Bellwethers of a Healthy Environment

A Yellow-rumped Warbler feeding on sunflower seed heads. Photo: Tracey Byrne

It’s estimated that over 82 million people in the United States enjoy feeding birds. I am one of them. Though always a bird appreciator, I became an enthusiast after joining Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project Feeder Watch. I have honed my I.D. skills and now can easily recognize the 25 or so regular visitors to my backyard by their personalities and habits, and I can even distinguish between many LBBs (little brown birds) that visit my yard.

[pullquote]Warning:  Birds are a gateway species and may be habit-forming. While birds themselves are not addictive, learning about them may result in a total redesign of your back yard.[/pullquote]

Ash-throated Flycatcher. Photo: Peter Pearsall, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Most of Seattle is dominated by a few ubiquitous or invasive bird species such as European Starlings, Rock Pigeons, and House Sparrows. But by introducing native plants, trees, shrubs, and grasses, a yard will soon host a more varied and nat...