Add lower shrubs such as coral
                                                                         bean or firebush, and then low flowering annuals and
                                                                         perennials closest to the ground.

                                                                                                                                                                                          O@19






                                                                                                                                      Rabbits, armadillos, raccoons in your garden? The
                                                                                                                                      only permanent solution is fencing. Explore electric,
                                                                                                                                      poultry wire or woven wire fences. If you elect to
                                                                                                                                      install electric fencing, do not use red insulators. They
                                                                                                                                      attract and electrocute hummingbirds. Fences are
                                                                                                                                      movable, cost relatively little and save a great deal of
                                                                     Recommendations:                                                 frustration. Consider chain link fencing if you're
                                                                                                                                      willing to absorb a high initial cost, or if the
                                                                     What about hawks? Most hawks eat mice,                           neighborhood dog population is especially
                                                                     grasshoppers, rabbits and birds, including exotic,               troublesome.
                                                                     nuisance house sparrows. There's simply no possibility
                                                                     that they will deplete the songbirds at your feeder, but         Remember, from the standpoint of wildlife,
                                                                     if you manage your yard to concentrate songbirds at              domestic cats and dogs are a major source of mortality.
                                                                     a feeding station, predators will eventually notice and          It's unfair to attract birds and other animals to a
                                                                     occasionally take an unwary or slow bird. Follow the             feeding station if you cannot keep your pets confined.
                                                                     recommendations on page 22 for feeder placement. Be              If you have cats in your yard, do not use mixed grain
                                                                     certain the birds have quick access to shrub or brush            feeds or ground feeding stations. Sunflower or thistle
                                                                     pile cover.                                                      seeds in tube feeders will discourage the especially
                                                                                                                                      vulnerable ground feeders, such as doves and quail.
                                                                     Norway or black rats? The best and only really
                                                                     effective way to control rats is to stop feeding them.
                                                                     Don't leave pet food out overnight or stock your
                       fill                                          platform or ground feeders with more than a day's
                                                                     w
                                                                       orth of seed. Use rat-proof containers, such as
                                                                     garbage cans with tightly fitting lids, to store dry
                                                                     foodstuff. Situate brush piles well away from the bases                                                         01
                                                                     of buildings. Encourage rat snakes!

                                                                     Squirrels at your feeders? Invest in one of the new
                                                                     baffles built for bird feeders. They really work. If you
                                                                     have pole feeders, try greasing the pole with vegetable
       ,Profi le m                                uests              shortening. It's harmless, biodegradable and hilarious!
            f you're lucky and you've created a balanced             Nest box predators? Keep bird nest boxes on poles;
            backyard habitat, a complex, interdependent web          clear tall vegetation from base of pole. Sheet metal
            of living creatures is sharing your property.            wrapped around wooden poles will prevent predators
        You've noticed that you can't always pick and                from climbing into boxes.
        choose which insects, birds and other animals move
                                                                                                                                           XiN
        to your yard. And you've found out that living               Birds in your berry patch? Try a few strategies.
        close to wildlife means adapting your behavior to            Invest in plastic bird netting. It's the only way to
        theirs, and outsmarting or excluding them where              assure yourself a full crop.  Plant native attractants,
        they create a nuisance you can't live with.
                                                                     such as wild cherry, elderberry, pokeweed and
                                                                                                                                                        A""
                                                                     mulberries, which will dull the birds' appetite for
                                                                     cultivated fruits. Place one or two nest boxes for
                                                                                                                                                     k@,kN- , -, I @2
                                                                     Carolina wrens near your fruit crops. These insect-                               I't"IP
                                                                     eating wrens are very territorial and will harass other
                                                                     birds that venture near their homes.




      20 0@





                     Nest Box Dimensions For Florida Cavity Nesters
                                                              Depth       Ht. of     Diam.          Ht.
                                                Floor of        of     Entrance        of           Above
            Species                               Cavity      Cavity   Above Fl. Entrance Ground                Special Notes                                        T
                                                   Inches      Inches     Inches     Inches         Feet
                                                                                                             can use shelf, basket
            Carolina Wren                          4 x 4        8             1-6      1 '/4        6-10     or gourd
            Bluebird                               5 x 5        8             6        1 '12        5-10

            Crested Flycatcher                     6 x 6        to            6        2            8-20
            Purple Martin                          6 x 6   1    6             1-2     2-21/4  1     10-20    will also use gourd         IV,
            Wood Duck                             10 x 10       24            20    3':,high   land: 15-25   use predator guard
                                                                                   x 4 wide    water: 5-25
                                                                                                             Put 3-4" sawdust
            Downy Woodpecker                       4 x 4        to            8        1 '/4        6-20
                                                                                                             in box
            Red-bellied or Red-                    6 x 6        t5            9        2            8-20     put 3-4" sawdust
            headed Woodpecker                                                                                in box
                                                   7 x 7        18            14       2@@            70     put 3-4" sawdust
            Flicker                                                                                 8-,
                                                                                                             in box                                                               rv
            Tufted Titmouse                        4 x 4        8             6        1 '/4        5-15

            Chickadee                              4 x 4        8             6        11/8         5-15
                                                                                    3- high                  use coping saw to
            Screech Owl                           lox 10        24            20   x 4" wide        10-30    cut hole
            Barred and Barn Owl rl2xl2                     1   25-28      12-1                      10-30   1
           T
                   hink of the delight children and adults both           buyers than birds. Keep in mind that each
                   experience when they watch birds building              species has preferred nesting requirements (see table).               A good bird house should:
                   their nests, and the awe they feel when they           The closer you match these preferences, the more
           spot the first fledglings peeking out, then learning to        likely it is that your nesting structure will become            1.   Have ventilation holes under roof overhang.
           fly! Erecting a properly designed nest box promises not        occupied.                                                       2.   Have drainage holes.
           only education and entertainment, but the potential                Boxes should be built of 3/4-inch durable woods             3.   Have cleats or be roughened with a wood chisel
           for significant increases in local bird populations.           such as cypress, western cedar or exterior-grade                     beneath the entrance hole to help birds climb
              At least 22 resident Florida birds nest in cavities in      plywood. Use rough-cut grade lumber; it will blend                   out.
           trees or branches. Some do their own excavating, but           nicely with the natural habitat you are creating and            4.   Be built for a definite species; proper entrance
           most depend on natural cavities chiseled out and then          give the birds a foothold when they climb out of the                 size and cavity depth very important.
           abandoned by woodpeckers. If you think natural                 box. Avoid using plastic or metal boxes. They absorb            5.   Have roof extending over all sections for
           nesting cavities are scarce in your neighborhood, you          too much heat during our scorching summers and may                   maximum protection.
           should supply artificial nest structures.                      bake the fledglings. Exceptions to this rule are the
              When buying or building a bird house, make sure it          anodized aluminum purple martin houses now
           is designed for a specific species-not just for "birds."       available. These structures have a relatively large
           Commercial boxes are often built more to attract               entrance and central ventilating shaft that opens to
                                                                          each compartment and provides sufficient cooling.                               Supplementing Your Backyard Habitat
                                                                                                                                                                                              &21




       Feeding Stations                                                Remember to locate your feeders in spots that are
                                                                    easily visible from your house. Be certain that birds               A good bird feeder should:
                                                                    have access to thick shrub or tree cover in which to
       F
             eeding birds is a popular backyard activity in         escape predators within 10 to 20 feet of the feeder.           I.   Hold enough food for two or three days use.
             Florida-a 1985 survey revealed that 66                 However, don't place feeders in the middle of dense            2.   Protect the food from inclement weather
             percent of all respondents had fed birds or other      shrubbery; these locations can work against the birds               because wet grain spoils quickly. Moldy food is
       wildlife around their homes in the past year. There's        and in favor of a stalking cat. Windows can be another              unhealthy for birds.
       certainly no easier place to introduce children and          hazard to birds frequenting feeders. Bird collisions           3.   Be free from predators. Use pole guards if
       adults alike to the joys of bird-watching than at a          with windows usually result from confusing scenic                   necessary and locate close to cover.
       backyard feeder. just offer food under reasonably            reflections and seemingly open passageways. You can            4.   Keep spillage and waste to a minimum.
       sanitary conditions, and you needn't worry about ill         cut down on these accidents by hanging a mobile or             5.   Be easily seen from your favorite observation
       effects of supplemental feeding on local bird                using stained glass or the silhouette of a hawk to break            point near a window, patio or porch.
       populations.                                                 up reflections on the windows.                                 6.   Be maintained year-round.
         Let variety be your guide when you set up a bird
       feeding station. You'll find that each species strongly      REMEMBER, birds will readily visit backyard feeders,
       prefers certain foods and feeding situations.                even in relatively barren habitat. However, permanent
         Seeds are a favorite with many birds because of their      increases in local bird populations will only occur as
       high protein and fat content. Studies have shown that        your landscape (their habitat) grows in richness and
       the top grain choices for birds are oil, striped and         diversity.
       hulled sunflower seeds; fine cracked corn; white proso
       millet; and niger (thistle) seed. Use separate feeders for
       different kinds of grain to reduce competition at            Recipe for Suet Cake
       feeders and prevent grain loss. Avoid most commercial           I cup ground suet
       seed mixes. They are usually wasteful, because the birds        1 cup smooth peanut butter
       pick out only the grains they prefer; the rest ends up       2-3  cups yellow corn meal
       on the ground and sprouts. You may be able to                1/2  cup enriched white or whole wheat flour
       eliminate some nuisance species if you keep their
                                                                    (1)  Melt suet in saucepan.
       preferred food items out of your feeders. Milo and
       hulled oats attract starlings. Wheat is preferred by         (2)  Add peanut butter, stirring until melted and blended.
                                                                    (3)  In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
       brown-headed cowbirds and house sparrows. Consult
                                                                    (4)  When the suet/peanut butter mix has cooled and
       the references on page 33 if you'd like to learn more
                                                                         begins to thicken, add the dry ingredients and
                                                                                                                                                       X4,
       about individual bird species' feeding preferences.
                                                                         blend thoroughly.
         Try placing several kinds of feeders at various            (5)  Stuff mixture into a pine cone or form into
       heights and locations in your garden to accommodate               cakes in muffin tins for use in suet feeders.
                                                                                                                                                                                    &
       the different eating styles of your birds. A varied
                                                                                                                                           7.,
       backyard feeding program might include:
                                                                                                                                                                                              F
           millet and cracked corn on the ground for doves,                                                                                                                                         7.
       towhees, sparrows and quail (unless cats, mice or rats
       are a problem).
           sunflower seeds, mixed grains and fruit offered on
       platform or hopper feeders three or four feet off the
                                                                                                                               @J
       ground for perching birds like cardinals, finches and
       grosbeaks.
           a suet feeder suspended or attached to a tree limb.
       It may attract at least 12 different species of birds
       on a year-round basis. Raw suet will become rancid
       quickly, so use the suet cake recipe on this page and
       place the feeder in a shady location.


       22&





                                                                            Misters                                                        Water

                                                                              You should time your mister's operation to                            backyard habitat isn't complete withou
                                                          ------            minimize cost and wasted water. Both migrant and                        water for drinking and bathing. In fact,
                                                                            resident birds are most active between sunrise and             Afurnishing clean water at the right height with
                                                                            10-00 a.m., and again in the later afternoon and early         prot
                                                                            evening. Install a timer at your hose outlet to activate           ective cover nearby is one of the most useful
                                                                            the mister jet only at those times.                            methods you can use to attract birds and improve
                                                                                                                                           wildlife habitat. A predatot-safe birdbath will lure
                                                                                                                                           species that seldom visit feeders, especially during
                                                                                                                                           spring and fall migrations and the hot summer months.
                                                                                                                                             Many migrant songbirds, including warblers, vireos,
                                                                                                                                           and gnatcatchers, normally dwell in the forest canopy.
                                                                                                                                           Other backyard residents, including catbirds, thrashers,
                                                       Detail of nust nonle                                                                wrens, towhees and thrushes, haunt secretive thickets
                                                                                                                                           to avoid predators and venture away from cover only
                                                                                                                                           briefly. In the wild, they drink and bathe in water
                                                                                                                                           droplets among leafy branches, and in bromeliad
                                                                                                                                            cups" located close to dense, low shrubbery. As a
                                                                                                                                           result, Florida's many lakes and streams, as well as the
                                                                                                                                           rockpits and miles of canals that criss-cross south
                                                                                                                                           Florida, are virtually useless to most songbirds and
                                                                                                                                           small mammals. A few migrants, including robins, wilt
                                                                                                                                           use canal edges, but even they seem to prefer shallow
                                                                                                                                           birdbaths.
                                                                                                                                             Almost any flat receptacle that holds water will
                                                                                                                                           attract birds. An upside-down garbage can lid is a
                                                                                                                                           simple and inexpensive model.
                                                                                                                                             A really successful bird bath:
                                                                                                                                             *is located in a shady, protected spot about 15 feet
            Al. @4
                                                                                                                                           from shrubbery and is mounted three feet off the
                                                                                                                                           ground.
                                                                                                                                             *has a dry edge or "beach" around the perimeter
                                                                                                                                           an
                                                                                                                                             d then a gradual slope to a depth of two to three
                                                                                                                                           inches in the center. Birds will not bathe in most
                                                                                                                                           commercial bird baths because the sides are too steep.
                                                                                                                                             *has a rough bottom for safe footholds.
                                                                                                                                             *has "live" or moving water. Misting or dripping
                                                                                                                                                          birds that might otherwise overlook the
                                                                                                                                           water attracts
                                                                       C_
                                                                                                                                           bath. Thin metal bird baths magnify the sound of
                                                                                                                                           failing water droplets which birds find so irresistable.
                                                                                                                                           The best design should include a thin jet or mist of
                                                                                                                                           water that shoots vertically into overhanging tree
                                                                                                                                           branches and then drips back into the bath.
                                                                                                                                             Keep your wildlife water supply both dependable
                                                                                                                                           and clean. Unpredictable water sources are rarely
                                                                                                                                           visited.




                                    N                                             Native Plants
                                                                                  for Backyard
                                                                                  Florida Habitats

                                                         C                              his table lists 55 trees, 28 shrubs and small trees, and seven vines with
                                                                                  T     excellent wildlife value for home landscapes. All are native to Florida. You
                                                                                        can identify potential plants for your landscape by checking their preferred
                                                                                  temperature zones and soil types. The climate map will help you determine whether
                                                                                  you live in north (N), central (C), south (S) or semitropical (SS) Florida. Soil
                                                                                  types are broadly classified as wet, poorly drained (W); garden soils with average
                                                                                  moisture, i.e., pine flatwoods, mulched urban fill soils (A); and very dry or xeric
                                                                                  soils that are rarely or never flooded, usually in full sun situations (D). The table
                                                                                  also tells you whether the plant is evergreen (E) or deciduous (D-seasonally drops
                                                               S                  and regrows its leaves) and when it fruits: summer (S), fall (F), winter (W) or
                                                                                  spring (Sp). Season of flowering is marked with an asterisk if important to wildlife.
                                                                                  Both common and scientific names are provided to help you purchase exactly what
                                                                                  you want from a plant nursery. Use references on page 33 to learn more about
                                                                                  individual plant species.
                                                             S



                                         Evergreen  or     Season of
                                Zone     Deciduous         Fruiting        Soil                               Value to Wildlife



            TREES


       American Beech            N              D              F              A    Nuts eaten by game birds, mammals, woodpeckers, blue jays, titmice, nuthatches, grackles, cardinals,
        (Fagus grandifolia)                                                        towhees.
       Buttonwood               C (Barrier      E            SP-W           W-A    Excellent cover and nesting plant; can be trimmed into hedge; salt tolerant, wind resistant and tolerates
        (ConocaTpus erectus)     islands), S,SS                                    wet areas.
       Cedar, Southern Red       All            E             F-W            All   Good cover and nesting sites; blue fruit attracts tree swallows, cedar waxwings, mockingbirds, yellow-
        Uuniperus silicicola)                                                      rumped warblers, bluebirds, flickers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, opossums, armadillos.

       Cherry, Black             N,C            D              S            A-D    Very important summer food plant; fruit eaten by many bird species and gray squirrels; tent caterpillars
        (Prunus serotina)                                                          which infest tree in spring, eaten by yellow-billed cuckoos.

                                                                                   Many bird species feed on this dark fruit at a time when tittle else is available; can be used as an
       Cherry Laurel             All            E              W            A-D    informal privacy hedge.

      24









                                                           Evergreen or             Season of
                                                Zone       Deciduous                Fruiting            Soil                                           Value to Wildlife




               Coffee Colubrina                  S'SS               E                   F-Sp*              A      Fragrant green flowers in fall attract abundant insects, honeybees, wasps, butterflies, diurnal moths,
                (Colubrina aTbarescens)                                                                           which in turn attract warblers, gnatcatchers, kingbirds, vireos and flycatchers,
               Crabapple, Southern               N                  D                   S                  A      Fruit eaten by mockingbirds and other bird species.
                (Malus angustifolia)
               Cypress, Bald                     All                D                   F-W             W-A
                (Taxodium distichum)                                                                              Seed cones used by gray squirrels, ducks, sandhill cranes, others; long-lived, pest-free tree.
               Cypress, Pond
                  (T. ascendens)                 All                D                   F-W             W-A
               Dogwood, Flowering                N,C                D                   F                  A      Bright red fruit very attractive to many species of birds.
                (Cornus florida)
               Elm, Winged                       N,C                D                   Sp              W-A       Early source of seeds for many songbirds, including finches, sparrows, grosbeaks; fox and gray squirrels
                (Ulmus alata)                                                                                     and rabbits also utilize elm fruits.
               Geiger Tree                       S'SS
                (Cordia sebestena)               (FL Keys)          E                   F-Sp*              A      Bright orange flowers relished by hummingbirds; cold sensitive.
               Gum, Black or                                                                                      Blue fruit eaten by many birds, including woodpeckers, blue jays, bluebirds, cardinals, wood ducks and
               Tupelo                            N,C,S              D                   F               W-A       others; hollows in old trees used by birds and mammals; flowers important for bees.
                (Nyssa sylvatica)

               Gumbo-limbo                       C (Barrier         D                   S                  A      Clusters of red fruit eaten by mockingbirds and vireos; warblers and flycatchers often seen in canopy.
                (Bursera simaTuba)               islands), S,SS
               Hackberry or                                                                                       Dark fruit eaten bv many birds, including catbirds, mockingbirds, robins, thrashers, towhees, cedar
               Sugarberry                        All                D                   S-F                All    waxwings, flickers; butterfly larvae.
                (Celtis laevigata)
               Hawthorn                          N,C                D                   SP-S               A      Red or yellow fruit eaten by birds and mammals, including foxes, otters, rabbits; provides good cover
                (Crataegus spp.)                                                                                  and nesting sites; thorny.
               Hickory                           N,C,S              D                   F                  A      Nuts eaten by squirrels, wood ducks, blue jays, woodpeckers and crows.
                (Ca-fya spp.)

               HOLLIES
                   (Ilex spp.)
                American                         N,C                E                   F-W                A      Female plants bear red fruit that persists into the winter; eaten by many species of birds; good cover;
                   (Ilex opaca)                                                                                   yaupon holly is salt tolerant; summer plants important source of pollen for bees.


                                                                                                                                                                                                               25








                                                      Evergreen or            Season of
                                           Zone       Deciduous               Fruiting             Soil                                         Value to Wildlife





            Yaupon                          N,C,S              E                   F-W               All
             (I. vomitoria)                                                                                  Continued from previous page.
            Dahoon                          All                E                   F-W               All
             (I. cassine)
           Hornbearn, Blue                  NIC                D                   S-F             W-A       Nuts eaten by squirrels and some birds.
            (CaTpinus caroliniana)
           Lancewood                        S'SS               E                   F                 A       Deep purple fruit especially attractive to wood thrushes and veerys.
            (Nectandra coriacea)
           Magnolia, Southern               N,C,S              E                   F                 A
             (Magnolia grandiflora,                                                                          Good cover for songbirds; red fruit eaten by woodpeckers, red-eyed vireos and others.
           Magnolia, Sweetbay               N,C,S              E                   F               W-A
             (M. virginiana)
           Maple, Red                       All                D                   S                 A
             (Acer rubrum)
           Maple, Florida Sugar             All                D                   S                 A       Winged seeds eaten by some birds and mammals.
             (A. barbatum)

           Mastic
            (Mastichodendron                S'SS               E                 SP-W                A       Yellow fleshy fruit eaten bv birds, raccoons, opossums; known as "jungle plum".
            foetidissimum)
           Mulberry, Red                                                                                     Usually only female plants bear fruit; abundant berries attract woodpeckers (including pileated),
                                            All                D                   Sp              W-A       kingbirds, great crested flycatchers, blue jays, crows, titmice, mockingbirds, thrashers, grackles,
            (Morus rubra)                                                                                    summer tanagers, cedar waxwings, opossums, raccoons, squirrels.

           OAKS
             Quercus spp.)
            Live Oak                        All                E                   F-W             A-D
             (Q. virginiana)
            White Oak                       N                  D                   F-W               A       Acorns are a primary wildlife food source and have high energy value; eaten by game birds,
             (Q. alba)                                                                                       woodpeckers (especially red-headed), blue jays, raccoons, quail, gray squirrels, flying squirrels, bears.
            Basket Oak                                                                                       provides good cover and nesting sites, den trees and nesting materials, including lots of Spanish moss;
             (Q. michauzii)                 N,C                D                   F-W               A       many warbler species may be found in live oaks feeding on insects; live oak is salt tolerant.
            Laurel Oak
             I- 1     .1 .. I                                  E                   F-W             W-A
             (Q. launfolia)
            Myrtle Oak                      N,C,S              E                   F-W             A-D
             (Q. myrtifolia)


         26












                                                                                    iJ







                 4L-





                                   4W





                                   Southern red cedar                       Southern magnolia                        Coral honeysuckle



                                   Evergreen or   Season of
                            Zone   Deciduous      Fruiting     Soil                        Value to Wildlife




        Shumard Oak          N,C          D           F-W       A
         (Q. shumardii)                                              Continued from previous page.
        Water Oak            N,C,S        D           F-W      W-A
         (Q. nigra)
        Palm, Cabbage or                                             Our state tree; white flowers attract honeybees and other insects; black fruit eaten by many birds,
        Sabal                All          E           F         All  especially robins, grackles, mockingbirds, thrashers, red-bellied woodpeckers, catbirds, and raccoons;
                                                      S*             palm thatch used as nest building material; frogs, lizards and insects live in crown where moisture
         (Sabal palmetto)                                            collects; salt tolerant.
        Palm, Florida Royal  S'SS         E           S         A    Abundant fruits used by many birds.
         (Roystonea elata)
        Palm, Silver         SISS         E           S         A    Large clusters of dark purple fruits eaten by many birds.
         (CoccothTinax aTgentata)

        Palm, Thatch
         (Thrinax radiata)   S'SS         E           S         A    Copious white fruits used by songbirds.
         (T. morrissii)

        Paradise Tree        S'SS         E           Sp        A    Abundant red fruits.
         (Simarouba glauca)
        Persimmon                                                    Female plants bear fleshy fruit in the fall and often persist into winter; important food for raccoons,
         (Diospyros virginiana) All       D           F          All opossums, foxes, skunks and many birds.

                                                                                                                              27








                                                          Evergreen or               Season of
                                               Zone       Deciduous                  Fruiting              Soil                                               Value to Wildlife





             Pigeon Plum                                                                                               Female trees bear dark purple fruit eaten by many birds and other wildlife; fruit is also sold in
             (Coccoloba diversifolia)           S'SS              E                       F-W                 A        Bahamian markets; salt tolerant.

             PINES
              (Pinus spp.)
             Slash Pine                         All               E                       F                  All
              (R elliottii)
             Longleaf Pine                      N,C,S             E                       F                  All       Pine seeds are of major importance to wildlife, although the crop of seeds varies considerably from year
              (P. palustris)
             Loblolly Pine                                                                                             to year; good cover; seeds eaten by chickadees, blue jays, nuthatches, pine siskins, quail, pine warblers
              (P. taeda)                        N,C               E                       F                  All       and other birds, as well as fox squirrels and gray squirrels; old growth pines provide good nesting
             Spruce Pine                        N,C               E                       F                   A        cavities; slash pine is salt tolerant.
              (P. glabra)
             Sand Pine
              (P. clausa)                       N,C,S             E                       F                   D
             Sea Grape                          C (Barrier        E                       S-F                 A        Good honey plant; fleshy fruit eaten by raccoons, turtles and various bird species; salt tolerant.
             (Coccoloba uvifera)                islands), S,SS                    (All year, South)
             Short-Leaf Fig                     S'SS              E                       Sp-W                A        Attracts many fruit-eating and insect-eating birds; cedar waxwings often swarm on it.
             (Ficus citrifolia)
             Stoppers                           S'SS              E                       S-F                 A        Four species are excellent bird-attracting native landscape trees.
             (Eugenia spp.)
             Strangler Fig                      C (Barrier        E                       Sp-W               All       Attracts swarms of cedar waxwings and many other birds; invasive roots.
             (Ficus aurea)                      islands), S,SS
             Sweetgum                                                                                                  Seeds in "gum balls" eaten by goldfinches, siskins, wrens, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, quail and
             (Liquidambar                       N,C,S             D                       F-W               W-A        purple finches.
             styraciflua)
             Wild Lime                          C (Coast), S,SS   E                       S                   A        Excellent butterfly plant.
             (Zanthoxylum fagara)
             Wild Tamarind                      SISS        E to semi-D                   Sp-W                A        Persistent flowers in April, followed by thin, flat, pea-like pods with black seeds; attracts warblers,
             (Lysitoma latisiliqua)                                                       Sp-S*                        gnatcatchers, redstarts, flycatchers.
             Willow Bustic                      S'SS              E                       S                  A-D       Small black fruits used by many species; excellent pioneer tree for poor soils.
             (Dipholis salicifolia)


         28








                                                                                            -/00
                                                                                                                                                                                 Ok@


                                                              Yaupon holly                                                      Necklace pod                                                       Wild coffee'


                                                         Evergreen or            Season of
                                              Zone       Deciduous               Fruiting            Soil                                          Value to Wildlife


                             SHRUBS
              AND SMALL TREES


              American
              Beautyberry                       All               D                    F                All     Bright purple berries eaten by woodpeckers, mockingbirds, cardinals and other bird species.
              (Callicarpa americana)

              11.910 "wer
                                                SC (Barrier    E (Annual)           Sp-F                A       Bright red peppers highly favored by catbirds and mockingbirds.
                           annum)               islands), SS
              Blackberry                        N,C,S             D                    S                All     Berries are one of the most valuable summer foods for wildlife; berries eaten by many bird species and
              (Rubus spp.)                                                                                      raccoons, squirrels, box turtles; excellent cover for wildlife.


                                                SSS               E                    S                A       Bright pink fruits prized by songbird&

              Blueberry                         N,C,S             D                    S                All     Blueberries are an important summer food source for wildlife; eaten by many bird and mammal species;
              (Vaccinium spp.)                                                                                  good for hedgerows.

                     Yet                        N,C               D                 SP*                 A       Red tubular flowers feed hummingbirds; nutlike fruit eaten by squirrels in fall.
              ,(A'*"ha Pavia)                                                       F-W
              Cactus, Prickly Pear              All               E                 S-F               A-D       Persistent fruit eaten by raccoons, gopher tortoises, Florida box turtles, eastern woodrats.
              (Opuntia spp.)
              COWPIUM                           S,SS              E                    S                All     Large fruits edible by humans and wildlife.
           __(CWrys&aIAnu

                                                                                                                                                                                                          29








                                                       Evergreen or             Season of
                                            Zone       Deciduous                Fruiting           Soil                                           Value to Wildlife



           Coffee, Wild                      C'S'SS             E                      S              A        Fleshy red berries widely used by wildlife species.
            (Psychotria nervosa)
           Coral Bean                        All                D                  Sp*                All      Red flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds.
            (Erythrina herbacea)                                                   F-W
           Elderberry                        All                E                  S-F             W-A         Excellent summer source of food for wildlife; deep purple fruit eaten by many bird species.
           (Sambucus canadensis)                                                (All year)

           Firebush
            (Hametia patens)                 S'SS               E                  Sp-W*              A        Orange-red tubular flowers throughout year attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
           Florida Trema                     S'SS               E                      S              A        Large quantities of small fruits eaten by many birds.
            (Trema micrantha)

           Fringe Tree
            (Chionanthus                     N,C                D                  S-F             W-A         Fruits eaten by many birds and mammals.
           virginicw)

           Marlberry
            (Ardisia                         C(Coast), S,SS     E                  Sp-W               A        Purple fruit eaten by most fruit-eating birds.
           escallonioides)                                                         F-W*
           Myrsine                           C'S'SS             E                  Sp-W            A-W         Good food, cover, and nesting sites for many birds; good hedge plant for barrier islands.
            (Myrsine floridana)                                                    F-W*

           Necklace Pod
            (Sophora tomentosa)              S'SS               E                  Sp-W               A        Yellow, pea-like flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and attract insects, which in turn
                                                                                   W-Sp*                       attract vireos and warblers.
           Palmetto, Saw                                                                                       Spring flowers provide nectar for honeybees; fruit eaten by several bird species and raccoons; excellent
            (Serenoa repens)                 All                E                  SP                 All      cover.
                                                                                       S

           Pokeweed
            (Phytolacca                      All                D                  S-F                All      A weed worth cultivating; dark purple fruit eaten by many songbirds, including bluebirds, cardinals,
            americana)                                                                                         thrashers, thrushes, waxwings, raccoons, opossums and foxes.
           Privet, Florida                   CISISS             E                  SP                 A        Spring flowers attract insects during spring migration, and many warblers come to feast on the insects;
            (Forestiera segregata)                                                     S                       small dark fruit on plants consumed by a number of species.
           Sassafras                         N,C                D                  S-F                A        Dark blue fruit eaten by kingbirds, crested flycatchers, phoebes, pileated woodpeckers, mockingbirds,
            (Sassafras albidum)                                                                                thrashers, catbirds and flickers.

         30







                                                                                                                              mom=
















                              4L
                                    Sweetbay magnolia                             Pond cypress                                 Sea grape


                                    Evergreen or    Season of
                             Zone   Deciduous       Fruiting     Soil                          Value to Wildlife





        Seven-year Apple      S'SS        E           S*           A   Persistent fragrant white flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds.
         (Casasia dusiifolia)                         Sp-W

        Spicewood
         (Calyptranthes       S'SS        E            F           A   Purple blueberry-like fruit are long-lasting and attract many species of birds.
        pallens)
        Sumac, Winged         N,C,S       D           F-W          All Fruit is not preferred but is consumed by songbirds in late winter when little else is available.
         (Rhus copallina)

        Tetrazygia            S'SS        E           S-F          A   Blueberry-sized fruit is favorite of mockingbirds, catbirds, thrushes and thrashers.
         (Tetrazygia bicolor)
        Torchwood             S'SS        E            S           A   Valuable larval food plant for Schaus'swallowtail butterfly.
         (Amyris elemifera)
        Viburnum              N,C         D            F          W-A  Berries of native viburnums eaten by several bird species.
         (Vibumum spp.)
                                                                                                                 4%

























        Wax Myrtle            All         E           F-W          All Female plants produce small waxy berries; eaten by many species of birds, especially yellow-rumped
         (Myricu cerifera)                                             warblers, white-eyed vireos, ruby-crowned kinglets and quail; flocks of tree swallows will often swarm
                                                                       to feed on berries; excellent hedge plant; salt tolerant.



                                                                                                                                  31




























                                                                   Geiger                                                    Trumpet Vine                                                        Greenbrier



                                                       Evergreen or            Season of
                                            Zone       Deciduous               Fruiting            Soil                                          Value to Wildlife



                               VINES


            Cross Vine
              (BignonLa capreolata)           N,C             Sema-E                S                  A      Yellow-orange flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds
                                                                                   Sp
            GraM Muscadine                    All                D                  S                All      Tangles provide good cover, bark is used by some species for nesting, fruit eaten by variety of birds
              (Vitts rotundifolia)                                                                            and skunks, foxes, raccoons, rabbits, opossums and squirrels
            Greenbrier                        All                ED               F-W                All      Tangles provide good cover and nest sites, persistent fruit eaten by a number of songbirds and small
              (Smilax spp )                                                                                   maimmals

            Honeysuckle, Coral
              (Lonicera                       N,C,S              D                sp.S@                A      Red tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, the exotic Japanese honeysuckle also attracts hurnmers but
            sempeyvirens)                                   Partially E                                       should not be encouraged due to its invasive quality
            Poison Ivy                                                                                        Though not recommended for planting, it's nice to recognize its value as wildlife food, berries are eaten
              (Toxicodendron                  All                D                 S-F               All      by many species of birds
            radicans)
            Trumpet Vine                      NIC,S              D                Sp-S*                A      Orange flowers provide nectar for humnungbirds
              (Campsis radicatis)
            Virginia Creeper                  All                D                 S-F               All      Small dark berries eaten by mockingbirds, robins, bluebirds, thrashers and others
              (Parthenocissus
              quinquefolia)

                 *Indicates season
           32    when flowers are





               Photo credits (by page number):                                  Black and D.F. Hamilton. Florida Cooperative Extension
                                                                                Service, Gainesville, FL, 1984.
               Donna Legate: 1, 4A, 27C                                         3. Trees of Northern Florida. Herman Kurz and Robert K.
               Barry Mansell: 4B                                                Godfrey. Regency Press, Gainesville, FL, 1962.
               Greg Brock/DNR: 4C                                               4. A Flora of Tropical Florida. R.W. Long and 0. Lakela.
               Ray Plockelman: 4D, 12C                                          Banyon Press, Miami, FL, 1978.
               Florida Park Service/DNR: 6                                      0 NATURAL LANDSCAPING
               Pine jog Environmental Center: 12A                               1. Landscaping With Wildflowers and Native Plants.
               Mark Robson: 12B                                                 William Wilson. Ortho Books, San Francisco, CA, 1984.
               Peter May: 14A                         L                         2. Nature's Design. Carol A. Smyser. Rodale Press,
               John H. Kaufmann:    14B                                         Emmaus, Pennsylvania, PA, 1982.
               Reed Bowman/National Audubon Society: 14C                        El ATTRACTING WILDLIFE
               Dana C. Bryan: 27A                                               1. How to Attract Birds. Michael McKinley. Ortho Books,
               USDA Soil Conservation Service: 29A                              San Francisco, CA, 1983.
               Richrad Moyroud: 27B, 29BC, 31B                                  2. Wildlife in Your Garden. Gene Logsden. Rodale                                                 N
               Steve Farnsworth: 31A                                            Press, Emmaus, Pennsylvania, PA, 1983.
               Tim McCabe/USDA Soil Conservation Service: 3 1 C                 3. The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds.
                                                                                Stephen Kress. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, NY, 1985.
            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION                                             4. The Butterfly Garden. Mathew Tekulsky. Harvard                           he Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish
            Governmental agencies:                                              Common Press, Boston, MA, 1985.                                             Commission's Nongame Wildlife Program
                                                                                5. The New Handbook for Attracting Birds. T.P.                      Twas created by the 1984 Florida Legislature
            The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, the               McElroy. W.W. Norton and Company, New York, NY, 1985.
            USDA Soil Conservation Service, the Cooperative Extension           6. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife                to conserve and manage the full range of wildlife in
            Service and many other federal, state and local agencies can        Food Habitats. A.C. Martin, H.S. Zim and A.L. Nelson.               our state. The goals of the program are (1) to
            offer invaluable assistance to the backyard naturalist. The         Dover Publications, New York, NY, 195 1.                            maintain and restore the richness and natural
            Florida Division of Forestry and many local Soil and Water          0 BIRDS                                                             diversity of Florida's nongame wildlife and (2) to
            Conservation Districts can provide you with tree seedlings at       1. Birds of North America. C.S. Robbins, B. Bruun and               establish an integrated and coordinated approach to
            a very low cost.                                                    H.S. Zim. Golden Press, New York, NY, 1966.                         the management, appreciation and conservation of
            Nurseries:                                                          2. A Field Guide to Birds. R,T. Peterson. Houghton                  nongame wildlife.
            Florida now has more than 40 native plant nurseries. Most           Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, 1980.                                    You can help contriYute to this effort when you
            are listed in a new directory published by the Association of       El MAMMALS
            Florida Native Nurseries, Inc., which is available for a $1.00      1. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North                         annually renew your Florida vehicle registration by
            postage and handling fee from the Florida Native Plant              American Mammals. J.0. Whitaker. Alfred A. Knopf, New               adding an extra dollar to the cost of your license
            Society, 1133 West Morse Boulevard, Suite 201, Winter               York, NY, 1980.                                                     tag. That dollar will be deposited into the Nongame
            Park, Florida 32789. Many other nurseries also offer native         2. A Field Guide to the Mammals. W.H. Burt and R.P.                 Wildlife Trust Fund to help ensure that future
            plants and can provide excellent advice on selecting and            Grossenheider. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1976.                  Floridians enjoy the same diversity of wildlife that
            planting vegetation for your growing conditions.                    El REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS                                          we enjoy today.
            Habitat Program:                                                    1. Handbook of Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida,                    If you would like to learn more about the
            The National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife                Part One: The Snakes. R.E. Ashton and P.S. Ashton.                  Nongame Wildlife Program, write to:
            Habitat Program offers homeowners a chance to certify their         Windward Publishing, Inc., Miami, FL, 1981.
            yards as official NWF habitat if their property meets criteria      2. Handbook of Reptiles and Amphibians of Florida,                                Nongame Wildlife Program
            for food, cover, water and other features. NWF offers a             Part Two: Lizards, Turtles and Crocodilians. Windward
            variety of helpful publications, including a "Gardening with        Publishing, Inc., Miami, FL, 1985.                                   Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission
            Wildlife Kit" (National Wildlifc Federation, 1412-16th              3. A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians ot                                6270 South Meridian Street
            Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-2266).                          Eastern and Central North America. Roger Conant.                                  Tallahassee, Florida 32301
                                                                                Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 1975.
            Helpful References                                                  4. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North
            Here are a few of the best references available to help you with    American Reptiles and Amphibians. J.L. Behler and F.W.                  This guide to planting for wildlife was produced
            your backyard habitat.                                              King. Alfred A. Knopf, New York, NY, 1979.                              at an annual cost of $25,590-77, or $0.73 per
            0 NATIVE PLANTS                                                     El BUTTERFLIES                                                          copy, to inform Floridians how to create
            I. Growing Native: Native Plants for Landscape Use                  1. A Field Guide to the Butterflies of North America.
            in Coastal South Florida. Richard Workman. Sanibel-                 A I-xander Klots. Houghton Mifflin, Boston, MA, 195 1.                  backyard habitats for wildlife. 86/7NG12
            CaPtiva Conservation Foundation, Inc., Sanibel, FL, 1980.           2. The Audubon Society Handbook for Butterfly
                                                                                Watchers. R.M. Pyle. Charles Scribners' Sons, New York,
            2. Native Florida Plants for Home Landscaping. R.J-                 NY, 1984.

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