Reddit reviews Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded

Watch this video: https://youtu.be/8DEfIqIrYpY

Its a pretty great exploration of the relevant ecology here.

Then, plant native plants in as many places as you can. This can support a huge range of organisms, even if done in a city.

>(For those that don't watch, the argument is basically: native plants can house thousands of types of insects. Insects are specialists in what they eat, and so plants that have a natural history in a place ("native") can support far more insects than can a recently introduced one. 96% of bird species that aren't devoted to fish or large animal meat are 100% insectivorous during the time in which they raise their young. The ones that are not are dependent upon things which eat insects for almost all their diet, such as fish, small mammals, or other birds. Thus, there is a direct line from native plants -> insects -> all species of bird. Furthermore, not only birds, but nearly all animals depend on insects in this way. They form ~25% of the diet of bears, foxes, etc. When, in florida, a city began reincorporating a native plant all through their city, they found a large increase in the number of butterflies that were associated with that plant, which were almost extinct. The speaker in the video wrote a book on how and why to plant native plants in your surroundings, and all the good it can do).

Here's the book he wrote on the subject: Bringing Nature Home: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0881929921/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Vi3RCb3XR9QK3

Other than that, learn as much as possible about ecology. Learn to identify the plants and animals around you. Learn about disturbance and succession in forests, it'll give you an infinite number of interesting things to ponder. Or if you live where there are plains/prairies, start thinking about and researching all the soil dynamics at play. Near an ocean, start researching coastal ecology. Give yourself a full on ecological education. Not only is it very satisfying, it'll empower you to be able to forward good decision making, and honestly for me it gives me some hope as well as I study more and more.

Planting native does help especially if everyone does it. You can even find a lot of native plants at Lowe's and other box stores nowadays. There could be more, but it's better than it was a few years ago. This is a great book if you're interested in helping native insects http://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Nature-Home-Wildlife-Expanded/dp/0881929921

Recommended reading

Many songbirds are insectivores, so consider "growing" a birdfeeder -- no, don't grow bugs (!!) but grow native species that support bugs. These could be any plants that attract insect pollinators, spiders, or other kinds of delicious bird grub. (Insect larvae is arguably the most important protein source for birds and comprise most of what bird parents feed to their young.)

For example: oak trees have been shown to support over 400 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies/moths) and consequently are extremely important for migrating birds (who get energy from eating the larvae supported by the oak leaves).

I would check out Doug Tallamy's great book Bringing Nature Home to learn more about the benefits of native plants to birds and other native wildlife.

You can also grow "berry birdfeeders" (cherry trees, cedar trees, raspberry bushes, wild strawberries, etc) to attract berry-eating birds like thrushes and cedar waxwings.
If you plant berry-growing woody plants or trees, these double as shelter for the birds -- making your backyard a more suitable habitat overall!

Good luck!!

Edit: Added the line about the importance of insect larvae

Edit 2:
More about native plants that attract birds (Midwest US)