YardBirdLab

Tool 01

Bird-Safe Yard Audit

Answer based on what is true today. The score is a prioritization aid; it is not a certification of wildlife safety.

1. Feeder cleaning

Are dry-seed feeders emptied and cleaned on a recurring schedule?

2. Wet or heavy-use conditions

Do you shorten the cleaning interval during wet weather or heavy feeder use?

3. Window placement

Are feeders either very close to glass or well away from high-risk windows rather than in the middle-distance collision zone?

4. Window visibility

Are high-risk windows treated across the exterior surface with a dense visible pattern?

5. Cats

Are household cats kept indoors or otherwise prevented from roaming bird-feeding areas unsupervised?

6. Ground waste

Do you routinely remove spilled seed, hulls and waste below feeders?

7. Water sources

Are bird baths refreshed and their surfaces cleaned regularly?

8. Night lighting

Do you reduce unnecessary exterior lighting during peak migration periods?

Read the supporting field guides before treating any checklist result as a fixed rule.