Planning your Habitat

Before you start anything else, you should sit down and draw up a detailed plan. Chances are good that the "All Natural" look isn't going to fly with your HOA, Neighbors, or Landlord. If you live in an area where these aren't an issue, then feel free to go as "wild" and crazy as you want.

The average person, however, is going to have to take some things into consideration.

Space

How much room do you actually have to dedicate as a habitat? This is going to affect the type of wildlife that you're going to be able to offer shelter to. Birds don't take up much space and can be satisfied pretty easily with mostly man-made solutions so setting up a nifty bird house, feeder, and birdbath and planting a few seed bearing plants can easily satisfy all of their needs.

If you live in the countryside with few neighbors you might be able to attract deer and other wild animals to feed on your property. Just be aware that in secluded areas you may also end up attracting large predators as well.

Living in an apartment in a highly urban area doesn't mean you're excluded from setting up your own little habitat. People have managed to get their balconies certified as butterfly habitats in the past. Unfortunately, due to space limitations you're probably not going to be able to fulfill the needs of birds who will likely be too shy to make their nests practically right on your front porch.

If you don't have an area of your own to certify, you could try approaching your local city council about getting a local park or empty lot turned into a certified Wildlife Habitat and turning it into a community project.

Schools are encouraged to do the same, dedicating a small part of the school grounds to setting up a habitat that can be used to educate children about the ecosystem and coexisting with nature.

Local Wildlife

If you live in an Urban area then chances are that you're going to see fewer types of critters than someone who lives rural or even suburban zones.

Take into consideration your surroundings, look up local birding groups, and maybe even chat with your neighbors to get an idea of what critters might live in your area.

I also suggest looking into local conservation efforts, find out what animals might be threatened or endangered in your area. If you're able to provide a safe environment for a threatened species of bird to make its home and raise its young then you've made a serious contribution to your local wildlife.

Keep in mind that you may end up attracting wildlife that you don't necessarily want around.

Squirrels are bound to show up if you're feeding the birds. It's just a fact of life. Instead of trying to drive them away from your yard, offer them an easier solution with a feeding station and habitats of their own.

Larger predators, like bears, may require you to bring in your bird feeders at night and avoid creating a compost pile with kitchen scraps. Chances are, if you live in bear country, then you're already aware of the steps you should take to minimize the risk of attracting one of this big guys.

Neighbors, HOA and Landlords

If you're renting then your landlord may not be okay with getting part of their property certified since this often requires landscaping changes. If you're renting an apartment and want to create a balcony habitat then you should make doubly sure that your landlord is okay with it. 

If you actually own your property but have to deal with a Home Owner's Association you need to make sure that any changes you plan on making to your yard comply with their rules. 

There's also pretty good chance that your neighbors might take issue if you decide you're going to put up a couple of bat house due to preconceived, negative, opinions surrounding bats. You should take some time to educate yourself about the species of animals you're going to attract. If there are any that you think may cause issues (bats, owls, etc.) then take some time out to talk to your neighbors and educate them about what you're trying to do and why. 

If they take issue and won't be convinced, then you should consider giving up on that particular animal. Not only will your neighbors appreciate it, but you might just earn yourself a new friend and maybe even get them interested in the idea of getting their property certified as a wildlife habitat too. 

Climate

Your local climate is going to affect how much water you need to provide as well as whether or not you'll need to build shaded areas into your habitat. 

The plus side to living in a warmer climate is that most of your native fauna will drought resistant and evergreen. Meaning you probably won't have to supplement as much food for your wildlife or water the plants quite as often. You'll just have to make sure you've got plenty of water available for wildlife to make use of. 

Colder climates will likely have to supplement food with feeders when the weather turns cold. 

While wetter climates are going to have to keep feeders dry to prevent birdseed from turning moldy or sprouting in the feeder. 

All in all, each region has something they're going to have to take into consideration when planning out their wildlife habitat.