Re: plantings for sparrows

["Joshua S. Rose" <jsr6@duke.edu>]

On Sun, 30 Mar 2003, clancy ballenger wrote:
>
> I aqm anticipating planting 5 to 10 acres in divided plots for sparrows
> and other birds--In the past sesbania has been used with so-so results
> along with proso, Japanese, and brown top millet--these are all short
> lived and provide a 2 to 3 week feast but no longevity--also bobolinks
> can decimate the crop(s) before other migrating sparrows even get here.
> ANy thoughts regarding polygonum species--ie, smartweeds? The price
> difference for "nodding" vs giant smarftweed is very significant.Any
> other thoughts re this would be welcome--clancy ballenger, trenton, nc

Howdy folks,

Giant Smartweed (Polygonum sachalinense) is an exotic species which is on
the NC Botanical Garden's list of "Invasive exotic plants to avoid in the
southeastern United States":
http://www.ncbg.unc.edu/plants-to-avoid-SEUS.htm
They also warn against planting Bunchy Knotweed (Polygonum cespitosum)
and, of course, Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) and Mile-a-Minute
(Polygonum perfoliatum).

On the other hand, Nodding Smartweed (Polygonum lapathifolium) appears to
be native to the US, as does Knotweed (Polygonum pennsylvanicum). Not sure
how they'll do for sparrows, but I see them recommended in a few places as
food for waterfowl:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/1999/cangeese/import.htm

Anyway, Clancy, now you know which of your two I recommend! Hope Nodding
was cheaper than Giant... Some other plants I see mentioned as sparrow
fodder: Green and Spiny Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus and A. spinosus),
Ragweed (Ambrosia sp.), Big Bluegrass (Poa ampla), Giant Foxtail
(Setaria magna), Knotroot Foxtail (Setaria parviflora), Switchgrass
and other native panicgrasses (Panicum virgatum, P. flexile, P.
floridanum, P. anceps), WHite-topped Sedge (Dichromena sp.), and other
native sedges (Cyperus strigosus, C. planifolius, C. articulatus, C.
odoratus, C. haspan, many Carex sp.).

While I'm on the topic, Sesbania also includes both native and invasive
exotic species. Clancy didn't specify which one he used. Sesbania punicea
is cited as a problem in wetlands in Georgia, Florida, and Texas:
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/alert/alrtsesb.html

Last one: folks who aren't subscribed to CarolinaLeps might want to read
the discussion on there recently about Buddleja, aka Butterfly Bush, a
popular plant for attracting hummingbirds as well as butterflies. It is
not entirely clear that this species poses a threat here in the Carolinas,
and it hasn't yet appeared on the NCBG "plants to avoid" lists, but it
apparently is spreading into natural areas in states to our north; just
something to keep in mind and watch for...
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CARL.html

Good birding,

Josh


Joshua S. Rose
Duke University
Department of Biology (Zoology, R.I.P.)

jsr6@duke.edu
http://www.duke.edu/~jsr6/