Homeowners never know what they'll find in their backyard, but if they're lucky, it'll be an adorable guest wandering around to check things out.
One homeowner was drawn to their backyard after hearing a noise, only to discover a woodpecker pecking away at a pecan tree, and shared the experience in the r/VegasLocals subreddit.
(Click here to watch the video if the embed does not appear.)
Along with a short video of the bird, they wrote, "If you play with sound, you will hear why I found him (or her). He didn't have a care in the world about me, went hopping from branch to branch pecking at pecans."
Fellow Redditors were absolutely charmed by the creature and its attempts to gain some nuts.
"This is so lovely!" one user exclaimed.
Another person commented, "So cool. All we get are grackles, pigeons, grackles, humming birds, and a whole lot of grackles."
Woodpeckers are ecosystem engineers, excavating cavities in trees with their pecking that they then use to raise young. Once they raise their young, they abandon the cavities, leaving them to secondary cavity-nesters that help support the ecosystem.
For those looking to attract more birds (and other wildlife) to their yard, one of the best ways to do so is by planting a native garden or rewilding the lawn.
Native plants can attract all sorts of wild critters, including birds, butterflies, snakes, frogs, and bees. Pollinators, in particular, are more abundant around native plants, which is fantastic for human food supplies. These species contribute to roughly 80% of global pollination, including many crops that make up the human food supply.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
|
What's the most you'd pay per month to put solar panels on your roof if there was no down payment?
Click your choice to see results and earn rewards to spend on home upgrades. |
$200 or more 💰 Native plants offer many other benefits, too. They're hardier, for one, and better able to withstand local weather. Some of these species can also help prevent soil erosion in yards.
Best of all, they can save homeowners time and money. Native lawns require little maintenance and use less water than monoculture lawns.
Switching entirely from a plain grass yard to one full of native plants and shrubs can take time and money, which might not be feasible for everyone. However, even planting a few patches of clover or buffalo grass, or simply a handful of native plants in your gardening zone, will still offer benefits.
Who knows what kind of adorable backyard guest might show up then?
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
