Illustration by Michael Gellatly

Arizona gardeners share space with a wealth of wondrous creatures. Establishing wildlife sanctuaries in our landscapes helps restore some of the natural habitats that are being lost to development. Size or location will not dissuade wildlife from visiting your yard. Even a small urban patio can be a magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds, dragonflies Gambel’s quail, lizards and perhaps a lively ground squirrel if vegetation as well as other elements are thoughtfully considered. The ideas presented here offer inspiration for creating a habitat that suits your situation.

Grow Native
Successful habitats require four basics: food, water, shelter and safe places to raise young. National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Habitat certification program (nwf.org) suggests that the best method for attracting native wildlife is to landscape with indigenous plants. A consequence of installing non-native plants such as ficus trees and palms is that they can lure non-native “nuisance” birds that congregate in large numbers, among them grackles, pigeons and starlings.

Add Vegetation
Plant diverse species that offer flowers, berries, fruit or seeds in each of the four seasons. This provides a year-round food source for wildlife and creates a more colorful landscape for humans as well.

Vary Plant Heights
Different creatures are comfortable living, nesting and foraging at various levels within their environments. For example, Gambel’s quail will forage on the ground during daylight and roost in tall shrubs or trees at night. The more varied the heights of trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers, the more diverse the visitors.

Provide Water
While a birdbath is easy to set up, it requires regular scrubbing to prevent the spread of disease, and its water supply evaporates quickly in hot weather. Also, many creatures drink at ground level. One alternative is a self-filling water source placed at or near the ground that is replenished by a drip emitter. It needs less maintenance than a birdbath and provides more wildlife with the opportunity to quench their thirst.

Create Elevations
Cactus wrens, finches and hummingbirds enjoy surveying their territories from elevated positions. For instance, tall dried agave flower stalks can serve as natural perches. Lizards and ground squirrels like to scramble among rocks and boulders for cover and shade. Butterflies often can be seen basking in the sun on flat rocks (out of direct wind) to warm their wings.

Stop Shearing
Frequent pruning of shrubs into balls and cubes removes blooms and seeds, as well as eliminates safe havens offered by their once-full branches and dense foliage.

Halt Pesticide Use
Insects are essential to the food chain. Baby birds need large quantities of protein-rich insects to fuel their growth. In fact, hummingbird nestlings gobble up to 2,000 insects daily. Within a year or so of ending regular pesticide applications, nature rebalances itself, with birds, lizards, toads and beneficial insects keeping pest populations under control.

Play Favorites
If you are keen on enticing specific wildlife to your garden, learn their habits and grow their favorite plants. Hummingbirds, for example, are drawn to anything that is red, pink, orange or yellow, and their long bills are suited for narrow flowers, such as chuparosa and trumpet-shaped blooms like desert willow. Fairy duster, Mexican honeysuckle, penstemon and salvia are some of the other reliable nectar sources for hummingbirds.