Spring means it is time to break out the gardening gloves and get back to maintaining yards and natural areas around homes. Spring also marks the arrival of breeding season for many wildlife species in Wisconsin. Sometimes, the two events can clash with each other. Dane County Humane Society’s (DCHS’) Wildlife Center has tips to keep young wildlife safe and with their parents as humans emerge from hibernation to play in their yards and gardens.
“Wild parents do the very best job of raising their young,” says Paige Pederson, wildlife operations supervisor at DCHS’ Wildlife Center. “It is vital to keep healthy young with their parents and to reserve rehabilitation for only those truly injured or orphaned. I suggest taking a walk around your yard to check for nests before you jump on that lawnmower or break out the shovels to work in the garden to avoid disturbing a nest.”
Eastern cottontail rabbits are right at home nesting in urban environments. Nests are dug into the ground and are very unobtrusive. Cottontails may build nests along the edge of a fence or building, or they may choose a spot right in the middle of the yard. A key indicator of a nest’s presence is discovering the rabbit fur that lines a nest or seeing an adult returning to the same area each morning or evening. To not draw the attention of predators, a mother cottontail will only visit the nest twice a day—at dawn and dusk—to care for her young and keep them safe.
“Since cottontails grow so quickly, they can be easy to work around for the short term,” says Paige. Infant cottontails become independent after only four weeks. To avoid disturbing them, work in a different area of the yard away from the nest or postpone yardwork until they have grown and left.
Don’t just check the ground for nests, look up into trees in your yard. Both mammal and avian species utilize trees for food, protection from the elements, and to raise their young. Grey squirrels are some of the earliest mammals to have their young, while great horned owls are among the first avian species to have already nested. Not far behind will be a plethora of native bird species using nests in a variety of bushes and trees.
If tree trimming is necessary, take a thorough look through the branches for nests. Many species, like woodpeckers and eastern screech owls, are cavity nesters, so be sure to check hollowed branches and tree trunks. Should you find active mammal nests, DCHS’ Wildlife Center recommends postponing any tree removal or trimming until the fall. If you spot an active bird nest, the majority of which are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, most species will fledge and leave within three to four weeks from hatching, so postponing yard work helps protect them.
If you enjoy watching nature and want to attract more wildlife to your yard, after surveying your area and ensuring you’re not disturbing any nests, plant native plants. Flowers can provide food for hummingbirds and insects, which attracts birds. Fruiting bushes also offer a variety of food options for numerous wild species.
For more tips and information on what steps to take should you find an orphaned or injured wild animal, visit giveshelter.org/wildlife.
Jackie Sandberg is the wildlife program manager at DCHS’ Wildlife Center.
Photographs provided by Dane County Humane Society.
Dane County Humane Society
5132 Voges Road
Madison, WI 53718
608.287.3235
giveshelter.org/wildlife-center