The Bird Homestead and Meeting House have been designated as an official Bird-Friendly Advanced Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
The Bird Homestead and Meeting House have been designated as an official Bird-Friendly Advanced Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. The properties, which shelter over 50 species of birds, contain multiple wildlife-friendly areas, including salt marsh and estuarine habitats, which support waterfowl, shore birds, and wading birds, a coastal shrub zone that provides important habitat for migratory birds, and lightly wooded upland areas supporting a variety of woodpeckers and other cavity-nesting birds.
In addition to the requirements of natural food sources, water, cover, and places to raise young, advanced certification stipulates conditions such as reducing lawn area. As a monoculture usually maintained with noisy, polluting machinery and chemicals, lawns are not optimum wildlife habitat. Reducing lawn area allows for plantings that provide better conditions for wildlife.
Residents interested in learning about qualifying their own yards may visit the Rye Nature Center website http://www.ryenaturecenter.org/habitat-project/4574352798.
