Attracting Wildlife

Woodland Secondary Cavity Nesting Birds

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

How many of you are looking forward to the nest box monitoring season?? I have been monitoring bluebird nest boxes at Sharon Woods MetroParks for over 20 years now (wow, that is a long time) and it’s always been a highlight of my year. See a few of my favorite pictures below from my monitoring times.

Eastern bluebird nest.

Female eastern bluebird building her nest.

Eastern bluebird eggs are bright blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend, I had the honor of presenting at the 2024 Ohio Bluebird Society Conference. If you have never been to this conference, and you have an interest in birds, I highly recommend it. I met so many folks who are passionately invested in bird conservation – some who have dedicated over 40 years of their lives to monitoring bluebird boxes! I was asked to present a session on several Ohio birds that, like our bluebirds, are also cavity nesters. The slides from my presentation are below, along with several resources I referenced during my talk. I hope it helps and my thanks for all you are doing to help our birds!

Presentation Slides – Woodland Secondary Cavity Nesting Birds

Nest box specifications and placement recommendation for screech owls, wood ducks, and more – HERE.

Webinar on Deadwood for Wildlife (and creating and maintaining snags)

Bringing the Snag into the Urban Forest (Arborists and Wildlife: Retaining Trees for Wildlife Habitat) – Article by Brian French

Resources on What to Plant:

Websites for more info:

Happy Birding!

Marne Titchenell
Wildlife Program Director, OSU Extension
School of Environment and Natural Resources
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences

Breakfast with the Birds – Native Plantings for Wildlife Resources

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Hello Wild Side Readers!

Tomorrow I have the pleasure of helping with the Environmental Professionals Network Breakfast program called Breakfast with the Birds: Advocacy and Conservation in Urban Green Spaces. I will be leading a tour around the beautiful Scioto Audubon Metro Park after the inside presentations conclude at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. I plan to have short discussions on the importance of green spaces, especially urban forests within our urban ecosystems. If this subject interests you, I encourage you to check out my last article for more resources on managing public trees and spaces for wildlife. Below, you find some additional resources on providing native plants for wildlife, including birds, pollinators, and bats. Enjoy!

 

OSU Extension Fact Sheet: Native Trees: Creating Living Landscapes for Birds, Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficials

OSU Extension Fact Sheet: Native Shrubs: Creating Living Landscapes for Birds, Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficials

OSU Plant-by-Numbers Garden Plans for Butterflies & Moths, Specialist Bees, and Bumble Bees

Native Bee Resources:

Ohio Bat Working Group: information on Ohio bats, coexisting with bats, and habitat management included providing habitat for bats in forests and backyards. Bat house plans and guidance.

 

American Bird Conservancy – Preventing Bird Window Strikes information

Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative Resources:

Great apps for more learning:

  • iNaturalist
  • Picture This or Google Lens
  • Cornell Lab of Ornithology – Merlin

 

I hope you are able to get out and enjoy your community’s green spaces soon!

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

Managing Trees & Public Spaces for Wildlife – Take Two!

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

If you are new to this blog, I share information on Ohio’s wildlife, but as an educator, I also create posts related to presentations at educational events. Recently, I had the honor of presenting a webinar for the Smithsonian Gardens ‘Let’s Talk Gardens’ webinar series. I spoke about managing trees and small forest patches in urban and suburban areas for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. The below links are resources I shared during that presentation, as well as the slide set.

One item I didn’t get to in my presentation, was several new fact sheets for those interested in wildlife-friendly landscaping. The two fact sheets below share information on several native trees and shrubs that provide benefits to multiple species. Enjoy!

Native Trees: Creating Living Landscapes for Birds, Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficials

Native Shrubs: Creating Living Landscapes for Birds, Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficials

Also be sure to check out the NEW Plant by Numbers Guides for Specialist Bees, Bumble Bees, and Butterflies & Moths.

 

Managing Public Trees and Spaces for Wildlife – slide set

Managing Public Trees and Spaces for Wildlife – webinar

 

Links/Resources:

Doug Tallamy webinar – Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home (the connection between trees and caterpillars)

3 Billion Birds Lost Research and Website

Alternatives to Non-native, Invasive Plants Brochure and Website– Ohio Invasive Plant Council

Butterflies & Moths of North America

American Trails Info on Greenway Planning

Bringing the Snag into the Urban Forest (Arborists and Wildlife: Retaining Trees for Wildlife Habitat) – Brian French

Dead Wood for Wildlife webinar

Nest Box & Bat House Resources

Ohio Lights Out Program

American Bird Conservation Info on Preventing Bird Collisions

Wildlife Conflict Resources

Buckeye Yard and Garden Online  – provides timely information about Ohio growing conditions, pest, disease, and cultural problems.

Urban Wildlife Information Network

USDA Forest Service Urban Forest Info:

Urban & Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grants

Urban Forest Research

Urban Field Stations

The Cross Pollinator Newsletter – great article on urban forest patches and their importance!

Fact Sheets/Bulletins:

Ohio Woodland Stewards Invasive Species Fact Sheets

Managing Small Forest Patches for Birds – Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative

Creating Snags (Controlling Undesirable Trees, Shrubs, and Vines) – OSU Extension fact sheet

Crop Tree Management – OSU Extension fact sheet

Enhancing Food (Mast) Production for Woodland Wildlife – OSU Extension fact sheet

Ohio Trees for Bees – OSU Extension fact sheet

Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects

Research papers:

Wang et al. 2021 – Tree species richness and diversity predicts the magnitude of urban heat island mitigation effects of greenspaces

Baker et al. 2020 – Suitability of native milkweed (Asclepias) species versus cultivars for supporting monarch butterflies and bees in urban gardens

Ricker et al. 2019 – Comparing Insect Pollination Visitation for Six Native Shrub Species and their Cultivars

Narango et al. 2018 – Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird

Mason et al. 2006 – Designing suburban greenways to provide habitat for forest-breeding birds

Recommended Books:

Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner

Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest by Sally and Harmon Weeks

Native Trees of the Midwest by Weeks, Weeks, and Parker

 

If you would like more information on forest management, please visit the Ohio Woodland Stewards website. We also have a list of webinars on a variety of forestry and wildlife topics. Enjoy!

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

Enhancing Your Landscape for Birds and Other Wildlife

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

If you are new to this blog, I share information on Ohio’s wildlife, but as an educator, I also create posts related to education events I present at. Recently, I presented at the 2022 Midwest Native Plant Conference. The below are resources I shared during that presentation, as well as the slide set. For those of you that were not in attendance, never fear – this presentation (which is a recorded webinar) is very similar if you’d like to watch it.

Enhancing Your Landscape for Birds and Other Wildlife – Slide set from 2022 Midwest Native Plant Conference

Additional Resources:

3 Billion Birds Lost Research and Website

Doug Tallamy webinar – Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home (the connection between trees and caterpillars)

Alternatives to Non-native, Invasive Plants Brochure and Website– Ohio Invasive Plant Council

Butterflies & Moths of North America

Ohio Trees for Bees – OSU Extension fact sheet

Enhancing Food (Mast) Production for Woodland Wildlife – OSU Extension fact sheet

Importance of Dead Wood in Forests – recorded webinar

Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other 

Nest Boxes for Wildlife

Ohio Bat Working Group website – info on bat houses, forest management for bats, recorded videos on Ohio bats, and more!

Preventing Bird Window Strikes – American Bird Conservancy

Wildlife Conflict Resources

Books:

Butterflies of Ohio Field Guide by Jaret C. Daniels

Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner

Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest by Sally and Harmon Weeks

Native Trees of the Midwest by Weeks, Weeks, and Parker

Pollinators of Native Plants by Heather Holmes

Bees: ID & Native Plant Forage Guide by Heather Holmes

Bees in Your Backyard by Joseph William & Olivia Messinger Carril

Caterpillars of Eastern NA by David Wagner

Remember the power that our community green spaces can have – they foster an appreciation for nature and wildlife. Happy wildscaping and I hope you (and the wildlife) enjoy the space you create!

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

Managing Public Trees and Spaces for Wildlife

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

If you are new to this blog, I share information on Ohio’s wildlife, but as an educator, I also create posts related to presentations at educational events. Recently, I was invited to present at the Ohio Tree Care Conference, in Cleveland, Ohio. I spoke about managing trees and small forest patches in urban and suburban areas for birds, pollinators, and bats. The below links are resources I shared during that presentation, as well as the slide set. If you follow my posts, there is some similarity between this and the last post – many of the resources are the same. The exception is that this post has quite a bit more resources on managing forests for wildlife included.

Managing Public Trees and Spaces for Wildlife – slide set

 

Links/Resources:

Doug Tallamy webinar – Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home (the connection between trees and caterpillars)

3 Billion Birds Lost Research and Website

Alternatives to Non-native, Invasive Plants Brochure and Website– Ohio Invasive Plant Council

Butterflies & Moths of North America

Wildlife Conflict Resources

Bringing the Snag into the Urban Forest (Arborists and Wildlife: Retaining Trees for Wildlife Habitat) – Brian French

Dead Wood for Wildlife webinar

Nest Box & Bat House Resources

Ohio Lights Out Program

Buckeye Yard and Garden Online  – provides timely information about Ohio growing conditions, pest, disease, and cultural problems.

Woodland, Water, and Wildlife Conference – March 2, 2022 – Register HERE

Urban Wildlife Information Network

Ohio Division of Wildlife and US Fish and Wildlife Service Joint Guidance for Bat Surveys and Tree Clearing – May 2021

Fact Sheets/Bulletins:

Ohio Woodland Stewards Invasive Species Fact Sheets

Managing Small Forest Patches for Birds – Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative

Creating Snags (Controlling Undesirable Trees, Shrubs, and Vines) – OSU Extension fact sheet

Crop Tree Management – OSU Extension fact sheet

Enhancing Food (Mast) Production for Woodland Wildlife – OSU Extension fact sheet

Ohio Trees for Bees – OSU Extension fact sheet

Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects

Research papers:

Baker et al. 2020 – Suitability of native milkweed (Asclepias) species versus cultivars for supporting monarch butterflies and bees in urban gardens

Ricker et al. 2019 – Comparing Insect Pollination Visitation for Six Native Shrub Species and their Cultivars

Recommended Books:

Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner

Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest by Sally and Harmon Weeks

Native Trees of the Midwest by Weeks, Weeks, and Parker

 

If you would like more information on forest management, please visit the Ohio Woodland Stewards website. We also have a list of webinars on a variety of forestry and wildlife topics. Enjoy!

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

Inviting Wildlife to the Landscape

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

If you are new to this blog, I share information on Ohio’s wildlife, but as an educator, I also create posts related to education events I present at. Recently, I presented at the 2021 Ohio Turf Foundation and Green Industry Short Course (OTF/GISC) annual conference. My topic was the title of this post – attracting friendly wildlife (those species that do not typically cause conflict or damage) into landscapes in our communities. That could mean commercial properties, public or recreation areas, park properties, and backyard spaces. The below are resources I shared during that presentation, as well as the slide set. For those of you that were not in attendance, never fear – this presentation (which is a recorded webinar) is very similar if you’d like to watch it.

Attracting Birds and Other Wildlife to the Landscape – Slide set from 2021 OTF/GISC Conference

Additional Resources:

Doug Tallamy webinar – Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home (the connection between trees and caterpillars)

3 Billion Birds Lost Research and Website

Alternatives to Non-native, Invasive Plants Brochure and Website– Ohio Invasive Plant Council

Butterflies & Moths of North America

Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects

Wildlife Conflict Resources

Ohio Trees for Bees – OSU Extension fact sheet

Enhancing Food (Mast) Production for Woodland Wildlife – OSU Extension fact sheet

Books:

Butterflies of Ohio Field Guide by Jaret C. Daniels

Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner

Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest by Sally and Harmon Weeks

Native Trees of the Midwest by Weeks, Weeks, and Parker

Research papers:

Baker et al. 2020 – Suitability of native milkweed (Asclepias) species versus cultivars for supporting monarch butterflies and bees in urban gardens

Ricker et al. 2019 – Comparing Insect Pollination Visitation for Six Native Shrub Species and their Cultivars

Remember the power that our community green spaces can have – they foster an appreciation for nature and wildlife. Happy Wildscaping!

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

 

Deer and COVID-19 – What is Going On?

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

Have you seen headlines in the news lately about deer with COVID-19? Some of these headlines are a bit misleading. Check out the below information on what is really going on.

 

SARS-CoV-2 and Deer

In a late August press release, the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory announced confirmation of the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) in wild wild-tailed deer in Ohio. Earlier studies have shown that deer can be experimentally infected with the virus, and that wild deer (from samples in IL, MI, NY, and PA) had antibodies to the virus.

  • The deer tested were positive for the virus (SARS-CoV-2) but were not diagnosed with the illness (COVID-19). Some headlines you may see (including the above press release) are misleading! Currently, it appears that deer are asymptomatic carriers of the virus.
  • According to the Ohio Department of Health, there is no evidence that animals, including deer, play a significant role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to people.
    • Based on the available information, the risk of animals spreading SARS-CoV-2 to people is low.
  • Currently, it is unknown how the deer contracted the virus, though typically the route of infection is from human to animals.
    • Infections have been reported in a small number of other wildlife species, mostly in animals that had close contact with a person with COVID-19. More info here.

Is hunter-harvested game meat safe to eat?

  • According to the Ohio Department of Health, there is no evidence that people can get SARS-CoV-2 by preparing or eating meat from an animal infected with SARS-CoV-2, including wild game meat hunted in the United States.
  • Hunters should always practice good hygiene when processing animals.

Additional actions to stop virus transmission:

  • To limit deer-to-deer transmission, the Ohio Division of Wildlife continues to urge homeowners and hunters to avoid concentrating deer at backyard feeders or in hunting situations. In addition to SARS-CoV-2, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remain on the list of diseases that could be easily transmitted from deer to deer under these situations. CWD was confirmed in two wild deer in Wyandot County during the 2020-21 deer hunting season (see here for more information on CWD in Ohio’s deer herd). Ohio’s herd remains bTB-free.

More information:

  • Contact the Ohio Department of Health for questions about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from white-tailed deer to humans; 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) or odh.ohio.gov.
  • Contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture for questions about the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to pets or livestock; 614-728-6201 or agri.ohio.gov.
  • Press release on Deer with Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2
  • FAQ on Deer with Antibodies Study – also has food safety recs for hunters processing animals

 

Thanks for reading!

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

Nest Boxes for Wildlife

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Hello Wild Side Readers,

Did you know how important dead trees are to wildlife? When a tree dies, it’s starts the next chapter in it’s life as habitat for insects and other invertebrates, fungi, lichen, moss, birds, mammals, and a host of other organisms. I recently gave (as in 1 hour ago) a webinar on the Important of Dead Wood to Wildlife. Check it out here if you have the chance. I strongly encourage any woodland owners and homeowners to think of ways to incorporate dead wood into your properties if attracting wildlife is one of the goals for your woods or backyard.

Nest boxes are a tool we can use to provide a feature of dead trees and live trees that wildlife go crazy for – cavities! Many species utilize cavities, from birds and mammals big and small, to reptiles and amphibians, native bees, and honeybees. Below are some slides I’ve put together on different nest box specification for wildlife – where to place them, tips on construction, and maintenance recommendations.

Nest Box Specifications for Species 

Here are additional resources on nest boxes, including plans for building your own! The great thing about nest boxes is that you don’t have to be a skilled wood worker to build a nest box – I speak from experience. Thankfully, the wildlife won’t care if they aren’t perfect. This makes this a great activity for kids, too. Monitoring the nest boxes also makes for a great activity. For some boxes, like those for bluebirds or tree swallow, the boxes are within reach and can easily be viewed. For those that are mounted higher, you might consider a wildlife/trail camera. These types of cameras are readily available and can be set up facing or even inside the nest box to get some great pics and footage of who is using the box.

ODNR, Division of Wildlife – Nest Box Plans

Bat House Plans

Enjoy!

Marne Titchenell
Wildlife Program Specialist

The Benefits of Bats

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Hello Wild Side Readers!

ICYMI – check out the short 4-minute video I created for the virtual Farm Science Review on the benefits of bats and how to attract them to your farm or woodland! Below are some additional resources and videos – enjoy!

Videos:

Publications & Websites:

Thanks for learning more about bats!

(Psssst…don’t forget! National Bat Week is coming soon – October 24th – 31st, 2020! Be sure to check The Ohio Bat Working Group website for additional ways to learn about bats!)

“The last word in ignorance is the person who says of an
animal or plant: What good is it?” ~ Aldo Leopold

Owls of Ohio

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UPDATE:  If you found your way here after my recent Owls of the Tristate presentation I gave at the 2024 Ohio River Valley Woodand and Wildlife Landowner workshop, you are in the right place! 🙂  Below are the resources I mentioned during the presentation. Enjoy!

Hello Wild Side Readers!

If you caught my last post, you’ll know that this year’s Farm Science Review is virtual and all educational materials and presentations will be available starting next week. Check out my last post for more info and the schedule of Gwynne Conservation Area Presentations.

One of the Gwynne presentations is called Owls of Ohio. In the video I created, I promised to provide additional resources for attracting owls to your property. Below is a list of additional resources on owls. Enjoy!

 

Owl Life History Resources:

Ohio Division of Wildlife Owls of Ohio Field Guide

Barn Owl Population Status Report

Barn Owl Nest Box Plans and Placement Guides – both of the below guides are great!

Nesting Platform Plans for Great-horned owls

Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds – more info about each owl species

 

Nest Box Resources: 

Nest box specifications and placement recommendation for screech owls, wood ducks, and more – HERE.

Ohio Division of Wildlife Attracting Birds of Ohio – nest box plans for screech owl

Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch – tips and plans for nest boxes for birds

 

Management for Owls Resources: 

OSU Extension Fact Sheet – Dead Trees for Wildlife

NC State Extension Working with Wildlife – Owls

Presentation on Dead Wood for Wildlife – Ohio Woodland Stewards’ Friday Escape to the Forest Webinar Series

  • Info on creating and maintaining den trees and snags & constructing brush piles

General Management Recommendations for Forest & Open Habitats for Raptors (including owls) 

Managing Forest Birds in Southeast Ohio

Managing Small Forest Patches for Birds

 

Recommended Apps:

  • Merlin, Cornell Lab of Ornithology – listen to bird calls (including owls), life history info, song/call ID
  • Audubon Bird Guide

Recommended Books:

  • Hawks at a Distance – Jerry Liguori
  • Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America
  • Birds of the Prey of the Midwest Field Guide – Stan Tekiela
  • Crossley’s ID Guide: Raptors – Richard Crossley

 

Marne Titchenell

Wildlife Program Specialist

In Ohio, short-eared owls can be seen during winter hunting over open fields and grasslands.