Get ready for National Bird Day on January 5th by creating a bird-friendly garden that attracts a wide variety of songbirds and more!
Gardening offers countless rewards beyond just some greenery, curb appeal, and flowers! Both beautifying your outdoor space and fostering a deeper connection with nature, one of the most impactful ways to add an extra layer of enjoyment to your outdoor oasis is by creating a bird-friendly garden using native plants!
Not only does this support local ecosystems, support pollinators, and beneficial insects, but it also attracts vibrant birds that fill your yard with life, song, and color!
This guide will walk you through creating a bird-friendly garden using native trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers. Turn your garden into a sanctuary for your feathered friends!
- Why Native Plants Matter
- Step-By-Step Guide To Create A Bird-Friendly Garden
- The Impact of a Bird-Friendly Garden
Why Choose Native Plants For Bird-Friendly Gardens?
Native plants are the cornerstone of any thriving pollinator or bird habitat. Unlike non-native species, native plants have evolved over thousands of years to thrive in your region’s soil, climate, and ecosystems. They provide essential food and shelter for local species, creating a sustainable environment for wildlife to flourish.
Why Native Plants Matter
- Easily Recognized Food Sources: Native plants produce berries, seeds, and nectar perfectly timed to meet the needs of birds throughout the year.
- Insect Habitats: Many birds rely on insects for food, particularly when they have hungry chicks to feed. Native plants attract a healthy population of insects, supporting this vital food chain, in addition to being Host Plants for a wide range of pollinator caterpillars!
- Adaptability: These plants are hardy and require less water, fertilizer, or pesticide, making them environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
- Preservation of Local Ecosystems: By planting native species, you are supporting local biodiversity.
Step-By-Step Guide To A Bird-Friendly Garden
Step 1: Assess Your Space and Local Environment
Before you start planting, take stock of your garden’s conditions by considering factors such as:
- Climate and USDA Growing Zone: Understand your region’s weather, temperatures, and hardiness zone.
- Sunlight: Does the area get full sun, partial shade, or full shade?
- Soil Type: Is your soil sandy, clay, or loamy? Does it drain well or have some soggy spots?
- Water Availability: Do you have access to irrigation if needed or does your region have regular rainfall or regular drought?
Research native plants suited to your local environment by consulting resources like your County Extension Office, native plant societies, or here in the Nature Hills! We list trees by State, and have Garden Blogs about native plants for you to peruse!
Step 2: Layer Your Landscape with Native Plants
A successful bird-friendly garden includes a variety of plant types that mimic natural habitats. Incorporate layers of trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers to provide food, shelter, and nesting opportunities.
The Best Native Plants For Your Bird Garden:
Trees
Native trees serve as the backbone of any bird-friendly garden. They provide nesting sites, shelter, and food sources such as nuts, seeds, and berries. All native Fir, Spruce, Pine, and other Coniferous Evergreen trees provide food and shelter all year round. Or consider these other Native Tree species:
- Oak (Quercus spp.): Oaks support hundreds of caterpillar species, a crucial food source for birds. Plus there are so many varieties of native Oak to choose from!
- Dogwood (Cornus spp.): Dogwood Trees and Kousa Dogwood Trees offer berries loved by Thrushes, Cardinals, and Robins.
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.): This small tree produces sweet berries and stunning spring blossoms! You’ll see an abundance of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Thrushes, and Towhees.
- Hackberry and Southern Hackberry (Celtis spp.): Its small berries are a favorite for Painted Buntings, Cedar Waxwings, and Woodpeckers, especially during fall and winter.
- Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana): Offers dense cover and berries that sustain birds through winter like Cedar Waxwings, Mockingbirds, and Bluebirds.
Shrubs
Shrubs add another dimension to your garden by offering low-cover nesting sites, flowers, and seeds or fruit. Plus, native Evergreen shrubs provide year-round habitat and greenery for you and your feathered friends. Some of Nature Hills Nursery's favorite bird-friendly native shrubs include:
- Elderberry (Sambucus spp.): Provides high-energy fruits for humans but also birds like Cedar Waxwings and Orioles.
- Viburnum (Viburnum spp.): Featuring berries that attract a wide variety of bird species.
- Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana): The fruit is a magnet for birds, particularly Grosbeaks, Thrushes, and Waxwings in late summer.
- Native Holly (Ilex spp.): American Holly and Inkberry Holly feature bright berries in the fall and winter if you have a pollinator shrub nearby. Feeding Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Bluebirds, Hermit Thrushes, Northern Flickers, and Northern Cardinals.
- Manzanita (Arctostaphylos): Featuring flowers and fruit that bring in an assortment of Western Scrub Jays, Black-Headed Grosbeaks, Mockingbirds, Fox Sparrows, Anna's Hummingbird, and Allen's Hummingbird!
Perennials
Native perennials bring color and sustenance to your garden year after year! They are low-maintenance and very easy to grow, plus they are space-saving pops of color. Their seeds and nectar are a magnet for many migratory and local songbirds and pollinators. Some top choices are:
- Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Goldfinches love their seeds!
- Bee Balm (Monarda spp.): A favorite of Hummingbirds for its nectar.
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta): Attracts seed-eating birds like Finches and Sparrows.
- Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) Attracts Hummingbirds, migratory Warblers, and Monarch Butterfly-related Bird species. Milkweed produces nectar that supports both butterflies and birds during migration.
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is a unique native perennial that attracts less common birds like Thrushes and Wild Turkeys. They are drawn to its bright red berries, which appear in late summer and fall.
Groundcovers & Vines
Groundcovers provide additional shelter and forage opportunities, in addition to adding a finishing touch, edging, or facer plant to your landscape. While many native vines give you vertical interest and bird heaven! Choose varieties like:
- Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana): Birds enjoy the small red fruits.
- Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata): Offers ground-level cover and nectar.
- Native Grasses (e.g., ): Their seeds sustain birds in winter. These include Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Side Oats Grama, Switchgrass, and Indian Grass. These attract Sparrows, Buntings, Juncos, Doves, and Goldfinch.
- Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi): Attracts Grouse and other ground-feeding birds with red berries and evergreen leaves for year-round shelter.
- Wild Grapes (Vitis spp.) From Muscadine Grapes to the 11 other types of native Grapevine all produce fruit and serve as nesting sites for Scarlet Tanagers, Catbirds, and Thrashers.
- Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia): This native vine attracts rarer songbirds such as Thrushes, Tanagers, and Warblers. It features small, dark blue berries that ripen in late summer and fall, providing an essential food source during migration.
Step 3: Provide Essential Bird-Friendly Features
Beyond plants, enhance your garden’s appeal with these bird-friendly elements:
Water Sources
All birds need water for drinking and bathing. Install a birdbath, fountain, or small pond. Ensure it’s shallow and kept clean to prevent diseases. In cold weather climates, you may want to look into a way to provide a heated water source that won’t freeze.
Nesting Materials
Leave natural debris like twigs, grass clippings, and leaves for birds to use in nest building. You can also install nesting boxes designed for species like bluebirds or chickadees.
No Chemicals
Avoid using pesticides or herbicides, as these can harm birds and the insects they eat. Opt for organic or natural gardening methods to keep your garden safe for wildlife. Or try planting double-duty plants that attract predatory and beneficial insects to do the work for you!
Keep a Section of Your Yard a Bit Wild
By allowing a bit of your yard to become overrun in weeds, fallen logs, twigs, piles of leaves, and other messier collections that are better known as wilderness, you’ll provide year-round shelter for native insect eggs, overwintering insects and pollinators, plus forage and shelter for birds and other wildlife! Fallen logs and tree snags shelter Owls and woodpeckers, and give Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, and Titmice a place to forage for bugs.
Diverse Habitat Layers
Include canopy trees, mid-story shrubs, and groundcovers to cater to different bird species. A mixed shelterbelt provides something for all species throughout all four seasons of the year and increases biodiversity significantly.
Quiet Spots & Safety
Create secluded areas in your garden for less common or timid birds. Keep the cat indoors, or put a bell on their collars during the spring and summer when birds are most active, and provide nesting, food, and water sources that are a ways away from high-traffic, noisy, and frequented locations.
Step 4: Four-Season Support and Maintenance
Birds need sustenance year-round! Plan your garden to ensure something is always available:
- Spring: Flowers that produce nectar for migratory birds and early emerging pollinators.
- Summer: Insect-attracting plants and early-ripening berries for nesting season.
- Fall: Plants with late-season fruits and seeds.
- Winter: Evergreen plants for cover and seed heads left intact.
- Pruning only when necessary to preserve shelter.
- Removing invasive plants that compete with natives.
- Leaving seed heads and fallen leaves to provide food and habitat.
Step 5: Attracting and Observing Birds
Once your garden is established, enjoy the fruits of your labor! Here are some tips for attracting and observing birds:
- Place feeders in safe, visible areas to supplement natural food sources.
- Use binoculars and a field guide to identify species.
- Keep cats indoors to protect visiting birds.
- Document bird activity to track the success of your efforts. Find online birding groups and citizen scientists where you can share your findings!
The Impact of a Bird-Friendly Garden
By creating a bird-friendly garden with native plants, you’re contributing to a healthier planet. You’ll enjoy:
- Increased biodiversity in your yard.
- Educational opportunities for family and friends.
- The soothing presence of birdsong and vibrant wildlife.
- Teach kids about birds and develop their love of nature.
Start small! Even a few native plants can make a big difference for local bird populations.
Your thoughtful planning, care, and efforts will pay off, not only in the joy it brings to you but also in the lasting benefits to your local ecosystem.
With some help from Nature Hills Nursery, your garden can become a haven for birds and a lasting testament to the beauty of nature!
Happy Planting & Happy Birding!
