Photo by Phil Swanson

Saturday, July 12, 8 a.m. — noon

Free and open to the public!

What are the secrets to making your backyard an irresistible attraction for birds? It doesn’t take much space — small urban backyards make great hideouts for wild birds and other wildlife. Learn how YOU can create a nature preserve in the city. Turn your yard into an urban oasis — a backyard birds love! 

Take a self-guided drive to the homes of Omaha’s top experts on wild birds and native habitat. See the possibilities! 

Roger and Cathy Carroll

417 N 38th Avenue, 68131

It all started with a single bird feeder in his small, steeply sloped urban yard in the Joslyn Castle neighborhood. Roger enjoyed watching the birds and wondered how to get them to build nests. He learned that insects were key, and began looking for native plants to attract pollinators.

Roger is self-taught and made mistakes along the way, but he is now a master gardener with Douglas County Extension Service and serves on the Audubon Society of Omaha board of directors. He thoughtfully labeled the native plants in his yard with the scientific and common names for each species.

Today, the single bird feeder has become 11 feeders, three bird baths and more than 60 native plant species. Roger reports, “Cathy and I have seen a covey of quail in this yard, a rafter of turkey, a red fox, Sharp-shinned Hawks, the normal nursery of raccoon. We have seen a passel of opossum, Common Nighthawks, goldfinch, Brown Creeper, White-breasted Nuthatch, and many woodpecker species — all right here in the heart of the city.” Roger adds, “While some people enjoy watching sports on TV, I enjoy watching the action in my backyard.”

Phil and Linda Swanson

600 Hogan Drive, Papillion 68046

While their neighbors call it “The Bird Sanctuary” and their birder friends named it “The WarblerYard,” Phil and Linda simply say, “The Backyard.” But it’s definitely not a “normal” backyard. Hidden in the Tara Heights neighborhood just east of 84th street, this backyard is a hotspot for an amazing variety of birds: 172 species at last count!

Phil, who is an avid birder and photographer, provides all the amenities birds are searching for: native trees and ferns that bring in the bugs and provide shelter, bird feeders, and a pond with running water all year round — which Phil credits for “bringing in the birds.”

Warblers are especially fond of the accommodations! Since putting in the pond in the early 1990s, Phil has spotted 27 warbler species. Phil has hosted the same nesting pair of Gray Catbirds, an uncommon nesting bird in the city, for the past five years.

The corner lot, located on the northeast corner of Hogan Drive and Beadle Avenue, has easy access by parking on the east side of Beadle (facing north) and walking into the backyard from there.

Tom and Louann Neneman

7212 N 76th Street, Omaha 68112

“As wild as possible” is how Tom describes their suburban backyard in northwest Omaha. An always-flowing stream bubbles up from the aquifer a mile north of their home and makes its way through their backyard before feeding into the Little Papio Creek.

For the past 15 years, Tom and Louann have been on a mission to plant a wide variety of native grasses, sunflowers, berry bushes, and pollinators to enhance the natural haven for wildlife. If a tree dies, they leave it standing for the woodpeckers. They also leave the dandelions, which provide early spring sustenance for bees and birds. Visitors to their backyard include mink, raccoons, coyotes, fox, Wood Ducks, Great Blue Herons and countless other species of wild birds. Tom explains, “The creek is essential, the birds come back — they remember.”

Neal and Deb Ratzlaff

536 Brentwood Road, Omaha 68114

This heavily treed backyard, just north of Countryside Village, is a popular stop for wild birds. Native plants, brush piles and bird baths invite wildlife into the shady retreat. But the biggest attraction is the feeders, filled with gourmet meals for birds. Neal is an expert on birdseed and the special cravings of each wild bird species. He and Deb especially enjoy watching their backyard in the wintertime, when hungry birds flock in to feast on their favorite foods.

Neal, an avid birder, joined Audubon Society of Omaha in 1972. He is a past president and has remained very active in the chapter throughout the years. Neal humbly claims their backyard is “nothing special”. The birds beg to differ!