Attracting birds to the garden.

[louise90]

I was just wondering what types of plants and/or trees are the best to plant to attract birds. I live in a town and get lots of sparrows, starlings, pigeons, doves and a few green finches! I also get the odd robin in the winter months too!

I have a bird bath and a bird table in my garden, and hang fat balls on the washing line.

[Maria]

Birdwatching and landscaping can complement each other beautifully.

The trick is knowing which blooming specimens are most useful for attracting wild birds. Many decorative berries, while inedible for humans, are a boon to your winged friends. Some of these berries will be snapped up quickly by them, while others, such as the berry on the sumac shrub, serve as emergency food during hard times. The latter are not among their favorite foods, but they will provide you with excellent birdwatching opportunities in late winter and early spring, when their desperation for food makes attracting wild birds easier

Some blooming specimens serve double-duty, furnishing the fall landscape with colorful foliage or berries. Others offer multiple ornamental qualities, plus edible fruit to boot. They also have a number of functional landscape uses.


All things considered, 'Cherokee Chief' flowering dogwood trees (Cornus florida 'Cherokee Chief') and Japanese flowering dogwood trees (Cornus kousa) win the top ranking for spring bloomers, with an impressive array of landscaping benefits. The lower branches of the 'Cherokee Chief' cultivar have a horizontal branching pattern, which in itself lends interest to the landscape. 'Cherokee Chief' flowering dogwood trees grow to a height of 20'-25' and spread 12'-15'. This tree puts out red blooms in spring, while its fall foliage is bronze-colored. The birds love the berriies.

Japanese flowering dogwood trees (Cornus kousa) usually bear white, star-shaped blooms. Their blooms appear later in spring than do the flowers on other dogwoods. Fall foliage is purplish-red. The red berries of Japanese flowering dogwood trees persist into winter and are eaten by wild birds. Average height and spread of 15'-30'.

I have compiled my Top 10 list for spring flowering bushes and trees based on the following criteria:

* Showiness of bloom.
* Foliage interest, including multi-season color.
* Interesting branching patterns.
* Cold hardiness: all of the selections in my Top 10 list for flowering trees and bushes can be grown as far north as zone 5, at least.
* Berry output and beauty.
* Ease of propagation or maintenance, including disease-resistance.

Top 10 list, without further ado.

Top 10 Flowering Trees and Bushes for Spring Landscaping

1. 'Cherokee Chief' and Japanese Flowering Dogwood
2. 'Donald Wyman' Crabapple
3. 'Cameo' Flowering Quince
4. Saucer Magnolia
5. 'Sunrise' Forsythias
6. Eastern Redbud
7. 'Tor' Spirea
8. Variegated Weigela
9. thingy Willow
10. 'Redspire' Callery Pear


I hope this isn't more than you wanted to know. I will work on more info on attracting birds.

[sandy]

Now that we know what attracts birds, let's talk about unattracting them. I seem to be at odds with you Maria, I don't mean to. It just happens. For several years in a row I had a robin who would peck on my window at my front entrance. Living in a 2 story house and the window being at the bottom of the stairs the noise was loud and ruined a few good dreams. I tried everything to stop the critter( I don't do mornings. Especially ones that start at daybreak.) After trying fluttering ribbons, and other things I finally used aluminum foil on the ledge and that deterred him the first year. The second nothing seemed to work until I covered the window with lace. He now had trouble seeing his reflection so went away. This spring I had a pair of robins building a nest on the wreath on my front door. If the nests wouldn't be so big and messy, it could have stayed there. After knocking it down a few times,I gave up and took the wreath down. They then moved to my back porch. I have discovered that they don't like Garfield. I have a little 3 inch plastic Garfield that works.
Breathing a sigh of relief I went merrily to bed thinking I can sleep and not be woken at dawn. I WAS WRONG! Dawn comes creeping in and a jack hammer is pounding on my back porch! My whole house is reverbrating with noise. There is no one around. Nothing to be seen. But wait what just flew to the electric pole? A redheaded woodpesker! The s is not a typo.He is now known by me as a woodpesker. He visits often at all times of the day. Especially dawn. Gives a few raps on my back porch post and flies to the pole. I know he is laughing. The posts are treated and have no insects. I think he is just sharpening his beak and picking on me.
Back to attracting birds. A patch of wild flowers are great to look at and birds love them.

[Maria]

Sandy, what a whoa. I truly understand how you feel. I use to live in a big Victorian with returns. The awful (that is being nice) pigeons would try to roost there. Not only are they filthy creatures but the most noisy thing in the world. I tried chicken wire to keep them out. they got in. I posted a strip with nails pointing up. They somehow got around the nails. Finally, a Friend told me to try something and it works.

Here it is. They hate OWLS. Buy a plastic or stuffed Owl. It frightens birds away. Also, remember those rubber snakes kids play with? Birds are frightened by them too. So FAKE OWLS and SNAKES should do the trick. It worked for me.



Now, then you could also write a book about it. Woody Woodpecker was created by a fellow on his honeymoon that kept being bothered by a woodpecker. He made a bundle. ;D

[louise90]

Thanks for that Maria. It's been a big help. My neighbour next door but one from me has 2 bird boxes on her wall. She told me today that she has Greenfinches nesting in there every year.

[Maria]

Louise, Birds like a few things. Trees to nest and hide in. Bushes that will produce berries and can be used as hiding places. anything that will bear fruit and berries. A shallow fresh water place.

I only have one bird feeder but my neighbor has an iron stand with four arms for holding bird feeders. She has the most beautiful birds. Finches to woodpeckers. She just set-up a humming bird feeder. I gave her a list a flowers that humming birds like and she is in the process of plants those too. (I too have plants flowers to attract humming birds.) ;D

The only this she needs to to is put baffles on the pole so the squirrels wont steal all the food and chase the birds away.

[Maria]

The Plant Layout for Attracting Birds for bird watching

The spacing between trees and shrubs, the preferred combination of open areas and adjoining thick cover, and the degree of seclusion and protection from the wind are all important factors when designing for birds. If possible, even open spaces should be well protected from wind and street noise to appeal to birds.

Increase the variety and numbers of plants attractive to birds in your landscape and you are virtually guaranteed more birds that stay longer. Create a layered and multi-tiered garden, increase the amount of edge between wooded areas and open areas, and provide a rich understory.

Edges between habitats are prime opportunities to offer a dense and diverse assortment of bird-attracting plants. Where woods meet open lawn is a good spot for a mixed border of shrubs and small trees. This will increase bird species diversity in your yard.

Think in layers in the landscape to attract birds. Provide several layers for different kinds of birds by planting clusters of shade-loving small trees, shrubs, and ground covers under taller trees. Look at natural woodlands around you to get ideas for plant combinations.

Many bird species appreciate edge habitat, such as hummingbirds, phoebes, titmice, and orioles. They utilize the open flying space of driveways, lawns, and other corridors, which allow them easy access to the lush plants along the borders. In all birdscapes, a diversity of plants provides the greatest benefit. Berries and seeds will ripen at different times of the year, a range of nesting materials and nest sites will be available, and a greater variety of insects will be found on the plants.

Keep in mind that a natural woodland is generally free from human traffic, which can disturb the often shy birds of the forest. Let fallen leaves lie instead of raking them away. They will settle into a bed of mulch that adds richness to the soil as well as creating insect-rich areas for ground-foraging birds. Include about half evergreen and half deciduous plants in your woodland.

This may be difficult for the tidy gardener, but try to maintain a brush pile in an out-of-the way spot to attract sparrows, towhees, and other birds. Carefully preserve dead trees. Large dead branches, standing dead trees, fallen trees, and stumps are excellent bird attractors, thanks to the insects and larvae that burrow into their wood. They also provide nesting sites for nuthatches, woodpeckers, chickadees, and other cavity-nesting birds.

Sunny landscape with areas of lawn broken up by shrubs, flowers, and fruiting trees are most likely to attract birds of a neighboring open country, for example the California Quail, Mockingbird, American Goldfinch, and Song Sparrow. Plant vines on trellises, fences, and arbors. American Robins and Mourning Doves may nest there, and the tubular flowers of vines attract hummingbirds.

Leave hedges unclipped, or prune them naturally by selective branch removal rather than shearing. Restrict pruning to late winter, after any loose fruit has been eaten and before birds begin nesting in early spring.

Hummingbirds have two major sources of food: flower nectar and the protein from small insects and spiders. In the wild these birds prefer meadows, lowland forest edges, and woodland openings, although some species also frequent deserts. The most important thing you can do to attract these birds is to plant vines or other tubular-flowered plants, especially in bright red, pink, and orange. Hummingbirds can be territorial about food sources, so it is best to include red flowers in several locations.

Protect your birds from domestic cats. No matter how well-fed your cat is, it plans havoc with new fledglings and their parents. It is unfair to attract birds to your yard if you have cats on the prowl.

[Maria]

Grin and Bear It

The below article is from a garden club I belong to. I thought it was very interesting--and great info on how to attract birds without worrying about the feeders.

I could say I feed the birds to help them make it through the winter with its scarcity of food, but that would be stretching the truth. I feed them as much for my benefit as theirs, because I don't stop even in summer when wild food abounds. I feel like I'm welcoming back old friends when the first rosy breasted grosbeaks arrive in spring to break open the sunflower shells with a loud "crack," and the woodpeckers resume their fancy footwork up and down the tree trunks looking for insects. But something put a stop to my bird feeding this spring -- something big and furry, like a bear.

A neighbor heard a noise one night and looked out her window to see a bear demolishing the wooden hot tub on her deck. No amount of shouting and barking dogs and projectiles out the window distracted the bear until he reached what he was after: sunflower seeds inside the tubing, probably hidden there by a squirrel. Subsequently the bear visited other homes, climbing back steps and appearing on decks and porches looking for food. Apparently, sunflower seeds are like a drug to bears, at least when they emerge, hungry, from winter hibernation.

After many phone calls amongst neighbors and phone conversations with the game warden, every homeowner on the road was directed to stop feeding the birds or risk a fine for luring the bear. So now we need to rely on our landscapes to attract birds. Of course, some berry-producing plants are also tempting to bears (especially blueberries, and especially in the Rocky Mountain region), but in our area, plantings aren't considered lures, and they don't typically draw bears close to homes in summer the way bird feeders do.

Plants not only offer tasty meals of berries and seeds, they also give shelter from storms and summer's heat, and provide a place to rest, to nest, and to hide from the neighbor's cat. Here are some ways to make your landscape more welcoming and nourishing to birds:

Seeds and Berries
Plants that are native to the region are easy choices since birds are already accustomed to the food they provide. And when birds unwittingly deposit the seeds in new locations, there won't be the risk of spreading unwanted introduced species. Here are some of our common birds' favorite food plants:

American goldfinch - Birch, spruce, fir, pine, oak, hemlock, maple, white ash, box elder, grape, rose, mulberry, serviceberry, thistle

Black-capped chickadee - Pine, birch, hemlock, sunflower, viburnum

Eastern bluebird - Dogwood, sumac, cedar, hackberry, Virginia creeper, holly, chokeberry, cotoneaster, dogwood, crab apple, mulberry, rose, blueberry, grape, viburnum

Northern cardinal - Holly, hackberry, dogwood, mulberry, sumac, viburnum, hawthorn, magnolia, black cherry, rose, blackberry

Northern oriole - Mulberry, highbush blueberry, maple, serviceberry, black cherry, blackberry, elderberry, grape, honeysuckle

Tufted titmouse - Hackberry, mulberry, pine, oak, grape, crab apple, blackberry, Virginia creeper

Yellow-rumped warbler - Honeysuckle, viburnum, pine, sumac, cedar, dogwood, American elm, juniper, Virginia creeper, American beech

Include plants that offer fruit at different times of the year. For example, elderberries and mulberries are ripe in summer (and blueberries and brambles, if you're inclined to share), winterberries and crab apples are ripe in fall, and sumacs and hollies hold their fruit into winter.

Water
Birds need water for drinking and bathing, and birdbaths can be as decorative as they are utilitarian. A birdbath with a rough surface and a gradual slope to a depth of 3 inches is best, and for added safety, set it out in the open and off the ground where it's out of reach of any interested felines.

Gimme Shelter
Consider planting some of these trees and shrubs for shelter: alder, ash, azalea, beech, birch, cedar, cherry, cotoneaster, cottonwood, crab apple, dogwood, fir, hackberry, hawthorn, hemlock, holly, juniper, larch, maple, mountain ash, oak, ornamental grass, pine, rhododendron, rose, serviceberry, sumac, yew.

Plant trees and shrubs in mixed groupings of different types and sizes of plants, rather than a homogenous planting. That way you'll attract more different kinds of birds.

Being a neatnik about your landscape won't help the birds as much as if you leave some brush piles and dead trees about, and some perennials gone to seed. Isn't it lucky that you can do the birds a favor and at the same time relieve your conscience about not getting to that garden cleanup!

I miss the birds chattering at the feeders this summer, but they are still drawn to my yard by other enticements. Bluebirds perch on the deck railing, and an indigo bunting stopped by for the first time. I just planted some chokeberries, which will be covered with blue-black berries in the fall. It's better than luring a bear too close for comfort.