Schoolyard Habitat
A Haven for Lower and Middle School in Friendswood
"We broke ground in the fall of 1998 on the FISD Nature Center and had an official opening in the spring of 1999. We planted lots of native trees and shrubs, so the habitat was particularly attractive to birds. Next to the school was an herb garden that always had lots of caterpillars and insects. There was a small storage shed for tools, and right next to that shed were two large wooden tables that were on a concrete pad so microscopes could be set up and other activities that required tables. Next to the building were citrus and fig tree plantings that attracted butterflies and birds.
The nature center was used for about 15 years before the pond was filled in to create a picnic area. Maintenance became a problem after invasive plants were allowed to gain a foothold. School habitat gardens thrive when there is a committed team (administration, teachers, staff, parents, students) who volunteer to maintain the garden year-round. Try to include someone on the team who has knowledge and experience with native plants and habitat gardening.”--Doris Heard
If You Build It, Birds Will Come
Nature Center Bird List
(List begun May 1999)
White Ibis
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Little Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
Green-backed Heron
Ring-billed Gull
Laughing Gull
Killdeer*
Red Shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Common Nighthawk*
Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove*
White winged Dove
Inca Dove
Eurasian Collared-Dove*
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Purple Martin*
Red bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
American Robin
Cardinal*
Baltimore Oriole
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Orange Crowned Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Eastern Phoebe
Bells Vireo
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Blue Jay
Northern Mockingbird*
Cedar Waxwing
Loggerhead Shrike*
Common Grackle
Great-tailed Grackle*
Eastern Starling*
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Carolina Wren*
Bell’s Vireo
House Sparrow*
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
Red-winged Blackbird
Monk Parakeet
*Denotes the birds that have built nests in the center.