No bugs, no birds

“No Bugs, No Birds!” is designed to teach students the basic ecological relationships between native trees, native insect biomass, and native songbird populations in southeast Michigan.

This module consists of a narrated video, a PDF of the original PowerPoint slides for the instructor to use or distribute if desired, a section on tree identification, and two hands-on exercises, the Point-quarter Tree Survey and Designing a Natural Birdfeeder. Each of the parts can be used by itself. Use the navigation tabs above to jump to individual parts.

Because life is fueled by the energy captured from the sun by plants, it will be the plants that we use in our gardens that determine what nature will look like 10, 20, and 50 years from now"

• Douglas Tallamy

 Download the Slides   (PDF) 

Many food chains in southeast Michigan begin with trees. Over 100 different tree species are native to Michigan and thousands of insects, including hundreds of species of butterfly and moth caterpillars, feed on the leaves of these trees.

Learning to identify these trees can be an enjoyable way to learn more about your own local ecosystem. To identify a tree, you will want to look for characteristic traits and features. Leaves are a good place to start, as most tree species have distinct leaf shapes. Many trees also have distinctive bark which can be used to identify trees during winter when there are no leaves, or it can help to verify your identification from the leaves. Other identifying characteristics include the fruit or seeds, the branching pattern, and the winter buds of trees. Below is some information on how to identify some common native trees.

 Download a PDF of the Activity 

Tree surveys are a good way to estimate the biodiversity of an area. By identifying the trees in an area, you can better understand the number of different species and which ones are more abundant, and by measuring the trees, you can estimate which ones are younger and will become more abundant over time. While it is possible to individually count and measure every tree in a given area, this is a time consuming and often impractical process. There are alternative sampling methods that will allow you to estimate the species composition, abundance, and diversity without having to gather data about every tree.

One commonly used sampling method is the point-quarter method, also known as the point-centered quarter method. In the point-quarter method, a random point, often a large tree or some landmark, is selected. From this point, four imaginary lines are drawn, one in each of the cardinal directions (north, south, east, and west), creating four imaginary "quarters." In each quarter, the closest tree to the center point is chosen, identified, and the circumference in centimeters is measured at breast height (~4.5' above the ground) and the distance from the tree to the center point is measured. From these data, you can determine the composition of the area (which species are present), the density of trees (how many trees there are in the area), and the age of the "forest" (how large the trees are). 

Using the point-quarter method, you can do a tree survey in your neighborhood or at your school.

1.      Identify your center point. This can be your house or place of residence, a familiar landmark, or some other recognizable point. Using a compass or your Smartphone, set up your quarters by drawing imaginary lines using the cardinal directions.

2.     In each quarter, measure the distance from the center point to the nearest tree. You can use a large measuring tape, or estimate the distance by measuring your stride and counting the steps it takes to get from the center point to the tree. Make sure that you are measuring as straight a line as possible. Using this method, you should collect data on four trees, one from each quarter.

3.     Identify the tree. You can use a field guide or a Smartphone identification app to help (some plant identification apps are listed in the section on Tree identification above). Try to get the identification as accurate as you can. Then, using a flexible measuring tape or a string, measure the circumference of the tree at chest height (about 4.5’ above the ground). Once you have identified the tree and collected data on it, move on to the next tree.

4.     Record all of these data and analyze the data. Look at the species composition, the proportions of native to non-native species; the age of the trees, which can be inferred by the diameter of the tree; and the species density, or how far from your center point the trees were. If you would like, you can perform another survey with a new center point close to your first point. This will give you more data to work with when drawing conclusions. You can also record the GPS coordinates for each point and add these data to an online map and compare your area to others.

5.     Based on your analysis, you can come to a conclusion about the “quality” of the area. Do you think that this area would be a good habitat for birds? Why do you feel the way you do? 

 Download a PDF of the Activity 

One of the best ways to support your local songbirds is to plant a native plant garden. Native plants act as living birdfeeders by supporting native insects that help feed many of our native bird species. These birds rely on insects like caterpillars to feed themselves, especially during migration, and to raise the next generation. Reintroducing native plants to an area helps support native birds while also showing off the beauty of the native plants and the butterflies, moths, and songbirds that they attract. In this activity, imagine that you are a native landscape architect (a person that designs native gardens for a living), and you have been tasked with creating a plan for a native garden that will support native insects and local songbirds. Use the information and resources below to design your garden. 

Important Considerations

1.   As with any garden, before you begin choosing plants and trees, you need to be familiar with your chosen landscape. How large is the area you wish to plant? How tall of a tree can it support? What type of soil do you have (sandy, clay, dry, moist, etc.)? How much sun does the intended planting space receive? Is it well or poorly drained? Any trees you use must tolerate the conditions of the local area and they should be appropriate for the space. In a small area, shrubbier trees like Chokecherry or Prairie Willow would be much better than a Red Oak that might grow well over 100’ tall and 4’ across. Native genotype plants are often the best to use. These are plants with the same genetic code as the ones that evolved in your region, and may survive best in your local conditions.

2.   Look at which trees will help increase resources, such as food and nesting habitat, for the native birds that you may already have in your area, thereby adding to their populations. You may also wish to attract previously absent species that you wish to “bring back home." 

3.   Don’t be afraid to get creative! A native garden can be as simple or as complicated as you’d like it to be. Adding features like a water source for drinking, smaller shrubs for nesting habitat, and wildflowers for seed-eating birds like finches can help attract more birds to your garden, but even a single native tree helps the native songbirds out a lot.

Planning your Living Birdfeeder

1. Choose a familiar area (e.g. your yard, your schoolyard, or a local park) for your native plant garden. Try to learn the size and environmental conditions (e.g., type of soil, amount of shade, drainage conditions) of the area.

2. Select and list native plant species for the chosen area. Make sure that the plants are appropriate for the size of the area and the conditions present. Visit  MSU's Native Plant Lists  for Michigan native species and  Morton Arboretum  for information on growing conditions. Additional resources are listed below.

3. Research and list the insects that eat the plants that you chose, or, if specific species are hard to find, the number of insect species that the plants support. Remember, for a living birdfeeder, you want to find plants that support a variety of insects, especially caterpillars. If the native plants on your initial list do not support many insects, you may need to reevaluate your plant selection. Visit  National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder  and this  PDF on Trees as Caterpillar Hosts , or the book Bringing Nature Home (if it is available), for more information on what insects your plants will support. Additional resources are listed below.

4. Research and list the native birds that will benefit from your planting. Birds may feed on the fruits and seeds or the insects that feed on the leaves, or they might use the plants for shelter or nesting. Make notes of the ways that your design would help native songbirds. Visit  Audubon Native Plants Database ,  Michigan Native Plants for Bird-friendly Landscapes , and  Michigan Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping  for information on how different plants support birds. Additional resources are listed below.

5.  Create the complete plan for the native garden, including a sketch of the garden and all of the information listed above. You will not be judged on your drawing ability, but rather on the thoroughness and practicality of your plan. You may also include other elements, such as water features, in your sketch.

Additional Resources

Planning a native garden can seem a bit challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. There is a wealth of information about native gardening available online and in print. Below is a list of selected resources.

•  Creating a Garden for Birds 

• Darke, Rick, and Douglas Tallamy. The Living Landscape. Timber Press, 2014.

• Daniels, Jaret. Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees, and Butterflies: Upper Midwest. Adventure Publications, 2020.

•   Michigan Native Garden Design for the Birds! 

•  Habitat Hints: 12 Ways to Help Migrating and Nesting Birds 

•  Michigan Native Plants for Bird-friendly Landscapes 

•  Michigan Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping 

•  Morton Arboretum  (Provides information on the growing conditions of many species of plant)

•  National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder 

• Nowak, Mariette. Birdscaping in the Midwest. University of Wisconsin Press, 2007.

• Tallamy, Douglas. Bringing Nature Home. Timber Press, 2007.

• Tallamy, Douglas. Nature's Best Hope. Timber Press, 2020.

• Plant catalogs from local native plant nurseries (normally mark plants that feed insects/attract birds); see below for a selected list of Southeast Michigan native plant nurseries

Selected Southeast Michigan Native Plant Nurseries:

Wildtype Native Plant Nursery - Mason, MI  https://www.wildtypeplants.com 

Native Plant Nursery, LLC. - Ann Arbor, MI  http://www.nativeplant.com/ 

New Leaf Natives - Ypsilanti, MI  https://www.newleafnatives.com /

Specialty Growers - Howell, MI  https://specialtygrowers.net/ 

East Michigan Natives - Duran , MI  https://eastmichnatives.com/# 

Hidden Savanna Nursery - Kalamazoo, MI  https://www.hiddensavanna.com/ 

Over the past fifty years, populations of North American birds have been experiencing serious declines, with an estimated decrease of 2.9 billion birds, or 29% of the entire avian population, since 1970 (Rosenberg, et al. 2019). These declines are a result of various factors, including global climate change, the loss of suitable habitat, and a loss of the native insect biomass that feeds the birds (Spiller & Dettmers, 2019). While many of us may not even notice a decrease in the number of insects in our neighborhoods, the birds certainly do. Ninety-six percent of native North American land birds rely on insects to feed their young, and many neotropical migratory birds need insects to “refuel” during their migratory journeys (Tallamy, 2007). As the insects continue to disappear, the birds that depend on them are in an increasingly dire situation.

One of the easiest ways to help increase the abundance of native insects and the populations of native songbirds is to increase the abundance and dominance of native plants and trees. Native plants are much more likely to support large numbers of native insects, especially lepidopterans, than non-native ornamentals (Burghardt, Tallamy, & Shriver, 2008; Tallamy & Shropshire, 2009; Zuefle, Brown, & Tallamy, 2007). This increase in insect biomass will, in turn, help support more songbirds (Burghardt, Tallamy, & Shriver, 2008; Narango, Tallamy, & Marra, 2017). This is an important relationship to understand, as the increasing urbanization of the United States has led to the loss and fragmentation of many natural habitats. These natural areas have been replaced with cities and suburbs, many of which have few native plants. However, research has shown that by reintroducing native plants into these areas we can support the native insects and the songbirds that rely on them (Narango, Tallamy, & Marra, 2017; Tallamy, 2007). By doing this, humans can help restore the biological community in the places we live and create a healthier, more biologically diverse, and more sustainable future (Barico & Castro, 2016; Suwa, et al., 2011; Weber, 2020)

Sources:

Barico, L., and Castro, P. Urban Biodiversity and Cities’ Sustainable Development. Biodiversity and Education for Sustainable Development, 29-42 (2016).

Burghardt, K.T., Tallamy, D.W. and Shriver W.G.. Impact of Native Plants on Bird and Butterfly Biodiversity in Suburban Landscapes. Conservation Biology 23:1, 219-224 (2008).

Narango, D.L.., Tallamy, D.W., and Marra, P.P. Native plants improve breeding and foraging habitat for an insectivorous bird. Biological Conservation 213, 42-50 (2017).

Rosenber, K.V., et al. Decline of the North American Avifauna. Science 366:6461, 120-124 (2019).

Spiller, K.J., and Dettmers, R. Evidence for multiple drivers of aerial insectivore declines in North America. The Condor 121:2, 1-13 (2019).

Suwa, A., Gasparatos, A., Doll, C., Iossifova, D., Puppim de Oliveira, J.A., Balaban, O., & Moreno-Peñaranda, R. Cities, Biodiversity, and Government. United Nations University  https://unu.edu/publications/articles/cities-biodiversity-and-governance.html# info  (2011).

Tallamy, D.W., & Shropshire, K.J. Ranking Lepidopteran Use of Native versus Introduced Plants. Conservation Biology 23:4, 941-947 (2009).

Tallamy, D.W. Bringing Nature Home. (Portland: Timber Press, 2007).

Weber, V. Greener, healthier, more sustainable: why cities of the future need more biodiversity. World Economic Forum  https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/future- cities-smart-sustainable-biodiverse-health/  (2020).

Zuefle, M.E., Brown, W.P., & Tallamy, D.W. Effects of non-native plants on the native insect community of Delaware. Biological Invasions 10, 1159-1169 (2007).