Bird-Friendly Tree Care Tips For Your Yard

BIRD-FRIENDLY TREE CARE TIPS FOR YOUR YARD

by julie amato

Birds nest and roost in trees - keep them safe when you prune and trim!

Here’s how you can protect birds and other wildlife while caring for your trees:

Do tree work in the autumn, outside of the usual breeding season, in order to reduce harm to nesting birds and other wildlife.

“Trim in the months that end in ‘R’!” says Ann Hepenstal, chair of SCVBA’s Outreach Committee.

Anna’s Hummingbirds may start nesting as early as November in our local area (photo by Deanne Tucker).

Late September, and the months of October, November, and December, are the best time to trim trees in Santa Clara County, since most of the birds that breed here are not nesting during this period. Anna’s Hummingbirds may start nesting as early as November, though, so keep a close eye out for them! Their nests are tiny and not easy to spot.

Plan ahead – gather proposals from tree care companies in the summer, so you’re ready to start work in the fall.

Before doing any tree work, survey your yard for signs of nesting birds. Don’t forget the birds that nest in the holes and crevices of trees!

Nature is dynamic, and the breeding season for any particular species can change from year to year. No matter when you do tree trimming, be vigilant and search for nesting birds and other wildlife.

The classic image of a bird’s nest is a small cup made of plant fiber, sitting on a branch. Birds like woodpeckers, titmice, and bluebirds, however, nest in cavities – holes in the trunk or branches of a tree. The nests themselves are invisible to us, and are usually only spotted by observing bird activity. If you have trees with cavities, watch to see if birds are coming and going. If you spot activity, especially during the spring and summer, you have likely found a nest in use.

A Western Bluebird at a cavity in a trimmed tree (photo by Matt Sesody).

Do you have a dead, dying, or decaying tree in your yard? Consider leaving it in place and turning it into habitat for birds.

Dead and dying trees are often excellent bird habitat, fulfilling a vital role in the ecosystem. Woodpeckers and other birds excavate cavities in them, using them as nests or roosts. These cavities are reused by even more birds for the same purposes. In addition, birds forage for insects in the wood of these trees, or use the trees as perches – the lack of foliage gives birds an excellent view of their surroundings. 

A Wildlife Trained Arborist can help you determine if your dead tree can be safely used as habitat, and can recommend what work needs to be done to preserve its value and make it an attractive feature of your yard.

Hire a Wildlife Trained Arborist, or ask your arborist to follow Tree Care For Birds’ Best Management Practices.

Tree Care For Birds and Other Wildlife is a group of arborists and wildlife advocates who are bringing bird-friendly practices into the tree care industry. When hiring an arborist, consult Tree Care For Birds’ list of Wildlife Trained Arborists (this list is a work in progress, so expect more names to be added over time). These arborists have completed a Tree Care For Birds workshop and are knowledgeable of the laws protecting wildlife.

See our resource list below for how to find a Wildlife Trained Arborist.

Ask questions to make sure that the arborist you hire shares your values and has the skills to work around wildlife, or is willing to learn. You can ask them to visit Tree Care For Birds’ website, or to contact the group, for more information.

If birders request Wildlife Trained Arborists, “this will help Tree Care For Birds build momentum to continue training,” says Ryan Gilpin, chair of the group.

Be clear about your expectations, preferences, and concerns regarding tree work, and share your knowledge of what is happening in your yard. 

“Speak up for the wildlife at your home,” says Amber Graves, Consulting Arborist at Monarch Tree Services in Milpitas. Don’t make assumptions: you may know more about the birds and other animals in your yard than an arborist or tree care worker does. Share what you know, kindly and respectfully.

Turn your yard into bird-friendly habitat.

“The habitat in our backyards and urban spaces is so important,” Ryan says. “Love your landscape and connect with it.”

There are a variety of practices that can make your yard safer and more welcoming to birds and other wildlife. Reduce or eliminate the use of insecticides and herbicides: these can have a devastating impact on beneficial insects, bees, and birds. They also introduce toxins into the soil, pollute water, and harm human and pet health. And use more native plants, which provide greater support to wildlife than non-native plants do, and often require less water to sustain. 

Read On Arborists and Birds, our companion piece to this article, to learn about what arborists and bird lovers are doing to bring bird-friendly practices into the tree care industry.

This article is an edited version of one first published in the Fall 2024 edition of The Avocet.

Banner photo: Great Horned Owls by Sarah Chan