As a child, I can remember my father taking the Christmas tree
out of the house at the end of the holiday season and just
sticking it into the ground.

This was a cut tree, not a live one. Amazingly, though, it would
stay green for quite some time. More than a few visitors thought
we’d planted a new tree. The most interesting feature of our
little cut tree was the wildlife it would attract in its short
duration in our yard.

Many a bird took temporary refuge in the tree trying to rest for
the longer flight south. An occasional chipmunk or squirrel would
also find a good hiding place in the tree when out searching for
food.

It’s really no mystery that wildlife was attracted to the old
Christmas tree. After all, it provided one of the essential
elements to attract wildlife to your yard: shelter. Animals
aren’t unlike us in that they need three basic elements: food,
water and shelter.

Food

Although it’s easy to provide some bird seed for our feathered
friends, a little more thought can provide a diversity of foods
to attract many kinds of wildlife.

Planting some fruit-bearing ornamentals can look attractive while
providing a food source and some cover. Varieties such as
yaupons, hollies, wax myrtles, blueberries, nandinas, pyracanthas
and serviceberries are a few plants that can provide easy meals
for birds.

Flowering plants such as crepe myrtles, trumpet vines,
honeysuckles, Carolina jasmine and others will be attractive to
hummingbirds. You may also choose to hang up a hummingbird
feeder, too, to supplement their diet of native foods.

Hanging dried ears of corn from tree limbs will help attract
squirrels and chipmunks as the kernels hit the ground. You may
want to provide the furry friends their own easily accessible
feeder of bird seed. It’s a good idea to use a separate feeder
with a squirrel-proof pole for the feathered wildlife.

Water

Wild birds and animals need water for drinking, bathing and
sometimes for breeding.

You may choose to provide water in a small pond made out of a
sunken tub, or perhaps in a birdbath or shallow dish. You may
even be lucky enough to have a natural pond or stream flowing
through your yard.

When providing water, remember that wildlife needs it year-round.
A small pond set into the ground will provide water for drinking,
bathing and reproductive areas for small fish, insects,
amphibians and reptiles. Control temperatures during winter in
your pond with a thermostatically controlled bird bath heater.

Shelter

Thick fence rows, dense shrubs, abundant trees of various types
and even dead trees provide excellent sources of shelter. When
choosing your plants, make sure to include at least one good
clump of evergreen trees and shrubs to provide year-round
protective cover from weather and predators.

Rock, log and mulch piles offer good cover, too. Small reptiles,
amphibians, mammals and an assortment of insects find their home
in these structures, which are easy to build.

When providing shelter, remember to provide areas for nesting as
well. Dead trees can provide excellent nesting sites for owls,
flying squirrels and other creatures.

Rabbits and chipmunks will seek thick cover that they can tunnel
under to provide security for their young.

Nest boxes for bluebirds, chickadees, wrens and purple martins
can be placed in areas of the yard. Large bird houses with a
bigger entrance hole will attract owls, woodpeckers and an
occasional squirrel.

By providing the essential ingredients of food, water and
shelter, you can turn your yard into a wildlife paradise. The
diversity of birds, mammals, insects and other wildlife that may
visit your haven will surprise you.