Encounters in Your Own Backyard
Do you have furry or feathered neighbors in your yard?
Have you ever been startled by their arrival, or wondered why they are there?
Are you alarmed by their presence and perhaps what they may have done in your yard?
If you live in the state of Virginia and venture outside for long, chances are you may have encountered many of our native bird and mammal species. In a nature park or while out during a walk, you may not think too much about their presence, as they seemingly blend into the environment and are expected as part of the experience. If any of them show up in your own yard or around your home however, you may wonder if they should be there.
Mixed Feelings About Wildlife
What may go on in your mind as you see an animal engaging in natural behaviors right outside of your own door may be excitement, fascination, and awe. There are many people who go about preparing their surroundings to welcome wildlife to their yard by turning it into a wildlife haven, doing such things like planting native species that encourage animals by providing natural food and shelter, setting up clean water sources, reducing lighting to provide the cover of darkness, and mounting bird and bat houses. But what if the feelings they evoke are more along the lines of apprehension, concern, fear, or perhaps even disgust?
Do you think to yourself, or know someone who may tell you, that wild animals have no place in your yard? Have you ever heard someone exclaim, “Wild animals cause problems for no good reason and they do not help with anything around my home. No skunks (ew, they’re so smelly!), vultures (they’re ugly birds!), squirrels (they eat all of my bird seed!), groundhogs (they eat all of my vegetables!), deer (they eat all of my flowers!), raccoons (they eat my trash!), hawks and owls (they eat my chickens), and coyotes (they eat my pets) allowed!”
If any of that sounds familiar, I would like to introduce you to just a few of the reasons that animals may in fact, be one of the best neighbors you can have, and why it’s important to coexist with them.
The Value of Native Neighbors
All animals serve a purpose and play a role in the natural workings of the world. They provide beneficial services to ecosystems and humans that we may not even realize, being providers of some key regulation services such as pollination and seed dispersal, pest and disease control, and nutrient cycling. They contribute to climate change mitigation, and help with habitat creation and modification. Not to mention they can enhance our own well-being and connection to the natural world and the resilience of our planet. If we think of them as being helpful neighbors, realizing the benefits they provide can actually inspire us in finding ways to minimize conflict and promote mutual well-being.
Everyday Benefits from Wildlife
Skunks: Natural Pest Control
Those smelly skunks? They are one of your pest control technicians. Striped skunks will consume a variety of insects, including grasshoppers, beetles, and grubs. Was there a significant hole dug up in your yard? Chances are a skunk visited and perhaps had a snack of the yellow jacket nest that had been tunneled out in your dirt.
Vultures: The Sanitation Department
How about the vulture sitting in the tree by your road? It represents the sanitation department. Our native Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures are able to detect carcasses of dead animals from up to a mile away and come to help clear the area by consuming carrion that can potentially carry bacteria and disease and can overall just be unpleasant to see or smell. They are nature’s clean up crew.
Squirrels: Local Arborists
The squirrels hanging on your bird feeders eating the seeds are the local arborists. Gray squirrels and flying squirrels are known to cache, or bury, nuts and seeds to store for later consumption but often forget where they were hidden, thus leading to those plants germinating and growing into new trees that can provide shade. They particularly eat fungi that form symbiotic relationships with tree roots, which enhances their ability to absorb water and nutrients, and the fungi spores are spread through squirrel scat. In addition, squirrels play an important part in the food chain, being a source of food for a variety of predators like hawks, owls, bobcats, and foxes.
Groundhogs: Gardeners and Landscapers
Groundhogs, otherwise known as woodchucks, act as gardeners and landscape experts (though they may expect some payment for their efforts with a vegetable or two as a snack). Their burrowing activities when digging dens and tunnels loosens compacted dirt and naturally aerates the soil, which helps improve water absorption and nutrient distribution, supporting healthy root growth for plants. Their burrows can even influence the landscape, helping with drainage and erosion patterns.
White-tailed Deer: Weed Managers
Our native White-tailed Deer contribute to a healthier yard. They provide weed control by eating undergrowth and invasive plants, and they encourage plant diversity by dispersing seeds that are scattered by their fur or in their droppings in addition to promoting growth for other plants when they create open areas that sunlight can penetrate through with their browsing activity.
Raccoons: Nature’s Clean-Up Crew
Raccoons assist with the clean up of organic material and pests in your yard, often eating the larvae of wasps, ultimately helping bee populations as wasps can prey on bees. Their feces aid in seed dispersal, and through their scavenging they aid in nutrient cycling of the soil.
Hawks & Owls: Natural Rodent Control
The many species of hawks and owls in Virginia, like Red-tailed Hawks and Great Horned owls contribute greatly in pest control as well being efficient predators of rodents. A single Barn Owl can eat over 1,000 mice in a year, for example. By doing so, they reduce the need for hazardous chemicals around our homes and prevent damage from chewing rodents. Not to mention that it can be a rewarding experience to watch one of our species of raptors for birders and nature enthusiasts!
Coyotes: Wildlife Managers
Eastern coyotes, who are apex predators, are perhaps one of our most misunderstood species in the state. They often evoke fear as many believe they will always go after pets at any opportunity. While it is always advisable to supervise any pet when they are outdoors, being extra vigilant with small pets like cats and smaller dogs will help to mitigate any conflicts with coyotes. A healthy coyote is more interested in acquiring natural prey species like rabbits, rodents, and deer to avoid coming too close to humans if they can. Therefore, coyotes are part of the wildlife management department as they keep populations of other animals in check, maintaining healthy prey populations and reducing the spread of disease, thus benefiting greater biodiversity in the area so none of these species overwhelm one space. These are just a few examples of some of our helpful bird and mammal species wandering around our neighborhoods in Virginia.
Why Coexistence Matters
Coexistence with the animals among us is a vital step in the Virginia Living Museum’s mission of protecting what’s precious and connecting people to nature. In learning ways we can not only protect the species that live around us and in our own yards, but also understand the reasons why it is important to do so, we serve as ambassadors in appreciating the natural world and promoting a healthy planet.
Be sure to come visit the Virginia Living Museum and see some of these native neighbors up close and hear about their unique stories as you watch them move about in their homes here at the museum, and find out some things you can do to influence responsible behavior around wildlife while protecting and enhancing your own yard at home!
Written by Carrie, our Bird and Mammal Curator.
