57 Ways - 8. Attract Birds and Butterflies To Your Backyard

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57 Ways To Protect Your Home Environment (and Yourself)

Caring for the Home Landscape

1. Aim for a healthy lawn rather than a perfect lawn
2. Cut the grass without gas
3. Prevent insect, disease, and weed problems in the garden
4. Identify fruits and vegetables that need fewer pesticides
5. Select native trees and shrubs that will thrive in your yard
6. Keep your tress healthy and safe
7. Plant “wild” in your backyard
8. Attract birds and butterflies to your backyard

Using Alternatives to Traditional Pesticides & Fertilizers - Where Practical

9. Scout for pests on the landscape
10. Consider microbial insecticides
11. Consider botanical insecticides & insecticidal soaps
12. Conserve beneficial insects
13. Monitor & control insects with traps
14. Use pest barriers in your garden
15. Solarize soil
16. Consider the potential of natural fertilizers

Using Chemicals on the Landscape - If Necessary

17. Know what to ask a lawn-care company and arborist
18. Understand pesticide toxicity
19. Read the pesticide label
20. Apply pesticides accurately and safely
21. Apply fertilizers accurately and safely

Storing & Disposing of Hazardous Chemicals

22. Store hazardous chemicals safely
23. Dispose of pesticides safely
24. Dispose of auto products safely
25. Dispose of paints and solvents safely
26. Dispose of adhesives, areosols, household cleaners & other hazardous waste safely

Managing Yard, Food & Other Household Waste

27. Reduce household waste
28. Recycle paper, glass, & aluminum
29. Reuse and respond
30. Recycle grass clippings
31. Create a compost pile
32. Use yard waste as mulch
33. Dispose of tree residues

Protecting Your Drinking Water

34. Know when & how to test your water
35. Test your water for coliform bacteria & nitrate 36. Test your water for pesticides - if necessary
37. Know the signs of contaminants in drinking water
38. Select effective water-treatment methods
39. Prevent contamination from septic systems
40. Know the pros & cons of bottled water

Protecting the Indoor Environment

41. Prevent contamination by lead
42. Test your home for radon
43. Reduce radon levels
44. Control dust, dust mites & other allergens
45. Reduce pollution from combustion equipment
46. Prevent contamination by formaldehyde and asbestos
47. Recognize tht it's not always necessary to control indoor insects
48. Select the right household pesticide
49. Control household pests with less toxic alternatives
50. Select household cleaners wisely

Conserving Energy & Water

51. Design new homes for energy effciency
52. Save energy in heating & cooling
53. Insulate & seal your home
54. Choose energy-efficient appliances
55. Save money & energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs
56. Use plants & other landscape tools to conserve energy
57. Conserve water in & around the home

8. Attract Birds and Butterflies To Your Backyard
	To make your backyard a haven for birds, provide the essentials: food, water, and shelter. Also, birds generally prefer a landscape rich in trees and shrubs. There are four basic types of bird feeders. Gravity feeders usually have a roof and either glass or plastic sides so the birds can see the food and you know when it needs to be refilled. These feeders allow for continuous feeding.
	Open-shelf feeders may or may not have a roof and usually do not have sides except for a small rim, which keeps the seeds from falling or blowing away. Uncovered feeders allow the birds to see danger and are popular because the birds are very visible.
	Simply scattering food over a clear plot of ground constitutes a ground feeder. However, you can also place any platform feeder, with or without a roof, on the ground. One advantage of a ground feeder is that it attracts several species of birds that rarely visit feeders hung from trees, placed on poles, or attached to buildings.
	Suet feeders commonly consist of either a small wire basket or a large mesh bag in which suet is placed. These feeders are either suspended or permanently affixed to the side of a tree, building, or other feeder.
	The most common types of bird food include: unsalted sunflower seeds, millet and small-seed mixtures, cracked corn, thistle seed, shelled unsalted peanuts, suet, and assorted pieces of fruit. A single food type usually does not provide an adequate variety for good nutrition, so develop a blend for the specialized needs of local birds.
	Locate feeders about 6 to12 feet from trees and bushes to allow feeding birds to escape easily from predators. And don’t forget to test the view so you can watch the birds during cold winter weather from your indoor perch.
	You can fulfill critical water needs with a simple bird bath or ground watering device. Size is not important, but the edges of the bath should slope gradually. Make sure your water is fresh and clean, especially in the winter when many natural sources are frozen and inaccessible.
	Although butterflies certainly are quieter, they are no less desirable as backyard visitors than the many birds your careful plans can attract.
	Remember that butterflies are cold-blooded and need sunlight to warm their flight muscles. It’s best to locate the attractive plants in a sunny area. Also, wind and predators can be serious threats to butterflies, so plant your garden in a protected spot next to a vine-covered fence, a wall, or a windbreak of shrubs or trees.
	In general, plants that bloom for much of the summer and produce large amounts of nectar will attract many adult butterflies. These include butterfly bush, butterfly milkweed, tithonia, and large flowering zinnias and asters.