An official website of the State of Georgia.
The Out My Backdoor column featured in Georgia Wild is written by Terry W. Johnson, a retired DNR nongame program manager and executive director of The Environmental Resources Network (TERN). Johnson also writes the Backyard Wildlife Connection blog and has authored books, including his latest, “A Journey of Discovery: Monroe County Outdoors.”
- 2025
- 2024
- February: Red-shouldered Hawks a Threat to Pets, Feeder Birds?
- March: Can’t-Miss Honeysuckle
- April: Songbird Food Falling from the Sky
- May: Bluebirds Sometimes Nest in Odd Places
- June: Hummingbirds Can Smell
- July: Doves Aren’t Great Nest Builders
- August: Trying to Coax Giant Swallowtails
- September: Rare Black Witches in Georgia
- October: Providing Winter Habitat for Beneficial Insects
- November: This Tree Is Special
- December: The Fox That Climbs Trees
- 2023
- February: Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
- March: Beyond the Hummingbird Feeder
- April: Gardening with Native Plants
- May: The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- June: Ruby-throated Hummingbird Nests Are Special
- July: The Southern Bee Killer
- August: How Squirrels Survive
- September: Hot Nectar Can Pose Threat to Hummers
- October: Native Plants for Fall Migrants
- November: Thread-waisted Wasps
- December: Is Mistletoe a Holiday Decoration or Wildlife Plant?
- 2022
- February: A Plug for Pineapple Sage
- March: The Cabbage White
- April: Allure of Globe Amaranth
- May: A Favorite Oriole
- June: Benefits of Black Cherry Trees
- July: Winter Hummer Can Arrive Early
- August: It's Yellow Jacket Time
- September: Make Your Yard a Pit Stop for Southbound Migrants (reprint)
- October: Hummingbird Predation
- November: Saving Trees Before Building a Home
- December: Rufous Hummingbirds Declining
- 2021
- January: Buyer’s Guide to Suet, Bird Puddings
- March: Robins Aren’t Harbingers of Spring
- April: Beebalm a Must for Butterfly, Hummer Gardens
- May: Why Hummers Are Scarce in May
- June: How Downies Feed Away from Feeders
- July: Kites Can Be Backyard Birds, Too
- August: The Scoop on Spittlebugs
- September: Nandina Falls From Grace
- October: A Big Tree for Big Places
- November: Splash of Sassafras
- December: Behind the Mistletoe Myths
- 2020
- February: Make Your Yard a Winter Wildlife Wonderland
- April:
- May: Barn Swallows Offer Unique Window into Nesting
- June: Meet the Giant Leopard Moth
- July: Hummingbirds Should Return
- August: Wildlife Love Muscadines, Too
- September: Stage Your Own Fall Foliage
- October: Dogwood Berries are a Wildlife Favorite
- November: My Winter Bird-feeding Strategy
- 2019
- February: Birds Love Georgia Pecans
- March: Ever Heard of Grancy Graybeard?
- April: Best Bet for Black Swallowtails
- May: Why I Admire Bumblebees
- June: Pearl Crescents—Little Beauties
- July: Meet the Tiger Bee Fly
- August: Eva’s Impact on Conservation
- September: Bluebird Migration
- October: How Drought Affects Wildlife
- November: The Winter Home of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
- 2018
- March: Can Salt Harm Backyard Birds?
- April: Benefits of Nature's Barbed Wire
- June: The Eastern Mole
- July: Heat Affects Birds, Too
- August: It's Four O'Clock Time
- September: Birdbaths Key to Wildlife Abundance
- October: More to Chipping Sparrow than Meets the Eye
- November: White Squirrels Up Close
- December: Nuthatches at Work
- 2017
- February: Mild Winter Doesn't Mean Early Nesting
- March: Can Birds Predict Severe Weather?
- April: Zebras in Georgia
- May: The Bird That Doesn't Build a Nest
- June: Brown Thrashers, a Special Songster
- July: Sorting out Summer Hummingbirds
- September: The Caterpillar Connection
- October: A Backyard Fall Foliage Show
- November: Erecting Nest Box Good Idea in November
- December: Downy Woodpecker is a Winter Favorite
- 2016
- February: Bird-feeding Problems
- March: Choosing the Right Binoculars
- April: The True Value of Redbud Trees
- May: Puddle Parties
- June: Discouraging Insects from Hummingbird Feeders
- July: Mosquito Hawks on Patrol
- August: Goldfinches Brighten Backyards in Summer
- September: Save a Spot in Your Yard for Strawberry Bush
- October: In Defense of the Sweetgum Tree
- December: Baltimore Orioles in Winter?
- 2015
- January: A Great Way to Greet the New Year
- February: You Can Be a Chickadee Landlord
- March: Redbuds Are on Parade
- April: Creating Hummingbird Havens
- May: Pesticide Use Can Be Harming Your Wildlife
- June: The Hummingbird Vine
- July: Our Modern-day Dinosaurs
- August: A Wildlife Food Plant We Love to Hate
- September: Hurricanes Can Affect Backyard Birds
- October: Misunderstood Morning Glories
- November: The Amazing Opossum (No Kidding)
- December: Winter Robins
- 2014
- February: Waking up Your Backyard in Winter
- March: Let It Snow? Winter Pros and Cons for Wildlife
- April: America's Long Love Affair with Ruby-throats
- May: Windows—an Invisible Threat to Birds
- June: Catbirds on the Prowl
- July: Fireflies Create Sparkling Backyard Wonderlands
- August: When Insects Pose Problems at Hummer Feeders
- September: Jewelweed a Rare Backyard Plant
- October: Halloween Superstitions and Backyard Wildlife
- November: Backyard Wildlife Love Acorns
- December: The Wildlife Christmas Tree
- 2013
- January: Helping Birds Survive Winter's Worst
- February: The Scouts Are Here
- March: Red Buckeye: a Hummingbird Favorite
- April: This Honeysuckle Is a Good Guy
- May: Spring Beauties—on the Wing
- June: Summer Bird Feeding—Give It a Try
- July: Hummingbirds Also Provide July Fireworks
- August: For This Butterfly, Beauty Is Fragile and Short-lived
- September: Make Your Yard a Pit Stop for Southbound Migrants
- October: Do Butterfly Boxes Work?
- November: Holiday Wreaths for the Birds
- December: Unusual Backyard Visitors
- 2012
- January: Chipmunks in Winter Present a Backyard Mystery
- February: What's the Best Bluebird Box Design?
- March: The First Day of Spring
- April: The Great Crested Flycatcher
- May: In Defense of Dandelions
- June: The Butterfly Weed
- July: Questions and Answers about Anting
- August: The Best Backyard Olympians
- September: Ironweed, a Native Beauty
- October: A Ride Down Memory Lane
- November: Persimmon, the Forgotten Wildlife Food Plant
- December: The Christmas Card Bird
- 2011
- January: Butterflies in Winter
- February: Harbingers of Spring: Sandhill Cranes
- March: Crossvine Should Be a Backyard Favorite
- April: Bluebird Nesting—A True-life Drama
- May: They're Back: Periodical Cicadas Make Loud Entrance
- June: Nurturing a Sense of Wonder
- July: This Backyard Predator Is a Scary One
- August: Backyard Wildlife Feeling the Heat, Too
- September: The Wondrous Pokeberry
- October: Owls Don't Deserve Their Bad Reputation
- November: Here's the Hole Story
- December: The Christmas Hummingbird?
- 2010
- January: Warm Havens for Winter Birds
- February: Great Horned Owls May Be Nesting in Your Yard
- March: Weather Stripping Homes Nothing New to Nuthatches
- April: Don't Eat My Spring Flowers!
- May: Mulberries Get No Respect (But They Should)
- June: 4 Parts Water, 1 Part Sugar—a Special Fuel
- July: Searching for Fragile Treasures
- August: Counting Hummingbirds Is No Easy Task
- September: Goldenrod: A Prelude to the Main Show
- October: Turning the Jack-O'-Lantern into Wildlife Treats
- November: Georgia's Second Hummingbird Season
- December: Nature's Holiday Gifts Wrapped in Red
- 2009
- January: The Best Seeds for Backyard Feeders
- February: Clean Feeders Less Risky for Birds
- March: What Makes a Great Nest Box?
- April: Location Critical for Nesting Boxes
- May: Invite the State Bird to Your Backyard
- June: Bluebird Family Life Isn't Always What It Seems to Be
- July: Black Bluebirds and Other Backyard Oddities
- August: Hummingbird Migration Begins in Your Backyard
- September: Moving Water Acts Like a Bird Magnet
- October: Feed Birds With Flowers in Fall
- November: For Beauty and Wildlife Food, Dogwoods Deliver
- December: Why I'm Sold on Strawberry Bushes
- 2008
