National Wildlife Federation: Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife

by David Mizejewski, Glee Barre (Designer)

A backyard can come alive by creating an environment with plants and spaces that attract nature's most interesting and friendly creatures. Colorful butterflies, uplifting songbirds, and lively toads can enhance the personal garden space, giving pleasure to nature lovers of all ages. National Wildlife Federation's® Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife provides over a dozen step-by-step projects for families to do together, making getting back to nature easy, educational, and fun.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Nature, Reference, Birds, Science, Plants

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on how to make your backyard wildlife friendly for birds, pollinators, reptiles, etc. Great pictures, lots of lists on what plants you should put in depending on what you want to attract as well as instructions for projects such as bat boxes, ponds, etc.

Highly recommended.

[❀ Sarah ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars! ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
I’m so glad I came across this when I did! Although this book discusses native species in Northern America the premise can be applied anywhere. I live in Tasmania Australia and found most information was useful and applicable. Mizejewski explains things very clearly without over burdening the reader with unnecessary facts. I particularly loved that instructions on how to construct or complete projects included photos and diagrams. The photos in this book are beautiful and relevant to the topic being discussed. This has been written for the purpose that anyone can read and apply it, whether you are in the city, the suburbs or the country.
Before reading this my husband and I had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to plant, none of which were native. After reading this and watching native birds around our property we have completely changed our mind and will be planting natives.
Many thanks NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital edition in exchange for an honest review.

[Amberly Dzimira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most eye-opening book about nature, how it all works and our role within it/how we can preserve it. WOW I loved this book so much I bought it for my personal library.

I think everyone should read this book and everyone should plant NATIVE PLANTS.

This book is amazing 100/10.

[Tiffanie22 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great primer for understanding how to attract birds and other wildlife to your yard, especially for someone just getting started. For me, because I have been working on this for some time and have read a lot already, much of what was in this book was a refresher. There are lots of great photographs, plant list, and projects you can easily do as a family. There is also some sustainable gardening tips and a checklist you can follow to turn your yard into a wildlife habitat. For anyone wanting to make a contribution to conservation and doesn’t know where to start, add this book to your resource list.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative and inspirational guide on how to turn your yard into a welcoming habitat for birds, animals, insects, etc. While it's a bit of a battle for me to *want* them in my garden, since I grow a lot of my own produce and often find myself fighting the birds, squirrels and rabbits for my hard-earned bounty, I do understand the need for restoring habitat, so I plan to implement some of the ideas here (especially the ones for pollinators/beneficial insects). I liked the project ideas/how-tos sprinkled throughout the book as well.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for what the average person can do to transform their yard and garden into a habitat that is welcoming to all the creatures that live with us. I learned a great deal about plants and flowers that I can add to my backyard to encourage birds, small animals, insects, and butterflies to visit and flourish within my own small part of this world. As a parent that has a young son that is fascinated and passionate about nature and birds, this is an invaluable resource.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Creative Homeowner for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased review and opinion.

[Ellen F · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you garden for wildlife, this book is a must to share with your friends and neighbors. Its straight-forward organization and gorgeous photos make it easy to understand and appreciate why gardening principles, including choosing native plants, make all the difference to the wildlife in one's neighborhood. I offer my neighbors the loan of my book along with a gift of a butterfly host plant from my garden. Some people "get it" - some don't. Putting it on offer is all I can do - while continuing to enhance my own native garden.

If you're just getting started in your backyard, and want to attract birds and butterflies, get this book for yourself.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a basic guide to gardening for wildlife with native plants. It is a great place to start. The book clearly explains everything from terms, to ecology, to how to instructions. The contents include a preface, an introduction, 6 chapters, a Join the Movement (wildlife habitat garden), a gloassry, an index, and photo credits.

The book includes lots of how tos -- for pond/water gardens; bird, bat; and butterfly boxes; toad homes, and more.

I recommend to book if you are interested in and new to conservation, native plants, and wildlife gardening.

[Patsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good reference book

[Francesca Cassinelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro resume simple y claramente los básicos para crear un espacio amigable para la vida silvestre.

Entre los aspectos clave está el comprender los elementos que componen un lugar que favorece la llegada, vida segura y reproducción de fauna. Me gustó que no se queda en pájaros e insectos, sino que también explica el rol de reptiles y mamíferos pequeños.

También se distingue en cada tema la aproximación que se adecúa mejor a entornos rurales, semiurbanos y urbanos. Por ejemplo, hay proyectos que no se recomiendan para zonas urbanas ya que pueden atraer ratones.

Un aspecto importante es recordar que este libro está enfocado a lectores estadounidenses, por lo que SIEMPRE hay que contrastar el listado de especies con el del lugar en que uno se encuentra.

En pocas palabras: cumplió con mis expectativas y me gustó mucho su lenguaje claro y preciso.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

This book is basically a ‘how to’ book for establishing your yard as a welcoming site for birds, butterflies, bees, and small mammals. It focuses on native plants, trees and shrubs, the use of water,
and creating natural areas in your landscaping. If you successfully establish your yard as a certified wildlife habitat you can get a sign and place it in your landscape to identify yourself as such.
Even if you are not interested in establishing your yard as a certified wildlife habitat, you can still glean
information from this book to improve your own garden.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a useful reference book on ways to make your backyard more attractive to wildlife. I liked the basics, including placing a bird bath top on the ground to give animals a place to drink, for example skunks (not like I especially want one in my yard). At times though I felt like too much information at once, making it harder to separate and go specifically to a topic I want. Minor though, and overall still would highly recommend this book.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful reference book for increasing the numbers of birds in your backyard. It is divided into chapters with different options depending on your lifestyle and footage. A great read for anyone who enjoys watching through the window at the activities outside. Good chapter on what plants attract which animals and the illustrations are beautiful. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world of doom and gloom it is heartening to be able to take practical steps to help redress the balance and provide a space for wildlife to thrive.

I knew from the title that this was an American book but the basics apply just as much to gardening in the UK as it does to America, just use a bit of common sense.

The photos are lovely, enough to make you want to get out there and start gardening immediately.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book, provided a lot of useful information about creating wildlife habitat for all types of yards in an easy to read format. An abundance of interesting pictures and fun projects filled each chapter. Got me inspired to get outside and garden for the wildlife!

[Mickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very good how to book for anyone wanting help improve our ecosystem.

[Suzanne Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great explanation of why native plants are so important and how each of us can help. Contains instructions of projects that can be done with children to help our environment.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very detailed and easy to follow guideline, Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, is a great addition to any gardener's collection.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great intro into why and how to restore our native habitats. Now I just need time to get my hands dirty.

[Denielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good guidebook to make your yard hospitable for butterflies, bees and other creatures. Also to get wildlife certified through the National Wildlife Federation.

[Lauren Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit basic and elementary but a good resource and a good starter reference.

[Rachel Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic resource book for anyone interested in pollinator or native plant gardening. I was pleasantly surpised to find activities for the family and building tips included.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information on plants and animals. So many suggestions!

[Rachel Eckert-Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really inspired to implement some of these principles in my own yard!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. A good introduction to making your property more wildlife friendly.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a basic but detailed book for anyone that wants to think about creating good habitat for wildlife in their yards. I do native plantings for a living and still gained from it and definitely will recommend it to people I work with. The pictures are clear and colorful, and the sidebars add to the content. It is not specific to a place but could be used anywhere in the US.

[Margo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent reference for anyone who wants to turn their backyard into a Wildlife Habitat. I purchased this because I want to install a water feature in my backyard with the intention of it providing water and habitat for wildlife. This book as a chapter that gives an overview of that process, but it has so much more information. There are four elements to providing a habitat for wild things and then a fifth element of sustainability and conservation that you add in order to make your space a Certified habitat. There are lots of easy projects for families with kids and many suggestions for keeping your project affordable. Highly recommended!

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

National Wildlife Federation®: Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, Expanded Second Edition by David Mizejewski is a basic introduction on how to turn your yard into wildlife habitat. Animals need food, water and shelter. Each chapter focuses one of these needs and provides suggestions including activities for kids to help get them involved with the process. I love the emphasis on bringing other animals into the food web. Most books focus on birds and pollinators, but you will also learn to attract amphibians, reptiles, fish and mammals. Focusing on the entire food web (with the exception of large predators) is the recommendation.

My only complaint is the lack of connection between native plants and the habitat where they belong. Throughout the book they talk about native plants and give examples, but plants native to New England are different from those in the desert southwest. It would be nice to include a chart with annuals, perennials, grasses, shrubs and trees organized by region. A great example of this can be found in Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy.

Overall, I believe this is a nice guide on how to turn your yard into a wildlife habitat. I believe you will want more detailed guides in time.

[Patch405 (Shannon Barghols) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My initial impression was that this book is a great overview of the many different aspects of creating a backyard wildlife habitat. It covers every possible subject - how to get started, food, water, cover, raising young, and sustainability. Because it covers so many subjects and because it is designed for a national audience, it does not provide advice on any particular area/region of the country.

I would have rated it 3-4 stars initially. The photos are fabulous and the content is concise and helpful. However, one key point pushes it to 5 stars for me: how to be recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. I think this is a key selling point missed by the publisher in its promotion of the book. This certification section comes at the end of the book. It provides a list of the benefits of the recognition as well as a checklist to ensure that you have all the qualifying aspects needed for your yard to qualify. It also provides the website to complete the application process. Plus - There’s a fancy little sign you can order and place in your yard so that human visitors to your yard will know of your commitment to sustaining a wildlife habitat.

I’m excited to to pursue this further! You’ll find me blogging about my yard, it’s features and - hopefully - my certification at www.Patch405.com.

I was offered an advance digital copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous book! Almost every page has photos worth framing - though you might not want the creepy crawlies on your wall. The birds, butterflies, flowers and attractive habitats and homes would make almost any gardener keen to try the suggestions.
The setting is North America but the principles are general; identify your habitat types, plant native plants, add flowers for pollinators, maybe a water feature for added wildlife diversity, put up bird, bat, bee and other homes. And compost! Don't use pesticides if possible, let natural pest predators do the work.
We are shown checklists, how to build various features, what some plants look like in winter and summer. Along with an explanation of invasive non-native plants, we are told that a weed is only a weed if you don't want it; otherwise it is a wildflower, like the milkweed which feeds monarch butterflies. The text is not overly complex and has straightforward information, with an index at the back.
Go for it, create your nature garden. Happy watching the wildlife!

I downloaded an e-ARC from Net Galley. This is an unbiased review.