Attracting birds to your garden is something many of us love. It is not only a beautiful pastime but can benefit the little birdies too. Beyond the sheer joy of observation, it also supports local ecosystems by providing crucial food and shelter. However, maintaining a thriving bird population requires more than just a bird feeder. Strategic planting can ensure a continuous supply of natural resources, offering sustenance and refuge throughout the year. We explore the best plants to cultivate, focusing on species that provide a diverse range of benefits, from nourishing berries in winter to abundant insects in spring and summer, ultimately transforming your garden into a haven for feathered friends, all year round.
Berries & Fruit
To provide year-round food try to incorporate native berry bushes into your garden. Berries are packed with vital nutrients, including sugars, antioxidants, and vitamins, which are crucial for birds, especially during migration and breeding seasons. Having a range of different native berry bushes that produce fruits at various times of the year, will ensure a continuous food supply and will attract a wider range of bird species.
Native berry bushes support not only birds but also other wildlife, such as insects and pollinators and so they contribute to the overall health and biodiversity of your garden ecosystem. Furthermore, many berry bushes offer dense foliage, which provides shelter from predators and harsh weather and possible nesting sites for various bird species.
It is important to use native plants as they are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, and so often require less maintenance than non-native species. Here are some suggestions.
Serviceberry
The serviceberry bush, belonging to the genus Amelanchier, is a versatile and valuable plant native to North America. Serviceberries can grow as either a multi-stemmed shrub or a small, single-trunked tree, depending on the species and growing conditions. They offer year-round visual appeal with beautiful white flowers that bloom early, providing nectar for pollinators. In the summer they produce edible fruits that attract birds and wildlife. In the fall, the foliage transforms into vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold. Serviceberries are adaptable to a wide range of soil types and growing conditions and thrive in full sun to partial shade.
The berries are sweet and delicious, resembling blueberries in taste and appearance. They are a great food source for birds, providing essential nutrients for pollinators and other wildlife. The early berries attract robins, thrushes, and waxwings.
Elderberry
The elderberry bush, belonging to the genus Sambucus, is a deciduous shrub or small tree known for its clusters of white flowers and dark berries. It features compound leaves with serrated edges. In late spring or early summer, it produces large, flat-topped clusters of fragrant white flowers (elderflowers). These flowers are followed by clusters of small, dark purple to black berries (elderberries) that ripen in late summer or early fall.
Elderberry bushes thrive in moist, well-drained soil and prefer full sun to partial shade. They can be found growing wild in various habitats, including woodlands, along streams, and in disturbed areas.
This popular plant is a valuable food source for birds and other wildlife, and the bushes provide shelter and potential nesting sites. The berries themselves are rich in antioxidants and provide essential nutrients that birds need, especially during migration and breeding seasons. A wide variety of bird species are attracted to elderberries, including warblers, orioles and tanagers.
Viburnum
The viburnum bush is a diverse genus of flowering shrubs (and occasionally small trees) belonging to the family Adoxaceae. They are popular in landscaping and gardens for their attractive flowers, colorful berries, and often vibrant fall foliage.
Viburnums exhibit a wide range of shapes and sizes, from compact shrubs to taller, more spreading forms. They produce clusters of small, typically white or cream-colored flowers, often with a pleasant fragrance. Their berries come in various colors, including blue, black, red, and even yellow, depending on the species. Many species display striking fall foliage, with leaves turning shades of red, orange, or purple.
Viburnums are adaptable and can grow in a variety of soil types, but they generally prefer well-drained soil. They thrive in full sun to partial shade. Their flowers attract pollinators, and their berries are an important food source for birds as they are often high in sugars, providing essential energy. The dense foliage of viburnum bushes provides excellent cover from predators and harsh weather conditions. Robins, thrushes, and waxwings are particularly fond of berries and will flock to viburnum bushes when the fruit is ripe.
Winterberry
The winterberry bush (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly native to eastern North America. It’s renowned for its vibrant red berries that persist throughout the winter, providing a striking visual display and a crucial food source for wildlife. Unlike most hollies, which are evergreen, winterberry sheds its leaves in the fall.
The most prominent feature is the abundance of bright red berries that develop in late summer and ripen in the fall. These berries often remain on the branches throughout the winter, creating a beautiful contrast against the snow. Only female plants produce berries, and they require a male pollinator nearby for fruit production so to ensure berry production, it’s essential to plant both male and female winterberry shrubs.
Winterberries prefer moist, acidic soils and can be found growing wild in wetlands, swamps, and along stream banks. They will tolerate partial shade to full sun. The berries are an important food source for birds, especially during harsh winter conditions when birds need to maintain energy reserves. Birds like robins, cardinals and waxwings are all known for their love of these berries.
Seeds
Seeds are a high-energy food source, rich in oils and nutrients, and are particularly valuable during fall migration and winter, when birds need to build up fat reserves. Many bird species, including finches, cardinals, sparrows, chickadees, and nuthatches, are attracted to seed-producing plants like sunflowers and coneflowers. They also attract insects, which provide a supplemental food source for insectivorous birds, which is especially important during the breeding season when birds need protein-rich food for their young.
Native Sunflower
Native sunflowers offer distinct advantages over non-native varieties when it comes to supporting birds in your garden. Native sunflowers have co-evolved with local insect populations. This means they support a wider variety and greater abundance of native insects, which are crucial food sources for birds, especially during the breeding season.
Some birds have even evolved to prefer the seeds of specific native sunflower species. Native sunflower seeds may have a different nutritional composition compared to cultivated varieties, potentially offering a better balance of fats, proteins, and other nutrients for local bird species. They are also very good for your garden as they attract a wider range of native pollinators, including specialized bees and butterflies. This contributes to a healthier ecosystem, which ultimately benefits birds. They are a favorite of finches, cardinals, and sparrows.
Coneflowers
Coneflowers, particularly the native varieties, are a wonderful addition to any garden aiming to attract birds and other wildlife. They belong to the genus Echinacea and are perennial flowering plants native to eastern and central North America. The distinctive flowers are known for their distinctive “cone-shaped” central disk, surrounded by petals that often droop downward. The most well-known species is Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower), but they come in various colors now, thanks to cultivars.
Once the flowers fade, the central cone develops seeds that are a favorite food source for seed-eating birds. Leaving the spent flower heads standing through the fall and winter provides a natural bird feeder. This is especially valuable during the colder months when other food sources are scarce.
While the seeds are the primary draw, coneflowers also attract insects, which provide a supplemental food source for birds, especially during the breeding season. Finches, cardinals and sparrows are particularly fond of coneflower seeds.
Nectar
Nectar is such an important food source for birds, particularly in the spring and summer. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your garden, then planting nectar producing flowers is a must.
Native Honeysuckle
Native honeysuckle species are exceptionally effective at attracting hummingbirds due to a combination of factors that align perfectly with the hummingbirds’ specific needs. Honeysuckles typically have long, tubular flowers that are suitably shaped for their long, slender bills and tongues, allowing them to access the nectar deep within the flower easily.
Hummingbirds require a high-energy food source to fuel their rapid metabolism. Native honeysuckles produce copious amounts of nectar, providing the essential sugars that hummingbirds need. They also tend to have a long blooming period, ensuring a consistent nectar supply throughout the hummingbirds’ breeding and migration seasons.
Hummers are particularly attracted to red and orange flowers and many native honeysuckles display these vibrant colors, making them highly visible to hummingbirds. While not as strong as some other flowers, native honeysuckles often have a subtle, sweet scent that is also appealing to hummingbirds.
The good news for your garden continues as native honeysuckles are generally non-invasive, unlike some non-native honeysuckle species that can spread aggressively and displace native plants. This is very important because invasive honeysuckle species can be very damaging to ecosystems.
Native Pines
Native pines can be very beneficial for birds in a garden, providing a variety of essential resources. Their dense foliage provides excellent shelter from harsh weather conditions and this is crucial for non-migratory birds. Pine trees also offer suitable nesting sites for various bird species in the springtime. The branches provide sturdy support for nests, and the dense foliage offers concealment from predators.
Pine cones produce seeds that are a valuable food source for seed-eating birds, such as finches, crossbills, and nuthatches. The cones also attract insects, which provide a protein-rich food source for insectivorous birds. As evergreen trees, pines provide these benefits year-round, ensuring a consistent habitat for birds.
Oak Trees
U.S. native oaks are a tremendously valuable addition to any garden, especially for attracting and supporting birds. Common native oaks include:
- Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) – found throughout eastern North America and known for its fast growth and reddish fall foliage.
- White Oak (Quercus alba) – also found in eastern North America. It is a long-lived and stately tree.
- Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana) – found in the southeastern coastal plains and known for its wide-spreading canopy and evergreen leaves.
- Post Oak (Quercus stellata) – found in the eastern and central United States. It is tolerant of dry and poor soils.
- Black Oak (Quercus velutina) – found in the eastern United States and recognized by its dark bark.
- Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) – found in the eastern and central United States and known for its large acorns and thick bark.
Native oaks are so good for birds because acorns are a high-energy food source, rich in fats and carbohydrates. They are particularly important during fall and winter, providing crucial sustenance for many bird species including jays, woodpeckers, turkeys, and numerous other birds.
Oaks also support a vast array of insects, including caterpillars, which are a vital food source for birds, especially during the breeding season. Many birds, such as warblers, vireos, and chickadees, rely on insects for protein.
These beautiful trees also provide sturdy branches and suitable cavities for nesting and many bird species, including woodpeckers, owls, and songbirds, use oak trees for nesting. The dense foliage of oak trees provides excellent shelter from predators and the weather. In fact, oaks provide these benefits year-round, ensuring a consistent habitat for birds.
Final Thoughts
Our best advice is to create a garden with layers of vegetation, including trees, shrubs, and groundcovers. If you prioritize native plants, as they are best adapted to your local climate, you will provide the most beneficial food and habitat for native birds. Focus on planting a variety of species that provide food and shelter throughout the year to attract a wider range of birds. You will end up with a thriving ecosystem and much more than birds to enjoy.
