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Attracting Birds with Native Plants
• For
more information on the plants below, visit Drosera's
Chart of New York City-area Native Plants for the Garden.
• For information on purchasing native plants, see Drosera's
Resources page.
•
Trees
• Shrubs
• Vines
• Forbs (wildflowers)
• Graminoids (grasses et al.)
• Nectar for Hummingbirds
• For More Information
Trees
• Maples (Acer rubrum, A. saccharinum). Fruits
(samaras) are high in fats.
• Birches (Betula alleghaniensis, B. lenta, B. nigra, B. papyrifera, B. populifolia)
• Hickories (Carya cordiformis, C. glabra, C. ovata, C. tomentosa)
• Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
• Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Also, Cornus alterniflora, C. rugosa. Fruits are high in fat, important for fall migrants.
• Common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
• American beech (Fagus grandifolia)
• Ashes (Fraxinus americana, F. nigra, F. pensylvanica)
• American holly (Ilex opaca) Shrivelled, dried fruits eaten by overwintering birds and early spring migrants.
• Butternut (Juglans cinerea) Red bellied woodpeckers eat the nuts.
• Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) . An
essential plant for the bird-friendly landscape - provides dense
shelter in winter, nesting site and high fat fruits (cones).
• Sweet-bay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
• Black tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica var. sylvatica)
• Hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) The seeds are eaten by overwintering birds like chickadees and titmice.
• Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Used as both a food source and shelter. A favorite roosting tree for owls.
• Cherries (Prunus pensylvanica, P. serotina, P. virginiana)
• Oaks (Quercus alba, Q. bicolor, Q. coccinea, Q. palustris,
Q. phellos, Q. rubra, Q. velutina)
• Sassafras (Sassafras albidum). The high fat fruits
are important for migratory birds.
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Shrubs
• Juneberry (Amelanchier canadensis) High sugar fruits in late spring are eaten by numerous songbirds. Also, Amelanchier arborea, A. laevis.
• Chokeberries (Photinia pyrifolia {syn. Aronia
arbutifolia}, Photinia melanocarpa {syn. Aronia melanocarpa})
• Hazelnuts (Corylus americana, Corylus cornuta)
• Hawthorns (Crataegus crus-galli, C. intricata, C. pruinosa, C. uniflora)
• Huckleberries (Gaylussacia baccata, G. dumosa, G. frondosa)
• Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
• Spicebush (Lindera benzoin). Fruits are high in fat, important for fall migrants.
• Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica). Fruit eaten by migrating and winter resident birds.
• Beach plum (Prunus maritima)
• Great laurel (Rhododendron maximum). Provides winter cover.
• Sumacs (Rhus aromatica, R. copallinum, R. glabra, R. typhina). Fruit eaten by some overwintering birds.
• Currents (Ribes americanum, R. cynosbati, R. hirtellum, R. rotundifolium)
• Roses (Rosa blanda, R. carolina, R. virginiana, R. palustris)
• Blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis, R. flagellaris, R. occidentalis, R. pensylvanicus)
• Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
• Blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium, V. corymbosum, V. pallidum) Eaten by many birds, including scarlet tanagers, bluebirds and thrushes.
• Viburnums (Viburnum acerifolium, V. alnifolium, V. dentatum, V. lentago, V. nudum, V. prunifolium). Fruits eaten by overwintering birds.
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Vines
• Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
• Greenbrier (Smilax glauca, S. rotundifolia)
• Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
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Forbs (Wildflowers)
• Spikenards (Aralia hispida, A. racemosa, A. nudicaulis)
• Asters (Aster spp.) Some sparrows eat seeds.
• Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
• Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)
• Southern pond lily (Nuphar advena {syn. N. lutea})
• Water lily (Nymphaea odorata)
• Eastern prickly pear (Opuntia humifusa). Fruits eaten by doves, quails, and songbirds.
• Swamp dock (Rumex verticillatus)
• False Solomon’s seal (Smilacina racemosa)
• Cattails (Typha latifolia). Used for nesting by red-wing blackbirds.
• Violets (Viola blanda, V. Viola canadensis, V. palmata, V. pubescens, V. rostrata, V. sororia, et al.) Seeds eaten by doves, quails,
junco. Roots (rhizome) eaten by wild turkey.
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Graminoids (grasses et al.)
• Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
• Side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipedula)
• Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
• Poverty grass (Danthonia spicata)
• Common wood rush (Luzula multiflora)
• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
• Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparius)
• Olney three-square (Scirpus americanus)
• Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
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Nectar for Hummingbirds
In
New York City, we are graced with a solitary species, the ruby-throated
hummingbird (Archilochus colubris).
~Trees~
• Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
• Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
~Shrubs~
• Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)
• Fly-honeysuckle (Lonicera canadensis)
• Azaleas (Rhododendron canadense, R. periclymenoides,
R. viscosum)
~Vines~
• Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)
• Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
~Herbs~
• Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
• Thistles (Cirsium discolor, C. muticum, C. pumilum)
• Rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
• Jewelweeds (Impatiens capensis, I. pallida)
• Irises (Iris prismatica, I. versicolor)
• Lilies (Lilium canadense, L. philadelphicum, L. superbum)
• Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
• Bee balms (Monarda didyma, M. fistulosa, M. punctata)
• Evening primroses (Oenothera biennis, O. fruticosa O.
perennis)
• Blue vervain (Verbena hastata)
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For More Information
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Gardening for Wildlife
• National Audubon Society - at home
• Birdsource
• Using Native Plants to Attract Birds. From the Maryland Native Plant Society - a pdf file.
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Content
& photos © 2005-06 Marielle Anzelone & Drosera, unless otherwise
noted.
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