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Jennifer McCleery bent down to examine the stalks of the New England Astor in her Point Breeze garden long after the flowers had died.
“See all of the seeds?” she asked, noting that they are vital to a bird’s survival.
She also makes sure there is fresh water for the birds in her backyard by refilling a shallow bowl she has on a stand.
That’s how her yard became certified as a Backyard Habitat by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.
The “backyard” in Backyard Habitat is a little misleading, Nick Stahlman, the Audubon Society’s wildlife habitat educator, says. “Your backyard is whatever you want to focus on” from an entire yard to a small area or even containers.
The idea of the Backyard Habitat program is to increase the percentage of native plants that pollinators and birds have to feed from.
Native plants and trees, unlike varieties that are imported, support the caterpillars that have evolved to eat them and the birds that depend on the caterpillars for food, Stahlman says.
He pointed out that a single clutch of chickadees needs 9,000 caterpillars to feed their young.
The Audubon Society has been working in Garfield, Wilkinsburg and McKeesport to bolster the program in urban neighborhoods. While there are other backyards on their way to certification, Stahlman said, so far Garfield has eight, Wilkinsburg has 11 and McKeesport has 12.
In the East End, Squirrel Hill has the most certified Backyard Habitats with 15, Shadyside has six, East Liberty and Larimer each have one and Homewood does not have any.
“I’ve gone to properties in the middle of the city where there is just a small little patch. The amount of work [the residents] were willing to put into that small little patch was astounding,” Stahlman said.
The goal of the Backyard Habitat program is to connect large natural areas for birds, animals and insects by creating “mini-nature reserves” in which they can stop over. Stahlman says by adding just a few native plants people will start to see more diversity of wildlife in their backyards. The habitat program also focuses on supporting wildlife with a birdhouse, bird feeder, birdbath or bat house.
Things he wants to see, in addition to native plants, are piles of sticks, leaves or rocks that can give an animal shelter, and ground cover, shrubs and low trees.
Having cats will disqualify a resident from the program if the animals are allowed outdoors (without either being in an enclosed “catio” or on a leash), or if there are feral cats.
The program costs $60 for members of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania or $90 for nonmembers (which comes with an annual membership).
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