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Cover and Shelter

© Terrie Murray

It's late September, and we're starting to think about what we can do to help our backyard birds get through the winter. In my yard, migrants are arriving early and the squirrels are hard at work harvesting moss and bark to line their den, and those signs tell me that this upcoming winter could be a harsh one.

An easy source of cover from predators and shelter from storms is a well constructed brush pile. Brush piles may be small and simple, consisting only of a discarded Christmas tree and a few branch trimmings, or they may be large and complex, with different layers of ever-smaller branches capped with leaves, straw and grass. Whatever the size, you need to locate your brush pile with some care. If you place it too close to feeders, you may find the neighborhood cats hiding behind the brush pile and easily catching ground feeding birds. Too far away from feeders, and birds may not have time to reach it when flying away from a hawk or cat. No less than 10-15 feet from your primary feeder area is a good distance. Here's how one birdwatcher has constructed her brush pile:

"The brush pile foundation is made up of about a dozen old railroad ties parallel to each other about ten inches apart. Several layers of smaller posts and branches are criss-crossed over the ties, and a couple of dead branches are secured upright to provide perches. The skeleton has been covered over with corn stalks, old hay, small branches with leaves, and whatever else came along that would provide roof-like protection. Discarded Christmas trees are wedged around the edges to help block prevailing winds. The brush pile is situated next to an old haystack that has long been a rabbit and other small rodent hotel. The two together provide homes and hiding places."

Adding a brush pile to your yard changes the character of your yard and garden from one that is landscaped for people to one that is landscaped for wildlife, and that brings both benefits and compromises. That brush pile that provides safety and shelter for your sparrows may also attract rodents like mice, ground squirrels, rats, rabbits, armadillos and groundhogs, and, during certain times of the year, in some parts of the country, you may attract snakes as well. You aren't as likely to find these critters in a more exotically landscaped and groomed garden, but they are a sign that you have a healthy, thriving wildlife habitat in your yard, not just a garden. That's a good thing! But if you consider any of these "bonus critters" to be undesirable, you may need to either think twice about the brush pile or locate it well away from your house, providing alternate cover near your feeders.

The copyright of the article Cover and Shelter in Birdwatching is owned by Terrie Murray. Permission to republish Cover and Shelter in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.