Spending time outdoors is the best part of spring and summer. For some families, a lot of that time will be spent in the backyard.
If you love wildlife, you don't mind seeing different critters make an appearance in your yard throughout the fair-weather months. You can even take some steps to make your backyard friendlier to wildlife and see which local animals might stop by.
Before you get started, make sure you're clear that you really want to attract animals to your yard. Depending on what's local to your area, this may not be a good idea if you have pets who also spend time outdoors with you. If you decide it is a good fit for your yard, here's how to get the wildlife to pop by.
Keep Fresh Water Outside
Animals both big and small need fresh water to survive. If they know your yard is an easy place to get access, you'll see them stopping by every now and then. Be sure to keep the supply available by refreshing it every few days.
Plant Things Your Local Animals Will Enjoy
There are different kinds of gardens you can plant in support of different animals. Bees, birds, and butterflies are among the animals that will come if you plant their favorites in your yard.
Add a Small Pond
Adding a pond to your backyard adds a whole new ecosystem into your yard's existing one. It doesn't have to take up a lot of space, either. Container ponds do the trick and can be fun to DIY.
Provide Places Where They Can Take Shelter
Trees, shrubs, and wood furniture are all places you might see wildlife take shelter. If you have this in your yard, you can expect to see critters flock there whenever one of those sudden summer thunderstorms comes your way.
Don't Feed Their Predators
Animals won't feel comfortable coming into your yard if they feel they might encounter an animal that's a threat to them. If you're trying to attract birds, for example, you may not want to feed the neighborhood cats.
Don't Use Chemicals in Your Garden
Using chemicals in your garden may help it thrive, but it can do more harm than good for your local wildlife. There are chemical-free substitutions for nearly everything you use in your yard. Making the switch is simple and humane.
Let Some of Your Grass Get Tall
Letting your grass get tall gives some animals a place to hide. It also makes homes for insects that are helpful to your backyard ecosystem.
Get Real Birdhouses
Many people think decorative birdhouses will draw all kinds of birds to their backyard, but that's often not the case. They can be pretty but not sizable enough for actual use in some situations. Research the best kind of shelters you can provide based on the birds you're trying to attract, and plan accordingly.
Make a Feeder
Depending on what you're trying to attract, there are a wide variety of feeders of varying difficulties you can make for your yard. The important thing is to only feed the animals via the feeders. For your safety, you should never get too close. Use a camera or binoculars to help you get those up-close views.
Keep Your Chimney Capped
Some animals will make a home in your chimney. Not only does that become a problem later in the year, but it will keep the animals from spending time in your yard. Animals can also get injured going that far in and out of the chimney repeatedly, so it's easiest to keep them from the area altogether.
