The weather outside is cold and blustery, with wind chills below zero.  When I look out my dining room window I see the three big holly trees (which are actually shrubs) on the south side of the house.  They are covered with bright berries, which is wonderful all by itself at this time of the year.  Best of all though, is the fact that the hollies are full of birds.  At various times during the day I can see sparrows, cardinals and blue jays, all with their feathers puffed out against the cold.

The hollies' growth is dense enough so that birds can find shelter within the branches and protection from the wind.  It isn't exactly warm in there close to the trunks, but at least the thick green wall of prickly leaves keeps out the worst of the elements.  I have never seen birds actually eating the berries, but the bushes are close enough to other food sources so that no bird has to venture far for food. 

When you are planning for spring planting consider the birds and choose hollies or other large shrubs with dense growth.  The old standby, arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis), is a great choice for this purpose, as are some of the evergreen trees like pine, fir or spruce.   Pick a variety that works for your particular location and climate conditions.  The birds will thank you in winters to come.