The Bear at the Bird Feeder: Why We're Seeing More Wild Animals in Our Neighborhoods and How We Can Live in Harmony with Them

by Randi Minetor

Beyond the usual small rodents that have thrived in cities and suburbs for centuries, urban wildlife now includes larger animals that have adapted to live in areas dominated by human beings. Black bears, deer, coyotes, mountain lions, bobcats, moose, wild turkeys, Canada geese, bats, foxes, and raccoons have all found benefits to living in human neighborhoods. In states along the southeastern coasts, alligators have moved into creeks, rivers, ponds, and lakes in the midst of residential developments.

This book is a guide to coexisting with growing populations of wild animals in our midst by addressing these questions and many What should you do if an animal wanders into your neighborhood, or brings its mate, children, or friends into your yard? How can you tell if a young wild animal needs help—and what steps should you take to try to save it? Is it right or wrong to put out food for deer, raccoons, foxes, or other wild animals? What should you do to secure your trash, grill, and other items in your own backyard, to keep from attracting bears and other wildlife? What should you do if you encounter a wild animal on a trail? Are the precautions different depending on the kind of animal (say, bear vs. mountain lion)?

In this guide, Randi Minetor calls on naturalists, biologists, and state wildlife authorities to distill the best practices for creating a safe environment for humans and animals alike, and provides accounts of actual run-ins with wildlife as cautionary tales.

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction

228 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Crisscrossing America since 1992 in a quest to see all 50 states (done!), 431 national parks (76 to go), and more than 700 species of birds (623 so far), Randi and Nic Minetor bring their expertise and their love of the wilderness, American history, and birding to readers who share their many passions. A working writer for more than 40 years, Randi is now the author of more than 80 books in print under her own name, and a number of ghostwritten books on a wide variety of topics.

Reviews

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, uplifting and entertaining, this book is written by someone who loves and appreciates animals. It shows how we’re slowly changing from a selfish human-centered society to one that at least tries to get along with those who’ve been here centuries before we even existed. All these tales tell the same story: animals living happily till we showed up, they were then hunted to almost extinction, came back on their own or with human help (for selfish reasons) and are now living among us. If anything, we have the opposite problem of humans getting too friendly with them (I confess I would feed all the wildlife if I didn’t know it’s bad for them). Each chapter is devoted to a different species, from bears to alligators, some more dangerous than others. The author really drives home the fact that what some people see as a blessing, others may see as a nuisance. She therefore includes practical tips and resources to be a good neighbor. These are basically the same for each species (#1 is do not feed them), with only a few varying depending on their characteristics (when to run, when not to, when to be aggressive or to speak softly). Not 100% of this book was appropriate for crazy animal lovers, because it also discusses possible “solutions” when they become “a problem” and, many times, it’s heartbreaking. Living in the country I share my yard with most of the critters included here, so this was more than interesting, it was useful.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Globe Pequot | Lyons Press.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are wild animals digging up your gardens and eating your vegetables? Are you afraid of being goosed by a goose or skunked by a skunk in your own yard? Then this book is for you -- but not to promote the removal and destroying of your neighborhood animals, but to bring an awareness to our shared spaces. Moose, alligators, raccoons, coyotes, bats, deer, and more are also featured in this conversationally written book with anecdotes, historical facts about how the animals spread throughout the country, and tips on how to deter them from infringing on your space without anyone harming one another. Animal lovers looking to learn more about prevalent species or those seeking practical information will enjoy this read.

[Mindy Ondrovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when wildlife comes and visits my yard. The fact that they feel safe in my yard makes me feel good.
And it's a reminder to me, that we are visitors in their world.