You can lure birds to your yard by planting trees that are a good source of food or offer great nesting sites. Native birds grow to rely on the food and shelter provided by local plants and trees.
It is best to plant trees native to your area, to ensure the best value for the birds and other animals like squirrels and deer. You can increase the variety of trees in the landscape to accommodate breeding, wintering and migrating birds.
The following tree species can be grown in your yard to attract native birds:
1. American beech/ Fagus grandifolia
It has a smooth bark, even in full maturity, which is excellent for the aesthetic of your landscape. It produces nuts, high in fat, which are highly nutritious for birds, especially during winter.
The tree is loved by woodpeckers, grouse, jays, crows, wood ducks and turkeys. It has a long lifespan, so it is highly valuable to many generations of birds.
Beech can be affected by beech bark disease, which may cause the death of the tree within 5 years. However, some species are resilient and can live with an infection for many years.
- Grows best in moist, well-drained soils.
- Requires full sunlight or partial shade.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 4-8.
2. Sargent Crabapple/ Malus sargentii
The tree produces white flowers which bloom in May. It grows densely, with branches spreading out to make the tree wider than it is tall. This makes it ideal as a nesting site and cover for birds during winter.
Fruits blossom in springs and fruits thrive in autumn and persist through winter. It is valuable as a privacy screen and on hedges. The tree attracts robins, mockingbirds, waxwings and grosbeaks.
- Trees reach a height of 39ft at full maturity.
- Requires full sunlight or partial shade.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 4-8.
3. Flowering Dogwood/ Cornus florida
The ornamental tree offers high value to native birds. It produces white and pink flowers that bloom in spring and scarlet berries that appear in the fall. The berries attract bluebirds, cardinals, robins, thrushes, and grosbeaks.
They act as nesting sites and cover for kingbirds, grouse, warblers and juncos.
- Grows to a height of 33ft at full maturity.
- Thrives in acidic, moist soils.
- Requires full sunlight or partial shade.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 5-9.
- The tree grows to around 40ft high.
- Thrives in full sunlight or partial shade.
4. Blue spruce/Picea pungens
Produces fruits in the fall, which remain ripe throughout the winter. It has seed-bearing cones and evergreen needles, which produce food for insects during early spring.
Attracts crossbills and other birds that feed on the seeds during fall and winter. Migrating warblers frequent the tree in spring to search for insects. It is also a good nesting sites and cover for birds during winter.
- It is a large tree that may grow up to 150ft tall.
- Cones form every 2-3 years.
- Grows best in cool and humid climatic zones.
- Thrives in moist, well-drained soils.
- The tree can withstand extreme cold and frost damage.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 2-7.
5. Eastern red cedar/ Juniperus virginiana
Produces fruits in the fall and they remain during winter. It is cone-shaped, producing fleshy pale blue berries on female trees. Attracts waxwings and other birds that feed on its fruit. It is a good nesting site and cover for birds and insects.
- Grows from 50 to 90ft tall and spreads 8-20ft at full maturity.
- Requires full sunlight or partial shade.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 2-7.
6. White Oak/ Quercus alba
The white oak produces fruits in the fall and they remain ripe in the winter. It produces acorns yearly, as opposed to other oaks. The acorns are the favorite food for woodpeckers, grouse, jays, wild turkey, thrushes and wood ducks.
Acorns have high fat, protein and carbohydrate content, making them good food sources for birds. It is a good nesting tree and offers cover for many bird species.
- Best grown in well-drained acidic soils.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 4-8.
7. Serviceberries/ Amelanchier species
Serviceberries are hardy and exceptionally adaptable to their surroundings. They are native to North America and can grow as shrubs or small trees. The flowers bloom in spring and red berries appear in the summer.
It blooms early and is thus highly valuable to pollinators. It attracts woodpeckers, grouse, cardinals, and thrushes. tanagers and American redstart. Serviceberries are also good nesting sites for birds.
- They are medium-sized, growing to a height of 25 to 60ft.
- Thrives in well-drained moist soils.
- Requires full sunlight or partial shade.
- Ideal for hardiness zones 4-8.
Conclusion
If you want local birds to frequent your garden, plant trees with vibrant flowers and dense branches for nest building. Native trees offer food and nectar for birds; most commonly hummingbirds.
Thrushes, waxwings, and cardinals love the flowers of serviceberries and blue spruce, the fruits of white oak and eastern red cedar and american beech. Plant a variety of trees that flower all year round to ensure birds are well taken care of in all seasons.
