By Kevin Foster
While the lack of rain the past few years has had a negative impact on all of us. It’s had a far worse impact on wild plant and wildlife communities. Most of us don’t realize how much a drought can stress the natural world, for instance plants bear less fruit and seeds and foliage. One study shows that biologists have found the acorn from the native oak is much smaller during drought. Acorns are a staple food for everything from wood ducks, Whitetail deer, small mammals and songbirds. It’s been really hard on one group of plants that biologists call Forbs. Forbs include a wide range of herbaceous, broad-leaved plants, such as wildflowers, legumes and a host of others most folks refer to simply as weeds. Yet it’s safe to say that forbs are probably the most underrated food plants for wildlife. They are critical to the diets of deer, rabbits and even wild pollinators.
When conditions are extremely dry, forbs produce fewer stems, flowers and seeds; they are a fantastic source of protein for animals that graze on them. Studies have shown that during a drought, the stems and leaves are less palatable and nutritious. This can affect grazers in many ways, such as causing females to produce less milk for their young. As a result, during drought years the females often raise fewer young. This year, countless forbs have withered and even died before they flowered. Others did not produce blossoms. This translates into less pollen and nectar. The low number of butterflies recorded on many butterfly counts in the past years could be a reflection of drought’s impact on these great sources of nectar.
Our migrating feathered friends are also impacted by the drought. 96% of terrestrial birds eat insects, during the drought this means less food for nesting adults which impacts populations so the birds produce less fledglings. Along with the migrating birds that depend on berries, fruits, and seeds. During their migration they need rest and fuel to reach their destinations which will impact their journey tremendously.
Obviously, drought affects the availability of water. When water is scarce, animals have to travel greater distances to find it. This makes them more vulnerable to predators. In the case of nesting birds, this means they are forced to spend more time away from their young, increasing the odds their nests will be discovered by predators. As small pools and wetlands dry up, amphibians, fish and other aquatic organisms either disappear or suffer population losses. Many of the flying insects eaten by swallows, chimney swifts, bats and other aerial predators are raised in these habitats. When these insects are in short supply, the animals that eat them also suffer.
While there is little that homeowners can do to offset the negative impacts of drought across a broad landscape, we can affect conditions in our own backyards. Here are a few simple ways you can help the wild plants and animals living in your yard survive a drought:
Provide a source of water. Anything from a shallow pan to a birdbath will suffice, but put at least one water source on the ground for animals that cannot reach a birdbath on a pedestal.
Use liberal amounts of mulch around the plants in your gardens. This will help your garden soil retain precious moisture.
Plant a variety of native plants to produce pollen and nectar, seeds, berries, and fruit over as much of the year as possible. Include native trees, shrubs and other plants that will benefit migratory birds, butterflies and pollinators passing through our yards in late summer and fall. Incorporate native food plants into your yard. Plants native to your area are often better able to survive drought than ornamentals. Native plants also can produce up to four times more insects.
Keep feeders stocked with a variety of foods, such as seeds and suet (white millet and black oil sunflower seeds are the best).
As wildlife habitat continues to disappear or become degraded, our yards are becoming more important to our wild plant and animal neighbors. This is the case regardless of the weather, but the significance of your yard to wildlife can be even more critical during times of drought.