Male brown-headed nuthatch. Male eastern bluebird on box. Fallow fields also fulfill many habitat requirements for both breeding and wintering birds. Grassy fields provide food and cover to a wide variety of birds, including many common game birds such as wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, and mourning doves. Since agricultural research has shown that leaving fields fallow also replenishes nutrients lost to agricultural crops, retains moisture, and prevents soil loss to erosion, farmers may want to consider rotating fallow fields among crop fields to benefit both their production and the birds that reside around the fields.
Pesticide application is necessary for crop production, but it can be harmful to breeding birds.
However, there are several ways farmers can reduce this threat. Localized, directed pesticide application reduces the exposure to birds using field edges and hedgerows. In addition, carefully controlled application reduces costs. When possible, application should be timed to avoid periods of peak nesting activities, which typically occur between May and August. Farmers can also consider birds their allies in pest management because they provide free pest control services by feeding huge quantities of insects to their voracious young.