Wild-bird Mart is located in Denver, NC just outside of Charlotte. The store carries birdseed, birdhouses, decorative birdhouses, birdfeeders, birdbaths, wind chimes, flags, books, and various gift items for the backyard birder.

There is so much you can do for the birds in your backyard. The Backyard Wildlife Habitat program through the National Wildlife Federation recognizes individual or family efforts to provide the necessary elements for the birds (food, water, shelter, and a place to nest). You can make the proper changes to your backyard and receive approval and certification of having a backyard wildlife habitat. For more information, go to www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat.

Planting native vegetation is one of the best ways to help improve the environment and help the birds. If you plant a variety of plants that bloom at different times, you will provide food for the birds year around. You can plant flowers such as black-eyed susan, sunflower, coneflower, cosmos, zinnia and sedum. You can also plant cardinal flower, petunias, and hostas for the hummingbirds. If your backyard does not have many trees, you can plant oaks, hollies, crabapples, cedars, and hickories. These trees provide nuts, berries, and good nesting locations. Don't forget about native plants such as serviceberries, winterberry holly and chokeberry. Also, planting grapes, blueberries, and other fruit producing plants will attract Bluebirds, Waxwings, and other birds that eat fruit.

Having birdhouses in your yard is a great way to see what type of bird uses the house and how many babies fledge. Include water in your backyard habitat for drinking and bathing. Birds especially come to ground level birdbaths but baths 2-3 feet high will work also. You want to make sure your birdbath is not too deep. You could add a small pond to your landscape since the sound of moving water attracts birds.

So by adding some plants, planting some trees and shrubs, hanging some birdhouses, and providing a birdbath, you can have a backyard wildlife habitat.

Stop by and see us at Denver, NC when you are in the area. We would love to hear your birding experiences. We hope that all your backyard birding experiences will be as wonderful as ours.