Record temperatures, drought, smoky air and loss of habitat make it increasingly difficult for feathered and other winged creatures in urban and suburban areas to find the water they need.
But there’s a simple way that humans can help them out: install a birdbath.
“A source of clean, fresh water can be one of the hardest things for birds to find,” said Kim Eierman, an environmental horticulturist and the founder of EcoBeneficial, an ecological landscape design firm, who teaches at the New York Botanical Garden and Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Putting in birdbaths is something that’s easy for homeowners and even apartment dwellers and tenants of commercial spaces, she said.
“You’re increasing the health of the birds by providing a resource that’s really tough to find,” said Ms. Eierman, who lays out nature-friendly tips in her book “The Pollinator Victory Garden.” “In the summer months, it’s way more important than putting up birdseed.”
Persons:
”, Kim Eierman, “, Eierman
Organizations:
New, Botanical, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Locations:
Brooklyn, birdbaths