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As winter approaches, there
are many things we can do to
help wildlife survive the
long cold months. Here are
just a few tips.
Shelter - Consider building
a brush pile in your
backyard. Even in a small
yard a brush pile can
provide shelter and foraging
sites for birds and other
critters year round. If left
through the summer, some
brush piles may even attract
nesting birds. Brush piles
can be life-saving when
natural habitat has been
destroyed. Wildlife use
dense cover throughout the
year for refuge when being
chased by predators, shelter
from cold and hot weather,
and, for some species,
likely nesting sites. Visit
www.dnr.state.md.us or
www.meckbirds.org for
details.
During fall clean-up time,
try to leave some leaves
under shrubs or in other
spots where they won’t cover
your lawn grass and where
birds can find them. Leaf
litter makes a great spot
where birds such as towhees,
sparrows, and others can
forage for insects, seeds,
and other foods.
Providing nest boxes for
squirrels, owls, and other
cavity dwelling wildlife is
a wonderful way to help
local wildlife year-round.
WWI has plans for a variety
of boxes and will be happy
to mail them out to you.
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Supplemental Feeding
- Whole corn (on the
cob or off), apples,
stale bread, alfalfa,
and scratch or sweet
feed are all attractive
feeding supplements to a
wide variety of
wildlife, including
white-tailed deer;
raccoons; opossums;
turkeys, pheasants and
other ground feeding
birds; ducks and geese;
squirrels; and many
songbirds.
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Reducing Road Kills
- The riskiest times of
day are two hours after
sunrise and two hours
after sunset - the times
wild animals cross roads
to find food. For deer,
the riskiest time of
year is October through
December. About half of
deer deaths occur during
these months when they
are the most migratory,
evading hunters, mating,
and establishing feeding
grounds.
Particularly be alert
when you see woods on
one side of the road and
a lake, pond or river on
the other side.
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Bird Baths -
Consider buying a heated
bird bath. Water is just
as crucial as food in
the winter months.
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Bird Feeders -
Take the time now to
clean and sterilize your
bird feeders. House
finch conjunctivitis (a
contagious, bacterial
infection that primarily
affects finches) is on
the rise this time of
year. Bird feeders
should be immersed and
scrubbed with a solution
of 9 parts water to 1
part chlorine bleach to
eradicate any disease
organisms.
Rake up and dispose of
all seed debris beneath
your feeding station.
Spend a little extra on
higher quality bird
seed. The “bargain”
brands usually contain
large amounts of seed
most native birds will
not eat. Better quality
seed means more
nutrition and less
waste. Black oil
sunflower seed provides
the most calories for
winter-feeding birds.
Suet is also high
energy.
If birds-of-prey are
decimating your bird
feeder population, move
your feeders to denser
cover. Also, consider
feeding early morning or
early evening when
birds-of-prey are less
active.
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Keep Cats Indoors
- Do keep cats indoors
at all times. Every
year, hundreds of
millions of birds and
small mammals are killed
by free-roaming cats
nationwide. All cats -
even “belled” cats and
well-fed cats - hunt and
kill wildlife.
Easing your outdoor cat
into an indoor cat takes
patience and skill.
Gradually increase the
amount of time your cat
spends indoors. Spend
time playing and
interacting with your
cat since most domestic
cats need human
companionship. Provide
an interesting
environment with toys
and play things to keep
your cat occupied.
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Invest in Future
Wildlife Protection
- Enjoy a winter walk
with a child. Helping a
child experience nature
is a wildlife investment
of a lifetime. And you
don’t even have to know
a lot to do so. As
Rachel Carson said, “It
is not half so important
to know as to feel when
introducing a young
child to the natural
world.” Take the time
and take a walk. Absorb
all nature has to offer.
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