Gray Catbird ~~ Photo by Terry W. Johnson

The Department of Natural Resources publishes a monthly newsletter — Georgia Wild — that is a delight to nature lovers, no matter where they live.

This portion, written by Terry W. Johnson, deals with bird migration and how we can entice our feathered friends to stop in our yards all around Lake Allatoona.

“The frightening population declines of neotropical migratory birds are well documented.

Neotropical migrants are the birds that nest throughout North America and winter in Latin America.  This colorful kaleidoscope of birds includes orioles, warblers, vireos, thrushes, tanagers and other songsters.

Biologists once thought that habitat losses on winter and breeding grounds were the most serious threat faced by many of these birds.  However, research conducted during the past two-and-a-half decades suggests that a dramatic loss in suitable stopover areas used by the birds on their spring and fall migrations is also playing a significant role in their alarming population losses.

Here’s where you come in.  Believe it or not, your yard can help conserve these migratory songbirds by providing a high-quality stopover site — a place where birds can rest and refuel before continuing their long journey.”

Click Here to Read Terry’s full column on the critical role berries and fruits fill for migrating birds and which plants can help make your yard an avian pit stop.

Click Here for the GA Department of Natural Resources’ Georgia Wild

Terry W. Johnson is a former Nongame program manager with the Wildlife Resources Division and executive director of TERN, the Nongame Conservation Section’s friends group. Check out his column archives.