The design of your landscape and the way you garden can bring more birds to your yard year round. In the summer they will help control insects and in the winter they will enliven an otherwise grim scene. Birds need cover, nesting sites, water and food if they are going to call your yard home. The most active bird habitat consists of "edges," where different habitats meet. These areas include a mix of foods and shelters to accommodate a wider range of bird species. Fortunately, your yard probably includes just such edges, where trees and shrubs open onto lawn areas. It won't take much to increase its attraction to birds. The easiest way to provide cover and nesting sites is by planting a diverse selection of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs. Where space allows, plant in masses rather than dotting specimens around the yard. Include shade trees, small flowering trees, shrubs and ground covers in order to create a variety of vertical habitats. Select plants which flower and fruit at different times of the year so that there is always something for the birds and you. You don't have to give up your flower garden, either. Many favorite flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, and when they go to seed they become food for birds.
Designing a landscape that attracts birds is not much different from designing a beautiful landscape for your family and guests. There are, though, a few changes that should be made in the way the landscape is maintained:
First, birds need water for drinking and bathing throughout the year. If your yard doesn't have a small pond, stream or fountain that can be kept free of ice, then a shallow birdbath can be provided. This can be simple and homemade or formal, to suit your design.
Second, some birds, such as sparrows and juncos, prefer to scratch around in leaf litter for seeds, and they will appreciate areas left unraked. These can be under shrubs and at the backs of borders.
Third, when pruning trees and shrubs, especially in the spring, care must be taken not to disturb nests. Become aware of where birds are nesting and delay pruning those plants.
Finally, remember that many birds eat earthworms and insects. Restrict your use of pesticides. This will make your yard a better habitat for your family and pets, as well as for the birds.
Gardening for the birds is a fun way to work with nature, beautify your yard, and learn about wildlife at the same time. With some good books, a pair of binoculars, and a field guide to local birds, you'll learn all about those strangers hiding in your bushes. Visit the Bird Gardens at the Zoo for more ideas!
Suggested Reading:
The Audobon Society Guide to Attracting Birds.
Stephen W. Kress, Charles Scribner's & Sons, 1985
Gardening for Wildlife, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
"Plants & Gardens" Series, Vol. 43, no. 3, 1987
Songbirds in Your Garden, John K. Terres,
Harper & Row, 1987
PLANTS FOR BIRDS:
TREES
Ash Fraxinus Maple Acer
Beech Fagus Oak Quercus
Birch Betula Olive Eleagnus
Cherry Prunus Pine Pinus
Crabapple Malus Sassafras Sassafras
Dogwood Cornus Serviceberry Amelanchier
Hackberry Celtis Spruce Picea
Hawthorn Crataegus Sumac Rhus
Hemlock Tsuga Sweetgum Liquidambar
Hickory Carya Tupelo Nyssa
Holly Ilex Tulip Poplar Liriodendron
Larch Larix
SHRUBS
Arborvitae Thuja Elderberry Sambucus
Bayberry Myrica Euonymus Euonymus
Beautyberry Callicarpus Firethorn Pyracantha
Brambles Rubus Honeysuckle Lonicera
Buckthorn Rhamnus Juniper Juniperus
Chokeberry Aronia Rose Rose
Coralberry Symphoricarpus Spicebush Lindera
Cotoneaster Cotoneaster Viburnum Viburnum
Dogwood Cornus
VINES
Bittersweet Celastris Boston Ivy Parthenocissus
Grape Vitis Porcelainberry Ampelopsis
PERENNIAL FLOWERS
Aster Aster Coneflower Echinacea
Bellflower Campanula Forget-me-not Myosotis
Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia Pinks, Sweet Wm. Dianthus
Blanket-flower Gaillardia Russian Globethistle Echinops
Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum Sunflower Helianthus
Columbine Aquilegia Tickseed Coreopsis
ANNUAL FLOWERS
Bachelor's Buttons Centaurea Moss Rose Portulaca
California Poppy Eschscholzia Petunia Petunia
Cosmos Cosmos Phlox Phlox
Four O'Clock Mirabilis Pot Marigold Calendula
Larkspur Consolida Sunflower Helianthus
Marigold, single Tagetes Verbena Verbena
Mexican Sunflower Tithonia Zinnia Zinnia
SHRUBS FOR HUMMINGBIRDS
Abelia Abelia Coralberry Symphoricarpus
Azelea Rhododendron Flowering Quince Chaenomeles
Beautybush Kolkwitzia Rose of Sharon Hibiscus
Butterflybush Buddleia Siberian Pea-Shrub Caragana
Chaste-tree Vitex Weigela Weigela
Happy Gardening!
Bloomin Garden Centre & Landscaping
8793 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati OH 45242
Garden Store: 513-891-9035
Landscaping: 513-984-TREE
Fax: 513-891-9276
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