Creating and expanding our wildlife feeding stations for more better types of native creatures.

 Hello there! I've already had bird feeders in my front yard, but wanna draw more types of birds including crows, jays, doves, squirrels, raccoons, native field mice and other native creatures without drawing in non native house mice, brown rats, stray cats and other non native creatures to our yards in our communities. I'm considering adding heating baths, a brush pile or a decorated evergreen tree and stuff like that for a stronger effect to bring in lots of native species to our yards year in and year out each fall and winter. Please share me some ideas on how we draw better types of wildlife to watch from our homes and bring better health and pleasure to our homes, yards and communities. See you all then!

I have a large drinking tank with rocks as platforms, tucked near bushes that provide cover for small birds.

Water is probably the best thing to draw in a variety of animals. Something with moving water that is kept thawed through winter will really help.

Unfortunately, I doubt you are going to keep away the non-native while attracting native animals. Anything to attract animal will attract all of that sort. Make sure you have diverse foods and diverse types of bird feeders. Some birds like eating on the ground. Some like a flat platform. Some like to sit on the feeder and eat, while some fly in, take a seed, and fly off. I'm all for bird feeders, but I'm also trying to plant more perennials that will provide nectar and seeds for the birds and various animals.

As Matt suggested having a water station is the best way.

I am not sure though I feel that wildlife can smell the water.

Having some cracked corn available is good for all sorts of wildlife.

Rock shelters and brush piles are a must.

Food, Water, Habitat.

Habitat for me is the thing I would always forget.

I was sitting outside, as one does, looking over my immediate landscape and wondering why some birds happily came into my yard while others did not.

I used to have bird feeders, but I tend to now use natural plantings while my neighbor right next to me have feeders.

I have found placing food near 'safe' habitat dramatically increased the amount of smaller birds to my plot. There isn't a lot of tree protection from Arial predators, but when I put together a five foot brush pile I suddenly had so much more action in the area.

My wife hates snakes. I have gotten her to not instantly try and kill them and perhaps not to yell alerting the neighbors to their presence because the ones in my area are all harmless. She was frusterated at why they were only in the front yard and not the back. Habitat I created some rubblestone spaced out rocks with a little dig into the earth and next thing I know the snakes have moved to the backyard where my garden is assumedly because it is closer to their food (slugs/mice/voles).

I'm still trying to understand my local cardinals. I never had as many as now when my neighbor parked three junk vehicles by his barn. They love to perch on the trucks!

Animals are interesting, odd, and a plain joy to watch. I hope you the best in drawing them in!