Grades K–2 · Organisms
How can a row of bushes become a home for wildlife?
A row of bushes can do more than mark the edge of a field. Branches make a tangled space where a small bird can hide or build a nest. Leaves soften the wind and make shady patches underneath.
When the bushes flower, some visiting insects find nectar or pollen. Later, certain bushes grow berries that birds can eat. Fallen leaves cover the ground, where other small creatures find damp shelter. Different parts of the same hedge can provide different things.
The hedge drawing places a bird among branches, insects near flowers and shelter below.
A hedge with several kinds of plants may offer food at different times of year. It still needs suitable plants and space to grow. From far away it looks like a green line. Up close, that line can be a connected collection of meals, hiding places and homes.
About this explanation
Not every bush provides the same food, and different animals need different kinds of shelter.
Starting knowledge: Recognize plants, animals and places where they live.
Sources
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service — Hedgerow Planting overview