[BCNnet] more bird friendly garden resources...

[bobolnk@ix.netcom.com]

http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/ is a wealth of information about setting up a native garden in the Midwest - it's done by Danielle Green of the EPA. 

And the BCN Migratory Birds Green Paper http://www.iit.edu/~cos/BCN/greenpapers.html has a list of local native plants that Terry Schilling compiled that birds use - mostly for nesting , seeds, berries and nectar.  

I find that birds use native plants in a huge range of ways - picking insects off them, of course, but also for things like nesting materials.  One year, I had swamp milkweed in my garden and was surprised to see several species pulling the long, strong fibers off the dried stem.  An oriole was very busy with it - and so was a white throated sparrow!  Just practicing a little warm-up along the migratory route, I guess.   

Judy Pollock
bobolnk@ix.netcom.com