OMENA -- CLICK HERE TO VISIT SAVING BIRDS WEBSITE 

It's a problem most of us don't notice and that's partly because as the problem worsens there is less and less to notice. Migratory birds, like warblers, orioles and flickers, that once took to the skies of Northern Michigan in great numbers each spring are dying out.

Kay Charter is the Executive Director of Saving Bbirds Through Habitat and runs a sactuary for birds near Omena. I sat down with Kay to talk to her about designing gardens that attract native birds, but that's when she told me about a bigger problem.

"They are really struggling. Their populations are declining. So it's important to give them that extra hand by putting native plants," said Charter.

As more and more of our native plant species are pushed out by invasive and exotic plants, less habitat, and food is available for these birds.

Charter said, "Nesting requires insects. Oaks support the highest number of lepidoptera larvae. That's butterflies and moths. Wild cherries have the second highest. Ninety-seven percent of all terrestrial birds feed insects to their young. They must have insects or they can't raise their babies."

And that means more and more birds will continue to disappear without our help. Kay says part of the problem is industry and deforestation, another part is modern views.

"I think we have this 'eek' it's a bug mentality. I think we have to get over that. Bugs are good, they are important to our lives. We cannot live without them," Charter said.

So what can you do? Whether you have a small city lot, or several acres... "It's important to be aware of what we do in our yards and if we can just add something native," said Charter.  

She suggests designing your landscape from the back forward. Put larger trees that host food like oaks and wild cherries in the back. In front of that plant native shrubs like service berry, white cedar, dogwoods or viburnums. This layer acts as cover for nesting and provide berries for food. On the front border of the garden fill in with native wildflowers and grasses for a more diverse food source. Charter says it's important we act now. 

"We could see the collapse of the ecosystem. It's a web of life that's woven together and we have to stop pulling out those strands or we could really be in trouble," said Charter.