6 Cover/Shelter

Various kinds of man-made or

manipulated cover are used by wildlife

and provide excellent recreational

viewing spots for wildlife. The brushpile,

which serves as a natural home for many

species of wildlife, can be easily established in

anyone’s backyard. Although decomposition makes it

less appealing, new brush is continuously added to the pile

whenever trees or shrubs are trimmed thereby maintaining its

attractiveness. The dogwood trees planted near the brushpile are

not only for beauty, but for their berry producing ability which

attracts many types of birds.

The “living” fencerow has been erected to provide cover, but it is

also aesthetically pleasing from a landscaping point of view. To

create your own living fencerow, it is recommended that vegetation

be allowed to grow wild within a minimum of 10' along either side

of the fence to provide adequate shelter. Plant cedar trees at 50'

intervals along the fence for winter cover. When the trees reach a

height of 8', cut the trunk half way through and bend the tree over

to create a living brushpile.

Even a small plantation of evergreens can provide excellent shelter

for wildlife. Shortleaf, Virginia, and loblolly pine, species suitable to

northwest Tennessee, provide warmth and an excellent wind block

for those species of birds that spend the winter in this area.

Birdhouses, certainly falling into the category of “man-made”, are

scattered throughout the Showcase to provide additional nesting

habitat for the flicker, purple martin, American kestrel, bluebird,

and prothonotary warbler. The bathouses provide daytime shelter

for big and little brown bats.

7 Aquatic Plants

The garden located at this corner of the pond

contains a mixture of aquatic species such as

alligator weed, copper iris, primrose willow, swamp

milkweed, arrowhead, water parsnip, and creeping

burhead. Some of these plants provide food for

wildlife and can serve as a host for some insects.

Many aquatic plant species tend to colonize and may overtake a

small pond. It is essential to monitor their growth and use manual

control if needed. Aquatic plants can be beneficial to wildlife as

well as man and can be aesthetically pleasing.

8 Native Grasses

It has been estimated that pristine America contained

250 million acres of native grassland. Less than 2 percent

remain today, due to agricultural expansion. This grass

plot contains four varieties of grasses that were once

native to northwest Tennessee. The species located

farthest to your left is little bluestem followed by switch grass,

indiangrass, and finally big bluestem. These species produce rank

stands that are attractive for cover and food.

9 Grassland Habitat

Grasslands provide shelter for small animals such as the eastern

cottontail rabbit and gamebirds like the bobwhite quail and food

usable by a variety of wildlife. Grazing animals, such as white-tailed

deer, can consume the plants. Grasslands are most efficiently

managed through controlled burning techniques or mowing which

prevent the establishment of undesirable vegetation and maintain the

site at an early successional stage. Mowed areas offer an open space,

but are surrounded by thicker vegetation to ensure nearby shelter

when needed. Species diversity is highest along these transitional

zones which are known as ecotones.

10 Deer/Turkey Food Plot and

Tennessee Wildflowers

This food plot has been planted especially for the

benefit of deer and turkey. It is located in a concealed

place for the comfort of the wildlife. The most

probable time for viewing these magnificent animals is

early in the morning and late in the evening. The area has

been planted with ladino clover (3 lbs/acre) and rye grass

(25 lbs/acre) at a depth of 1/4" between

September 1 and November 1.

Nestled along the trail adjacent to the food plot are several shady

gardens. The species (native to Tennessee) present in these small

gardens require at least some protection from the sun, especially in

the afternoon. They are primarily woodland wildflowers that bloom

in the spring. Some of the species located in the small gardens

include: bluebells, wild columbine, wild geranium, bloodroot, May

apples, and jack-in-the-pulpit.

BACKYARD

WATCHABLE

WILDLIFE HABITAT

SHOWCASE

This Wildlife Showcase demonstrates recreational and educational

concepts that can be incorporated into private backyards. Scattered

throughout are living exhibits, numbered to coincide with this

brochure, which display a variety of habitats which provide the

essentials for wildlife: food, water, shelter and space.

REELFOOT

National Wildlife Refuge

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Department of the Interior

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Printed on Recycled Paper

The Backyard/Watchable Wildlife Showcase has been

funded, in part, by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company,

The Woodmen of the World, Sterling Plumbing GroupKinkead Division, Roberson Brothers Sawmill, and Ford

Construction Company.

1 Sunny Upland Garden

The sunny upland garden, located at the beginning of

the trail, consists of species which require or can

tolerate a full day of sunlight. Some of these wildlife

attractive plants can also be used for human consumption. For

example, the passion flower, Tennessee’s state wildflower, bears a

fruit called maypop which is edible and rich in Vitamin C. The

yarrow plant was once used by early Americans to make a healing

soup tonic. Other plants, such as the black-eyed susan and the

blazing star are present for their nectar producing ability.

2 Butterfly Garden

The most successful way of attracting butterflies is

by protecting, restoring, and/or managing their

natural habitats. This butterfly habitat has been

prepared to meet the needs of all four stages of the

life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult.

Butterfly species such as the yellow tiger swallowtail, black

swallowtail, and monarch are common here.

The large stones located in the middle of the garden are an

important necessity to butterflies because they store heat

throughout the day. If temperatures drop, the cold-blooded
plants such as johnsongrass, pokeweed, goldenrod, asters, ragweed,

partridge pea, foxtail, smartweeds, orchard grass, evening primrose,

and curly dock are found here. Most of these weeds are annuals,

therefore, the stand must be occasionally burned or disked to

promote their growth. Kudzu, imported to this country to control

soil erosion, provides an excellent cover for small animals. However,

this species will quickly dominate a stand if not kept closely

in check.

4 Food plots

This garden has been planted especially for the production

of food for wildlife. It is perhaps better suited for largerscale landowners. The plot located to the left of the

marker is an annual food plot. Cultivated grain crops

such as sunflowers, millet, sorghum, milo, wheat, or

game food mixtures, when fully mature, produce an

abundance of wildlife attractive seeds. The disadvantage of

using these species is that they must be planted every year. The

garden is divided by Japanese lespedeza which is also a great food

producer and provides plenty of shrubby cover when mature. The

plot located to the right of the marker is a perennial food plot,

meaning it will return every year without reseeding. It contains a

mixture of bicolor lespedeza, iron clay cowpeas, and Lee soybeans.

The only maintenance needed for this plot is periodic burning.

5 Aquatic Habitat

The pond located at the end of the trail provides food, water,

and shelter for numerous types of wildlife. Various types of

vegetation such as willow, buttonbush, and pondweed

supply food and, more importantly, oxygen for the wildlife

species that live in or around the pond. The pond is

inhabited by fish such as largemouth bass, bream, and

crappie. It is also a host to reptiles such as the red-eared

turtle and the broad-banded water snake. These plants and

animals make up an efficient ecosystem.

Artificial structures can be beneficial to wildlife especially in areas

lacking natural features. The wood duck nest box located at the

northern end of the pond is an artificial structure which

supplements natural cavities for nesting female wood ducks. The

metal shield underneath prevents predators from entering the box

and eating the eggs. Used tires attached together in a variety of

shapes and submerged in the middle of the pond provide habitat

for aquatic insects which, in turn, provide food for larval fish. A

floating platform provides a sunny site for turtle basking.

butterflies use the stones to bask and absorb the flight-enabling

heat. They fly best when their body temperatures range between 85

and 100 degrees and the surrounding air is 60 degrees or above.

Butterflies cannot drink from open water sources. They can only

get water from moisture-bearing things such as soil, vegetation, or

animal feces. A fiberglass bowl filled with soil has been buried on

the inside of the stone “horseshoe” for this purpose. Rock salt

added to the soil helps to retain moisture and supplements sodium

to the butterfly diet.

The butterfly life cycle begins as the female searches for specific

plants on which to lay her eggs. This garden supplies host plants

such as dill, butterfly bush, spicebush, and rum cherry trees which

surround the garden. The eggs soon hatch into caterpillars and they

begin to voraciously eat the host plants. When the caterpillars are

fully grown, they shed their skins and change into chrysalises. A

remarkable metamorphosis occurs inside the chrysalis and the adult

butterfly is formed. After emergence, the adult butterflies begin to

search for nectar-producing flowers such as lilac, butterfly bush,

spirea, and vervain.

The oak trees adjacent to the trail and the cherry trees behind the

garden provide, in addition to a wind barrier for the butterflies, large

quantities of food for other species of wildlife.

3 Weeds for Wildlife

This area contains a volunteer stand of native weeds that

can be easily established in your own backyard. A weed

garden may not be an eye pleaser, but it is definitely a

wildlife pleaser. The thick stand makes ideal homes for

small animals such as rabbits, quail, and small rodents and

provides food for many species. A variety of wildlife attractive

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