Here in Marin, you probably have some of nature’s best garden pest managers right outside your door. Many of our common backyard birds eat insects, spiders, caterpillars, snails, and slugs. By providing habitat for them, gardeners can encourage these helpful predators and reduce the need for pesticides.
Bushtits are tiny, busy flocking birds that move through shrubs and trees, picking insects and spiders from leaves and branches. Dense shrubs and a variety of trees and plants provide the cover and foraging habitat they prefer.
Bewick’s wrens are year-round Marin residents that search through shrubs, leaf litter and garden debris for insects, spiders, and other small invertebrates. Keeping some natural groundcover and leaf litter and avoiding excessive garden cleanup can provide valuable feeding habitat.
California towhees spend much of their time on the ground, scratching through leaf litter and soil in search of insects and other invertebrates. A garden with shrubs, groundcover and a few less-manicured areas can give them plenty of places to forage.
Northern flickers are especially interesting pest hunters. Unlike many woodpeckers, they frequently feed on the ground, where they search for ants and beetles. Mature trees, dead wood, and natural areas provide important habitat.
Invite Them In
Food: This is the big one. A garden with diverse plants supports the insects and spiders that birds eat. If we eliminate all insects with pesticides, we also eliminate much of the birds’ food supply.
Water: Particularly important in our dry Mediterranean summers. A dependable, clean birdbath can make a yard much more attractive. It doesn’t need to be elaborate – a shallow basin that is kept clean and refilled regularly is enough.
Shelter: Dense shrubs, small trees, hedges, and even somewhat untidy corners give birds places to hide from predators, rest, and escape bad weather. This is particularly important for small birds such as bushtits and wrens.
Nesting habitat: Mature trees, shrubs, cavities, vines, and dense vegetation can provide nesting opportunities. Nest boxes can help some species, although they’re not necessary for every backyard bird.
Protection from pesticides: Avoid unnecessary pesticide use to allow birds to forage naturally and helps maintain the diverse food web that supports a healthy garden.
Good gardening isn’t about eliminating every insect. It’s about creating a healthy garden ecosystem where birds and other beneficial creatures help keep pest populations in balance.
Look closely, and you may discover that your garden already has a pest-management team working for you.