Berries for birds

spotted towhee. © GIVEN PHOTOGRAPHY 2020

With the fall season here, many people might think it’s time to clean up the garden and put away the tools. But according to nursery professionals you can save the clean-up until mid to late November. Now is an excellent time to plant. The soil is still warm giving plants plenty of time to establish roots before winter.

So here is a suggestion…if you want to add more to your yard this fall, consider planting a berry producing tree or shrub that will provide much-needed food for birds in the fall and winter months.

Many non-migrating birds live in northern climates and rely on berries that are full of sugar and fat to survive the cold. These are the backyard birds that we all love to watch. During the cooler months they turn from their summer insect diet to a fall and winter diet of fat-rich berries, nuts, and seeds. Not only will berry producing plants provide shelter and food for our feathered friends, they will add wonderful year-round seasonal color to your gardens. In the spring many of these plants have beautiful flowers, attracting insects for the birds to eat.

We have a low-growing pyracantha in our front yard that borders a fence. Its bright red berries attract birds in the winter. We are constantly delighted when watching flocks of robins gorge on these berries. The resident jays gobble them down, too. In other regions Pyracantha attracts waxwings and cardinals.

I’ve listed a few common berry producing plants below with the birds they attract. These are North American native plants, but it’s good to check locally for other native plants in your region, as well. The selections are diverse and numerous. Some plants may take a year to get berries, but the wait will be well worth the effort.

Winterberry. This plant drops its leaves in late fall leaving brilliant bright red berries perfect for a little holiday decor in your garden. Birds that love it include wood thrushes, gray catbirds, eastern bluebird, robins, cedar waxwings, and woodpeckers.

Viburnum. Nanyberry, Highbush Cranberry, and Blackhaw are all Viburnums that attract abundant birds. Brightly colored leaves range from gold to burgundy to purple in the fall. Fruit on these bushes range from red to bluish purple. Birds that love them include cardinals, thrushes, eastern bluebirds, vireos, kingbirds, juncos, robins, warblers and cedar waxwings.

Chokeberry. This plant gives you pretty white spring flowers and bright red fall foliage with glossy red berries. Birds that love it include grouse, cedar waxwings, thrushes, northern flickers, and thrushes.

Mountain Ash. This ornamental tree has showy white blossoms in the spring and bright red-orange clusters of fruit in the fall and winter. Stunning in any landscape. Birds that love it include grosbeaks, grouse, finches, chickadees, thrushes, warblers, and waxwings.

Oregon Grape. This plant often borders Pacific Northwest trails. It has bright yellow flowers and small blue-black berries that last into spring. Birds that love it include robins, waxwings, juncos, towhees, sparrows, grouse, and pheasants.

Dogwood. This native plant produces white berries in the cold months. And when its leaves drop bright red stems are revealed. Birds that love it include bobwhites, woodpeckers, sapsuckers, cardinals, grosbeaks, and tanagers.

BeautyBERRY IN THE WINTER. © GIVEN PHOTOGRAPHY 2020

American Beautyberry. This pretty tree has uniquely colored clusters of purple berries that last into the winter. A beautiful plant for any landscape. Birds that love it include mockingbirds, robins, quails, towhees, and thrashers.

One last tip to bring birds into your yard. Don’t clean-up all of your fall debris. Birds need organic material like seedpods, piles of leaves, and fallen fruit to survive the winter months.

If you need a bit more incentive to add berry producing shrubs or trees to your yard, you’ll find great bargains at any nursery right now.

Read Goods in the Garden and No Time to Fall Back for more planting ideas.