Landscaping for Birds

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Nurture the natives

Selecting landscape materials native to your locale almost certainly guarantees their health and hardiness. Because they existed in your geographical region for years, indigenous plants, once established, do well without much attention.

“They help perpetuate our natural heritage and are adapted to the climate of an area so winter kill isn’t a serious problem,” Carrol says.

Jim Nestingen, former director of the University of Wisconsin’s Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center located near Coon Valley, agrees. “People are beginning to appreciate the beauty of indigenous species and work with them,” Jim says. “They have less time and more awareness of native plants.”

Carrol advises consulting your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and/or DNR offices to find native plant sources in your area. The NRCS’s ideal rule of thumb is that native seed should originate within 25-50 miles of where it is to be planted. Always get landowner permission before collecting your own native plant material. And rather than transplanting mature specimens, try harvesting a few seeds. If you have access to areas slated for development, it might be possible to obtain plants before they’re dozed under.

Coniferous trees like pines, balsam fir, spruces, cedars and junipers provide protective winter shelter for birds. Grasses and legumes provide nesting cover, winter cover and food. Tubular red flowers like cardinal flower, dropmore honeysuckle, jewelweed, scarlet runner bean, coral bells and foxglove are especially attractive to hummingbirds, and they can spy the color from a half mile away. Staggered bloom times will keep the hummers returning to your yard all season. Orioles are also drawn to orange and red blossoms, and they use milkweed silk for their nests. American columbine, penstemon and monarda species also supply nectar for hummingbirds and orioles. Shrubs and vines such as amur chokecherry, raspberry, wild plum, pin cherry and grapes supply seasonal food and, if allowed to grow densely, can offer shelter year-round. 

Winter preparation

Wildlife foods are extremely important in the fall because they allow migratory birds to build up fat reserves prior to migration. Fruits of mountain ash, winterberry and buffalo berry provide fall nutrition and temporary shelter for migratory birds like brown thrashers, robins and cedar waxwings. Many of the best winter wildlife foods do not appeal to birds when they first appear, but remain on trees and shrubs until they are needed. Persistent fruits such as black chokeberry, staghorn sumac, American highbush cranberry and bittersweet offer an excellent supply of high-energy winter food.

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