Living with Wildlife |
Source: https://lindsaywildlife.org/living-wildlife
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:34
Living with Wildlife |
Found an animal?
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Animals
Meet Our Animal Ambassadors
Private Animal Experiences!
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Wildlife Hospital
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Found an Animal?
Living with Wildlife
Help the Hospital
Lindsay Volunteer Login
Education, Programs & Events
Special Events
Hikes
Teachers & Schools
Preschool Programs
Tiny Tuesdays
Wild Explorers Preschool
Child Programs
Junior Zookeeper Experiences
After-School Programs
Summer Camp
School Year Camps
Teen Programs
Adult Programs
Natural History Collection
Natural History Discovery Kits
Lindsay in the Community!
Scout Programs
Join, Give, Volunteer
Make a Donation
Membership
Membership FAQ
Volunteer
Internships
Volunteer Login
Career Opportunities
Living with Wildlife
With the human population continuing to grow, our activities increasingly have an impact on our native animal neighbors. With some helpful tips and easy changes in behavior, we can create positive experiences with and for native wildlife.
The Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee has published a 16-page booklet called
“Wildlife in Your Backyard”
that provides information on how to prevent conflicts with wildlife in urban neighborhoods.
Keep wild animals wild
Wild animals that are fed by humans may become nuisance animals. Keep your pet food in at night. Wild animals never make good pets and, in California, it is illegal to keep wild animals as pets without proper permits. Screen your attic and basement to keep animals from nesting there.
For more tips, click
here
.
Pick up fishing lines or hooks
Birds, mammals, and turtles can be seriously injured and die from getting tangled in fishing line or swallowing fishhooks. If you see fishing line on shores or in the water, please pick it up and discard it in the trash.
For more information, click
here
.
Do not use bird netting near the ground
Loose plastic netting used near the ground can entangle animals. To protect plants, use deer netting or other stiff netting, or wire that has larger mesh.
Prevent bird collisions
In the US, up to one billion birds die from window collisions each year. Birds cannot see glass. Reflections of sky, trees and water can lead birds to collide with windows, resulting in traumatic and sometimes deadly injuries. There are many products that can be placed on windows that can help prevent these collisions. Stripes on windows are more effective than decals as birds may just try to fly around them.
At night, turn off unused room lights and draw shades at home and at the office.
Some of these deaths occur year-round but many occur during the peak spring and fall migrations. Some studies suggest that perhaps as many as half of all migrating birds do not make it back to spring and summer grounds, succumbing to various threats on either end of the journey.
For more information on how to prevent window strikes, click
here
.
Do not use rat or mouse poison, or sticky traps
Rodents killed with poison may be eaten by other animals that can die of secondary poisoning. Sticky traps ensnare many other animals, including reptiles and small birds. Snap traps are more humane for rodent control and are not likely to harm other animals when strategically placed. Try to keep these traps in areas outside the reach of unintended creatures such as pets, birds, reptiles, squirrels and other small animals.
For more information about alternatives to toxic rodenticides, click
here
.
Grow a wildlife-friendly garden
Use compost to enrich your soil and non-toxic or beneficial insects to combat pests. Avoid using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. There are many great resources for planting and maintaining a backyard garden that will attract birds and butterflies, and will provide food and shelter for native animals.
Bay Friendly Gardening
Bay Area Watershed Project
Pests in your garden? Want to know what to plant in the late summer early fall that is native to California? Or maybe you have seen chewing on your irrigation pipes and want to know what animal could be doing this? Whatever the question, we at Lindsay Wildlife want to connect everyone with great resources that can help you live successfully WITH wildlife.
Here is a great link from
UC Master Gardener Program
‘s gardening resources.
Hummingbird food recipe
Boil water first and let cool.
Use four parts water with one part sugar. There is no need to add any coloring.
Replace every three days.
Clean and sanitize feeder between refills.
Learn more about hummingbirds
here
.
Keep bird feeders clean
Clean feeders and baths at least weekly, or between seed refills or water changes. Wash them with soap and water, then soak in a 10% bleach solution for 10 minutes. Rinse and let dry. Wood feeders cannot be disinfected properly. Use metal or plastic instead.
Here
are a few ways to keep bird feeders clean.
Avoid feeding the ducks
Ducks’ natural diets include aquatic vegetation, insects, and mollusks. The food that people usually give to ducks isn’t good for them, and can cause serious health problems.
Learn more
here
.
Keep your cat indoors
Despite being well fed, cats will still hunt. Collar bells don’t work. Outdoor cats are exposed to more diseases, need more medical care, and have shorter life spans than indoor cats.
For more information about keeping cats indoors, click
here
.
Best to prune trees and shrubs during fall
In Northern California and other temperate areas of the United States, some birds and mammals begin nesting in January. The nesting season lasts into August. The safest time to prune is between October and December.
For more information, click
here
.
Reuse and recycle
There are great resources in the Bay Area to learn how to recycle, reduce, and reuse. All of these efforts help save energy, and preserve the environment and wildlife habitats.
www.recyclemore.org
Found an animal?
Directions
DONATE NOW!
Visit!
Plan Your Visit!
Membership
Membership FAQ
Group Admissions
Venue Rentals & Birthday Party Packages
Meet Our Team
Animals
Meet Our Animal Ambassadors
Private Animal Experiences!
Wildlife Headliners
Wildlife Hospital
Hours and Location
Found an Animal?
Living with Wildlife
Help the Hospital
Lindsay Volunteer Login
Education, Programs & Events
Special Events
Hikes
Teachers & Schools
Preschool Programs
Tiny Tuesdays
Wild Explorers Preschool
Child Programs
Junior Zookeeper Experiences
After-School Programs
Summer Camp
School Year Camps
Teen Programs
Adult Programs
Natural History Collection
Natural History Discovery Kits
Lindsay in the Community!
Scout Programs
Join, Give, Volunteer
Make a Donation
Membership
Membership FAQ
Volunteer
Internships
Volunteer Login
Career Opportunities
Living with Wildlife
With the human population continuing to grow, our activities increasingly have an impact on our native animal neighbors. With some helpful tips and easy changes in behavior, we can create positive experiences with and for native wildlife.
The Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee has published a 16-page booklet called
“Wildlife in Your Backyard”
that provides information on how to prevent conflicts with wildlife in urban neighborhoods.
Keep wild animals wild
Wild animals that are fed by humans may become nuisance animals. Keep your pet food in at night. Wild animals never make good pets and, in California, it is illegal to keep wild animals as pets without proper permits. Screen your attic and basement to keep animals from nesting there.
For more tips, click
here
.
Pick up fishing lines or hooks
Birds, mammals, and turtles can be seriously injured and die from getting tangled in fishing line or swallowing fishhooks. If you see fishing line on shores or in the water, please pick it up and discard it in the trash.
For more information, click
here
.
Do not use bird netting near the ground
Loose plastic netting used near the ground can entangle animals. To protect plants, use deer netting or other stiff netting, or wire that has larger mesh.
Prevent bird collisions
In the US, up to one billion birds die from window collisions each year. Birds cannot see glass. Reflections of sky, trees and water can lead birds to collide with windows, resulting in traumatic and sometimes deadly injuries. There are many products that can be placed on windows that can help prevent these collisions. Stripes on windows are more effective than decals as birds may just try to fly around them.
At night, turn off unused room lights and draw shades at home and at the office.
Some of these deaths occur year-round but many occur during the peak spring and fall migrations. Some studies suggest that perhaps as many as half of all migrating birds do not make it back to spring and summer grounds, succumbing to various threats on either end of the journey.
For more information on how to prevent window strikes, click
here
.
Do not use rat or mouse poison, or sticky traps
Rodents killed with poison may be eaten by other animals that can die of secondary poisoning. Sticky traps ensnare many other animals, including reptiles and small birds. Snap traps are more humane for rodent control and are not likely to harm other animals when strategically placed. Try to keep these traps in areas outside the reach of unintended creatures such as pets, birds, reptiles, squirrels and other small animals.
For more information about alternatives to toxic rodenticides, click
here
.
Grow a wildlife-friendly garden
Use compost to enrich your soil and non-toxic or beneficial insects to combat pests. Avoid using pesticides and chemical fertilizers. There are many great resources for planting and maintaining a backyard garden that will attract birds and butterflies, and will provide food and shelter for native animals.
Bay Friendly Gardening
Bay Area Watershed Project
Pests in your garden? Want to know what to plant in the late summer early fall that is native to California? Or maybe you have seen chewing on your irrigation pipes and want to know what animal could be doing this? Whatever the question, we at Lindsay Wildlife want to connect everyone with great resources that can help you live successfully WITH wildlife.
Here is a great link from
UC Master Gardener Program
‘s gardening resources.
Hummingbird food recipe
Boil water first and let cool.
Use four parts water with one part sugar. There is no need to add any coloring.
Replace every three days.
Clean and sanitize feeder between refills.
Learn more about hummingbirds
here
.
Keep bird feeders clean
Clean feeders and baths at least weekly, or between seed refills or water changes. Wash them with soap and water, then soak in a 10% bleach solution for 10 minutes. Rinse and let dry. Wood feeders cannot be disinfected properly. Use metal or plastic instead.
Here
are a few ways to keep bird feeders clean.
Avoid feeding the ducks
Ducks’ natural diets include aquatic vegetation, insects, and mollusks. The food that people usually give to ducks isn’t good for them, and can cause serious health problems.
Learn more
here
.
Keep your cat indoors
Despite being well fed, cats will still hunt. Collar bells don’t work. Outdoor cats are exposed to more diseases, need more medical care, and have shorter life spans than indoor cats.
For more information about keeping cats indoors, click
here
.
Best to prune trees and shrubs during fall
In Northern California and other temperate areas of the United States, some birds and mammals begin nesting in January. The nesting season lasts into August. The safest time to prune is between October and December.
For more information, click
here
.
Reuse and recycle
There are great resources in the Bay Area to learn how to recycle, reduce, and reuse. All of these efforts help save energy, and preserve the environment and wildlife habitats.
www.recyclemore.org