The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds: Creating Natural Habitats for Properties Large and Small

by Kress, Stephen W.

• ISBN13: 9780801488641
• ISBN10: 0801488648
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-03-23
• Publisher: Cornell Univ Pr

Summary

"In a book long awaited by landscapers, birders, gardeners, and naturalists, Stephen W. Kress provides a practical, comprehensive, and thoroughly illustrated guide to attracting birds to any property, be it a small patch of land in the city or a showplace countryside garden, a median strip or an expansive woodlot, a commercial building or a community park. In Kress's view, the best way to attract birds is to enrich habitats by improving vegetation, natural foods, water supplies, and nest sites." "Drawing on decades of experience, Kress offers a variety of techniques and resources for habitat improvement. Throughout, he emphasizes responsible environmental stewardship. The Audubon Society Guide to Attracting Birds will help readers reach their goal of designing their own landscapes for the benefit of wild birds."--BOOK JACKET.

Author Biography

Stephen W. Kress is Vice-President for Bird Conservation, National Audubon Society.

Table of Contents

Foreword from the First Edition	vii
Roger Tory Peterson
Preface	xi
Introduction	1	(5)
Backyard Habitats	6	(40)
Forest Management	46	(21)
Grassland Management	67	(27)
Shrubland Management	94	(24)
Selecting Plants	118	(140)
Recommended Plantings for the Northeast	128	(43)
Recommended Plantings for the Southeast	171	(19)
Recommended Plantings for the Prairies and Plains	190	(16)
Recommended Plantings for the Mountains and Deserts	206	(29)
Recommended Plantings for the Pacific Coast	235	(23)
Pools, Ponds, and Wetlands	258	(37)
Water Projects	258	(25)
Important Wetland and Aquatic Plants	283	(12)
Nesting and Roosting Structures	295	(61)
Nest Boxes	296	(6)
Parasites	302	(4)
Nest Predators	306	(5)
Nest Competitors	311	(3)
Nest Site and Nest Box Characteristics	314	(23)
Nest Platforms and Supports	337	(15)
Social Attractants	352	(1)
Roosting Sites	353	(3)
Supplemental Feeding	356	(59)
Feeding Birds through the Seasons	360	(8)
Setting up a Feeding Station	368	(4)
Feeding Seed to Wild Birds	372	(3)
Food Preferences	375	(2)
Preferred Seeds	377	(6)
Other Seeds	383	(3)
Other Foods	386	(1)
Precautions for Operating Feeding Stations	387	(3)
Feeder Diseases and Challenges	390	(9)
Feeder Designs	399	(16)
Healthy Habitats	415	(30)
Reduce Lawn and Save Water	416	(2)
Pesticides and Fertilizers	418	(3)
Appendixes
A. References---Books, Magazines, Web sites	421	(8)
B. Plant Sources	429	(10)
C. Agencies That Can Help	439	(6)
Index	445