Wildlife Preservation
Wildlife Preservation
Wildlife management and land management go hand-in-hand. There can not be one without the other.
Make a Resolution to Promote Bird Habitation in 2024
As residents of Wisconsin, we are blessed with a beautiful array of both migratory and resident bird populations. Unfortunately, we rarely see most of these unique birds when looking out our back window. You can visit parks and wildlife preserves in anticipation of catching a glimpse of these unique specimen, but many of us do not have the time or knowledge of where to find these birds. Some people will make attempts to lure birds in with varieties of different bird seed, elegantly painted bird baths, and even bird houses fit for a queen. However, until you start landscaping your property with bird-friendly shrubs and trees, you will not be able to truly experience the full potential of Wisconsin’s avian population.
When landscaping your property, it is important to keep in mind that all trees and shrubs are not created equal. The guide in the link below should equip you with the tools and resources to help you decide what is best to plant on your property during the 2024 growing season!
The Village of Chenequa is a very unique place that cherishes our natural resources. I am continually impressed with the environmentally conscious stance of our community as it relates to our established forested areas, open agricultural areas, and our clean lakes. One of the most common things I hear from our residents is that they love living in an area that has an “Up-North look and feel, down here.” One of the key components of that “Up-North feel” is dark skies at night and the ability to see the stars.
– Daniel R. Neumer | Administrator/ Chief of Police
Dim the Lights for Birds at Night
Nearly all songbirds and even some shorebirds and waterfowl migrate at night. The benefits of nighttime travel include cooler air, calmer skies, and fewer predators. However, there is a new (evolutionarily speaking) disadvantage of nighttime travel: the ever-increasing presence of artificial lights. Birds are attracted to and disoriented by lights, which can lead to serious trouble. To learn more, visit the World Migratory Bird Day website.
World Migratory Bird Day
This past spring, the village board passed a resolution to recognize World Migratory Bird Day (PDF). Resolving to recognize WMBD, moves Chenequa closer towards its larger goals of preservation of the great outdoors and its inhabitants. WMBD celebrates and brings attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas — bird migration. Bird Day is celebrated in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. Public awareness and concern are crucial components of migratory bird conservation. Citizens who are enthusiastic about birds, informed about threats, and empowered to become involved in addressing those threats, can make a tremendous contribution to maintaining healthy bird populations. By modeling what can be done and involving people, their interest and involvement in stewardship can grow. One of the most successful vehicles for public education on migratory birds is World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD). Visit the World Migratory Bird Day website for more information.
Protecting Birds
Cats Indoors
Cats, Birds and You brochure (PDF)
There is no question that birds are better off when cats stay indoors. Exact numbers are unknown, but scientists estimate that every year in the United States alone, cats kill hundreds of millions of birds, and more than a billion small mammals, including rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks. Feline predators include both domestic cats that spend time outdoors and stray cats that live in the wild, sometimes as part of colony.
Outdoor cats themselves are also at increased risk. They can get hit by cars; attacked by dogs, other cats, or wildlife; contract fatal diseases, such as rabies, feline distemper, or feline immunodeficiency virus; get lost, stolen, or poisoned; or suffer during severe weather conditions. Outdoor cats lead considerably shorter lives on average than cats kept exclusively indoors.
Read more about the importance of Cats Indoors at the American Bird Conservancy website.
Bird Window Collisions
Prevent Collisions at Home (PDF)
Millions of birds die every year flying into windows, because they can’t tell reflections from trees, plants and sky. Most of those windows are on houses.
Never had a bird hit your window? Perhaps you have been lucky — so far. More likely, you haven’t been around to see or hear it when it happened, and the bird has either flown off to die elsewhere or been scavenged by a neighborhood cat, raccoon, or crow. But the odds are that sooner or later, your windows will kill a bird. There are easy solutions to prevent these collisions.
Read more about Bird Collision Overviews at the American Bird Conservancy website.
Success Stories
Springtime Great Horned Owl Rescue
On the morning of April 15, 2010, after strong winds the previous evening, a Chenequa village resident and Board Trustee, spotted a juvenile Great Horned Owl huddled against the trunk of a tree near her home’s driveway. Not yet mature enough to fly on its own, it had sought shelter from possible predators under the tree. Download PDF story.