The Real Dirt blog covers regional gardening issues from soil health to planting for pollinators; from fire resistant landscaping to attracting wildlife. Read all about it!
A true treasure of the Americas, hummingbirds are a diverse family of more than 340 species, only 17 of which are found north of Mexico. They are also keystone mutualists, nectar feeders that have coevolved with the indigenous plants they pollinate.
Guess what? Recent scientific studies have confirmed that seeing and hearing birds makes people happy! Science is just beginning to back up something we humans have intuitively known for a very long time.
Not all birds commonly seen in Chico live here year-round. Some appear for just a few weeks during their spring or fall migration. Others may stay for the summer.
Loss of natural habitat is a serious threat to wildlife. How game birds have managed to recover after the wildfires that have roared through and incinerated our neck of the woods is a mystery, but they are again thriving in my part of Paradise.
Magpies are amazing birds! They are strikingly handsome, intelligent, and bold. They build nests with domed roofs and side entrances and decorate these homes with the bright shiny objects they collect. They hold funeral services for their dead. They can mimic human speech.
