Houston Audublog

It doesn’t take much effort to find advice on how to support birds. In fact, a simple Google search produces hundreds of helpful resources in a matter of seconds. So, if the information is out there, then why are so few people taking action? The answer is both simple, and extremely complicated. In short – knowledge alone is often not enough to change peoples’ behaviors. Our decisions, whether we are buying a new car or planting native plants, are often governed by an internal process – assessing our resources, weighing pros and cons, and seeking advice from outside sources. To move people to action, we have to have an understanding of that decision-making process and create strategies that not only fuel and sustain motivation, but also work to help overcome barriers that keep people from finding success.  With this in mind, Houston Audubon’s Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC) has embarked on a mission to uncover the things people find most challenging (barriers) and most ...

Happy Earth Day from all of us at Houston Audubon! Although we think every day should be Earth Day, we’re excited for a chance to celebrate the planet that sustains the people and wildlife that call it home.  There are many easy actions you can take to promote a healthier and happier Earth. If you're looking for a place to start and have a soft spot for our feathered friends, you can help locally by turning your community into a Bird-Friendly Community! Supporting birds in your yard or local spaces can make a huge conservation impact for not only wildlife, but people as well. As we like to say, “where birds thrive, people prosper.” There are four key steps to being Bird-Friendly! We've outlined them below, along with suggestions on how you can work towards each.  Get Connected With Others   Learn from others who are making efforts to create a happier and healthier world! This spring, there are a number of opportunities for you to connect with others doing great things ...

I live in the southwest Houston neighborhood of Willow Meadows. We have a typical lot for the area, about 9,500 square feet, with about 2,500 square feet of backyard. There was a mature pecan tree along with a fig tree, citrus trees, a hibiscus, and a palm tree I had planted before I learned about the importance of planting native plants. I knew from a short-lived experiment with raised bed vegetable gardening that gardening requires constant attention and maintenance, so for my next project I wanted to create a landscape that was interesting, easy to manage, unlikely to be ruined by dogs or children, and of course bird-friendly. Enter: container gardens. Containers are great because it's easy to change plants out, keep weeds down, and add color and texture to your landscape. You don't need as many tools to plant in containers and native plants will do fine with any organic potting soil available in bags at the hardware store.  PLANNING I wanted the containers to sit on gravel,...

We’re getting into the thick of the holiday season, so you’re probably already on the hunt for the perfect gifts for friends and family! This year, more and more people have become in awe of the nature that exists in their own backyards. If that sounds like someone you know, lean in and take this opportunity to make your shopping list a little more bird-friendly!  Don’t fret, we've done the leg-work to bring you gift ideas for everyone on your list - from the budding birder to the gardener to those that prefer the indoors. We even recommend getting a special something for yourself - you deserve it! If you need stocking stuffers, head over to the  Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center where you’ll find jewelry, apparel, books, and more in the nature store.  Gifts for the Bird Nerd in Your Life We know them and love them – bird nerds are the backbone of Houston Audubon! From budding birders to seasoned pros, these gifts are a hit for all. (New birders can also c...

By Julie d'Ablaing, Houston Audubon Natives Nursery Volunteer As we are both educated and encouraged to increase the diversity of native plants in our home landscapes to support the wide range of pollinators and birds that are under threat, one overlooked niche may be under the mower blades!   As a beekeeper, I am thankful for the early flowering clovers, in grassy areas in my neighborhood, although they are frowned upon by many residents as weeds in their lawns!  They help sustain the earliest of our nectar seekers.  As a naturalist I note the Herbertia, Sabatia, and the sprawling legumes, Neptunia and Mimosa spp., that are native “weeds”  supporting the more specialist native bees and butterflies. Tropical Puff ( Neptunia pubescens ), a host plant for the Ceraunus Blue ( Hemiargus ceraunus ) butterfly. On the almost desolate, non-irrigated mowed grass areas of the Copperfield Trail, dominated by Bermuda grass, Tropical Puff ( Neptunia pubescens ), a creeping...

Introduction to Habitat Gardening by Glenn Olsen Gardening for birds and butterflies is growing increasingly popular with urban and sub-urban homeowners, especially during our stay at home period. This style of gardening utilizes plants (especially native plants) that benefit birds and butterflies. Additionally, we want to build structure in our yard, that is, plant in a way to create habitat, places where birds or butterflies feel safe, find food, rest, build a nest or seek shelter. This structure is similar to the way plants grow in nature. In addition to the beauty and joy of having birds and butterflies in your garden, it can be-come a retreat in which you can relax, enjoy and contemplate in your own nature oasis. Our winter months are a great time to get organized for a spring garden or landscape project. This is the time to plan which plants you want and where you want them in your yard. Also, if any flower bed preparation or pathways need to be created, winter is a good time to ...

In September of 2017, my girlfriend Amanda and I, along with our dog Scout, moved out of our apartment and into a house in Houston’s Sunset Heights. One of the selling points of this house was that it had a small backyard the three of us could enjoy together. It was a simple space comprised of zoysia grass, Japanese yew, and bamboo. In June of 2018, Scout was sniffing around our backyard and decided to eat a couple of Japanese yew berries that had fallen on the ground. This led to her getting sick and spending the next two nights recovering at a veterinary clinic. This is the event that made me start to question everything growing in our backyard. Why did we have grass, shrubs, and bamboo from Asia? Why had we never seen a butterfly in our yard? We decided we needed to make some changes. To begin my research, I read The Houston Atlas of Biodiversity by Houston Wilderness, Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy, and Native Texas Plants by Sally Wasowski and Andy Wasowsk...

Across the world, species are rapidly disappearing before our eyes. This is a biodiversity crisis. Urbanization has caused habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation, which contribute to the decrease in global biodiversity. At Rice University, fifteen students signed up for Dr. Cassidy Johnson’s Conservation Biology Lab in hopes of making changes on their campus and in their city to protect and enhance the local biodiversity. These students are creating and communicating their desires to implement a Habitat Conservation Plan at Rice University in order to contribute to urban conservation efforts right here in Houston. Their project tackles specific biodiversity concerns including critical habitat, bird conservation, pollinator gardens, medicinal gardens, carbon sequestration, and wetland restoration. The following piece is written by students in the Conservation Biology Lab who are taking part in developing that plan. This is the first post in a series. ----- When people walk ...