Pets, critters, lifestock, wildlife in West Virginia

As fall foliage fades and winter envelops West Virginia, wild critters, domestic pets, and livestock adapt to the changing weather. Some species leave the state for warmer climates, some hoard nuts and other foods for their winter needs, winter coats thicken, and other instincts take over to help animals make it through the winter.

We take care of our domestic pets, of course, by making certain they are warm and have adequate food and water. That’s easy. We also make sure that any livestock we own is cared for properly.

We may not think about the wild creatures that may need our help, and we may not even realize that they could use some assistance from us to make winter easier to withstand. There are some simple things that we can do, and these will not only be helpful to wildlife, but will make us feel good that we are doing something to help our wild friends.

Here are just a few things that we can do to help wildlife during winter:

u Plant trees, shrubs, and vines that will produce fall fruit and/or seed that animals can eat to enable them to build up stores of food or fat reserves for winter. Some of these are ash, dogwood, crab apples, Virginia Creeper, and sunflowers. Some annuals and perennials provide seed for wildlife in fall. Leave them as well as leftover fruits and seeds in the garden during winter, and they will continue to help sustain wildlife. Trees that produce nuts and acorns (hard mast) are critical to some species that depend upon them for winter survival. Examples of these species are blue jays, squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, deer, and wild turkeys.

► Plant evergreens in your landscape. They provide shelter, they block wind from feeding areas, their sap, needles, twigs, buds, seeds, and insects provide food.

u Provide water. Heated birdbaths or heating elements inserted in the birdbaths are easy to find. Some are solar so you don’t have to have electricity close by. Small yard ponds with pumps that re-circulate water will keep water from freezing. Water is essential for survival.

u Leave 'Snags' in your yard. Snags are dead or dying trees, and they are utilized by over 1,000 species. They provide nesting and perching sites, cover, food, and food storage. If they don't present a danger, leave them alone.

u Build a brush pile. Put shrub and tree prunings in a pile and locate it in an inconspicuous corner of your yard. Brush piles provide not only nesting sites, but den sites and cover for a variety of wildlife species, such as small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

u Feed birds. This is one of the easiest and most popular ways to provide for these delightful inhabitants of our area. Bird feeders supplement the food that is provided in nature. If squirrels are a problem at your feeders, there are squirrel-proof feeders available. Additionally, squirrels do not like safflower seed, but many species of birds do like it. Learn the basics about backyard bird feeding.

Some hints about bird feeding:

u Try to place feeders at different heights where birds can see any predators and can easily escape. Be cautious with ground feeders because they make birds more vulnerable to predators.

u Be patient for birds to discover your feeders.

u Purchase a good field guide to assist you in identifying birds at your feeders.

u Keep the feeders clean.

We have come across a very exciting organization that tracks winter bird populations across North America. It’s called Project Feederwatch, and it is a nonprofit operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Bird Studies Canada. You can become a part of the organization by joining for the nominal fee of $15.00 and tracking the birds you see at your feeders this winter. Monitoring results are published regularly in scientific journals and are used in other ways. This project is important because it enables scientists to determine what species may be staying in regions they usually leave during winter or what species may be losing ground in their fight for survival. Why don’t you check it out and join the many people who are participating in this fun and very useful activity?

Physical closeness to nature can create calm, peaceful, and even spiritual feelings in us. It is satisfying to know that we are helping other inhabitants of our world and to see the effectiveness of our efforts. Do your part this winter to help West Virginia’s wildlife.

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Much of the above information comes from a new book about creating backyard wildlife habitats that will be published in Spring ’08 by Appalachian Institute, Inc. If you have comments about this article, or if you are interested in purchasing the book once it is published, just click on Tillie the Typist below.

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