The Meadow Habitat

A meadow is a field habitat made up primarily of grass and other non-woody plants. Meadows are characterized by a variety of grasses such as fescues, orchard grasses, timothy, and foxtails. However, they are not just grass. Grasses are often interspersed with wildflowers such as milkweed, goldenrod, daisies, asters, fleabane, black-eyed Susan, Queen Anne's lace, clover, mullein, burdock, thistles, chicory and many more. They thrive in direct sunlight and rather dry soil.

Insects such as butterflies, grasshoppers, bees, and are common in a meadow because there are so many places to hide from predators.  Though insects are often thought of as pests, there are many that benefit people. Bees and butterflies are plant pollinators, helping our crops and fruit trees reproduce. Some insects eat other pest insects, like the ladybug eating aphids. Then there are spiders, not insects themselves, but a well-known insect eater. Less common insects like the praying mantis can help man by eating grasshoppers and other problem insects. Even the pest insects themselves have a role in their habitat. They are at the bottom of the food chain and are food for many other animals. Other animals found in meadows are shrews, voles, mice, groundhog, red fox, white-tailed deer, garter snakes, and many birds like red tailed hawks, bluebirds, goldfinches, chipping sparrows, meadowlarks, ring-neck pheasants, and more.

Meadows have ecological importance because their open, sunny areas attract and support flowers and animals that couldn't thrive in other conditions. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artificially created from cleared shrub or woodland.

You see several nesting boxes in the meadow.  These nesting boxes mimic natural cavities that several birds would use for nesting. The design is made for the Eastern Bluebird as their natural homes began disappearing from communities across the nation. Other birds that may use a bluebird nest box are Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, House Wrens, Tree Swallows and House Sparrows. Because House Sparrows are introduced, their nests can be removed from the box.

Due to competition for nesting sites and loss of habitat, bluebirds were in need of emergency housing.  The population probably peaked around 1900. Since then, land has been cleared for housing and industrial developments, shopping malls, and highways. Many homes, natural cavities in dead trees, have been cut down for firewood. Also, metal fence posts have replaced wooden fence posts that provided nesting cavities. Over the last several decades, bluebird populations have risen, thanks to thousands of bluebird boxes put up by humans.

Bluebirds may use the box year-round. In the spring and summer, they use it for nesting. If the winter is mild, bluebirds may stay in the area and use the nest box as a roosting area.

Watch for activity near the nesting box. Bluebirds may have up to three broods per year. Look for them carrying nesting materials to the boxes or watch as they catch insects and bring them back to their young.

This is one of 11 (eleven) informational signs at Landis Woods Park.