Hummingbird nectar and feeder cleaning: the complete routine
One part sugar to four parts water, no dye and a clean feeder every time you refill. Here is the full routine, with batch sizes, schedules and fixes.
The library
Backyard wildlife guides for American yards
Nine long-form guides and a free bat house placement checker, from hummingbird nectar and feeder hygiene to mason bees, monarch habitat and bat house troubleshooting.
Feeder hygiene and seed choices: keeping birds healthy
Clean feeders and fresh seed matter more than any gadget. Here is a simple hygiene routine, a seed chart and what to do if you see sick birds.
Mason bee house basics: setup, nesting tubes and yearly care
Mason bees are gentle spring pollinators that nest in tubes. A bee house can help them, but only if it is the right design and you care for it every year.
Do butterfly houses work? What helps butterflies instead
A butterfly house is mostly decoration. Host plants, nectar flowers, sunny shelter and a bit of mess do far more for butterflies.
Monarchs and milkweed on the Great Plains: a planting guide
Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed, and the Plains sit in the middle of their migration. Here is how to plant native milkweed and fall nectar flowers well.
Native bees of the Great Plains and Midwest: who they are and how to help
The Plains hold hundreds of native bee species, most of them ground-nesters that never use bee houses. Here is how to recognize and support them.
Bat house placement: sun, height, color and clearance explained
Location decides whether bats move in. Here is the full placement checklist, from July temperatures and sun hours to mounting height and open flight space.
Bats of the Midwest and Great Plains: species, habits and status
Who is flying over your yard at dusk? A look at common bats of the central U.S., how they roost, what threatens them and how to help.
Bat house troubleshooting: why it is empty and what to change
Empty bat houses are common. Work through this checklist of sun, color, height, clearance, water, design and timing before you give up or move it.
Bat house placement checker: sun, height, color and clearance
Enter your climate, sun hours, mounting height and surroundings and get a plain-language check of your planned bat house location, with the rules shown.
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Hummingbird feeders
Hummingbirds are easy to attract and easy to harm with dirty feeders. Here is how to choose a feeder, mix safe nectar, place it well and keep it clean.
Bird houses & nest boxes
Most decorative bird houses fail. A good nest box is plain, sturdy, correctly sized and placed for one species. Here is what matters.
Squirrel-proof feeders
Squirrels are athletic, patient and smart. A good baffle in the right spot beats any label that says squirrel-proof.
Butterfly & bee houses
Bee and butterfly houses are popular, but plants, bare ground and nesting sites matter more. Here is how to help pollinators without creating a trap.
Seed & other feeders
Different feeders attract different birds. Here is how to match feeder type and seed to the species in your yard, and keep everything clean.
Suet & woodpecker feeders
Suet is a high-energy food that woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees love. Learn which feeders work, when suet spoils and how to keep starlings away.
Bat houses
A bat house can work, but only if it is built well and placed correctly. Sun, height, color and clearance matter more than any single product.