Planting for Birds and Wildlife
Ranked #6,653 in Home & Garden, #100,807 overall
Creating a Bird and Wildlife Garden
Welcoming birds and animals into our yard has been a most enjoyable experience. The beauty and motion that they add to the landscape makes the garden that we have created seem all the more beautiful. We have provided a planting list with photographs and descriptions in this lens, so that you can create your own garden for wildlife or add new plants to an established habitat. For more detailed instructions visit our other habitat construction and gardening for hummingbirds, butterflies and moths lenses. We hope you'll start your garden in the fall, when it's the best time to plant.
Contents at a Glance
Birds
add color, movement and song to any garden. They make it come alive and bring joy to the watcher.
Planting for Animals Poll
Food Plants for the Birds and Other Wildlife
Landscaping your yard or garden with plants that provide food, shelter and/or nesting sites for birds and other animals will provide 3 of the 4 requirements for a successful wildlife habitat. All you need to add is a bird bath or a pond of any size and you'll have a sanctuary for displaced wildlife and a beautiful retreat for you and your family.
Trees
Trees, shrubs and vines can add beauty and form to the landscape, but with a little planning they can also provide a year round food supply for wildlife, too. Try some of these natives and old favorites for a low maintenance, pesticide free addition to your yard. To help you get started I've included a list (with photographs and descriptions)of our favorite, easy to grow wildlife plants. I'll be adding more as time goes on.
Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)- Large deciduous native, early summer fruit, full sun/partial shade. Larval food of the tiger swallowtail butterfly. Attracts 30 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Taiwan Cherry (Prunus campanulata) Small imported, deciduous tree, very early spring flowers, late spring fruit, full sun to part shade, Hummingbirds use the flowers, fruit eating birds devour the cherries.
Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) - Large deciduous introduced species, spring fruit, full sun/partial shade. Attracts 29 bird species (bluebird favorite)
Black Gum (Nyssa Sylvatica) - Medium/large deciduous native, fall fruit, full sun/light shade. Attracts 16 bird species.
Southern Crab Apple (Malus angustifolia) - Small deciduous native, fall fruit, full sun/partial shade. Attracts 15 bird species.
Dogwood - Flowering (Cornus florida) Medium deciduous native, fall fruit, sun/shade.
Rough-leaf (Cornus Drummondii) Small deciduous native, early summer fruit, sun/partial shade. Larval food of spring azure butterfly. Attracts 15 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Wild or Domesticated Plum (Prunus spp.) Small deciduous native (or imported), spring bloom, summer fruit, full sun/part shade. Attracts birds and other wildlife.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) - Small deciduous native, late spring fruit, full sun/light shade. Larval food of the spicebush swallowtail butterfly. Attracts 14 bird species.
Service Berry (Amelanchier arborea) - Small deciduous native, spring fruit, sun/partial shade. Attracts 14 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Magnolia - Southern (Magnolia grandiflora) - Large evergreen native, late summer-fall fruit, full sun/partial shade. Sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana) - Medium/large evergreen native, July-October fruit, full sun/partial shade. Larval food of the tiger swallowtail butterfly. Attracts 13 bird species.
Common Fig (Ficus carica) - Small deciduous introduced species, midsummer fruit, full sun. Attracts 10 bird species.
American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) - Large deciduous native, fall nut-like fruit, medium sun to shade. Attracts 10 bird species.
Devil's Walking Stick (Aralia spinosa) - Small deciduous native, summer-fall fruit, full sun/partial shade. Attracts 9 bird species.
Hackberry (Celtis laevigata) - Medium to large deciduous native, early fall fruit, sun/shade. Larval food of the hackberry, eastern snout, & question mark butterflies. Attracts 8 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Oak (Quercus spp.) - The acorns feed many wildlife species.
Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) - Many mammals and birds use the nuts.
Hickory (Carya spp.) - Many mammals and birds use the nuts.
Pine (Pinus spp.) - Birds like the Pine Warbler and Brown-headed Nuthatch need Pine trees to survive. The Pine nuts are eaten by many species of birds and mammals.
Spring
Lorraine Ellis Harr
On the ancient plum tree
three open blossoms.
Attracting Birds to Southern Gardens
Attracting Birds to Southern Gardens
Amazon Price: $67.94 (as of 02/17/2012)![]()
One of the best gardening for bird books around. Most of the plants listed will also grow well in northern gardens.
Shrubs
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) - Large, semi-evergreen shrub, summer- fall fruit, full sun/light shade. Attracts 31 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Ham & Eggs Lantana (Lantana spp.) Tropical shrub, winter die back, late spring flowers, summer fruit, full sun. Hummingbirds and butterflies use flowers, fruit eating birds love the berries.
Pyracantha (Pyracantha coccinea) - Evergreen introduced shrub, fall/winter fruit, full sun. Attracts 12 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) - Small evergreen native, early fall fruit, full sun/partial shade. Larval food of the red-banded hair-streak butterfly. Attracts 22 bird species.
Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana) - Large perennial herb, summer-fall fruit, full sun/partial shade. Attracts 20 bird species (bluebird favorite)
Huckleberry (gaylussacia spp.) / Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) - Most are large semi- evergreen native shrubs, spring fruit, full sun/partial shade. Attracts 21 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Arrow-wood (Virburnum dentatum) - Large deciduous native shrub, late summer fruit, full sun/partial shade. Larval food of the spring azure butterfly. Attracts 12 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Hollies - American (Ilex opaca) - Medium evergreen native tree, fall fruit, full sun/partial shade.
Deciduous Holly (Ilex longipes) - One of the deciduous Hollies, small tree, large shrub, berries in winter, sun to part sun.
Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) Large evergreen native shrub, fall fruit, full sun/partial shade. Attracts 18 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Hawthorne - Parsley (Crataegus Marshallii) Large deciduous native shrub, fall fruit, full sun/partial shade.Mayhaw (C. opaca) Small deciduous native tree, spring Fruit, full sun/partial shade. Great for jelly. Attracts 12 bird species (thrush favorite).
Bringing Nature Home
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens
Amazon Price: $50.99 (as of 02/17/2012)![]()
Everyone who wants to help keep Mother Earth healthy should read this book. Tallamy explains the importance of insects to the survival of the planet. Plant lists and insect photos and descriptions are given.
Vines
Grapes, Muscadines (Vitis spp.) - Large deciduous native vines, late summer-fall fruit, full sun/shade. Attracts 28 Bird species.
Summer Grape (Vitis )
Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) - Deciduous vine, summer fruit, full sun/shade. Attracts 24 bird species (bluebird favorite).
Greenbriars, Sawbriars (Smilax spp.) - Evergreen or deciduous native vine, late summer-fall fruit, sun/shade. Attracts 13 bird species.
Bird-by-Bird Gardening
Bird-by-Bird Gardening: The Ultimate Guide to Bringing in Your Favorite Birds-Year after Year
Amazon Price: $4.93 (as of 02/17/2012)![]()
Great book that gives step by step instructions about how to plant for birds. Also has beautiful photos of many garden visitors with information about their family life, diet, etc.
Perennials and Annuals
Coral Bean, Mamou (E ) Herbaceous perennial with a large root, spring flowers, fall bean-like seeds, full sun to part shade. Hummingbirds use the flowers and many animals use the seeds.
Native Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) Herbaceous perennials, full sun to part shade, most bloom in late summer and fall, seed in late fall / winter. Seeds are eaten by goldfinches and other small seed eating birds.
Louisiana Iris (Iris spp.) Evergreen leaves from rhisomes, full sun, moist soil, blooms in spring, seeds in fall. Hummingbirds and other nectar eating birds use flowers, wood ducks will eat the seeds.
Annuals
Zinna and Sunflower seeds are eaten by a large number of birds.
Chickweed (Stellaria media) Annual cool weather ground cover, grows anywhere, seeds are eaten by many birds, whole plant can be eaten.
Planting for Hummingbirds, Butterflies and Moth Lenses
Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbird Feeder - 10 ounce - $ 26.4510 oz. Hummingbird Feeder with 4 ports and perches. 4 Port Hummingbird Feeder with Internal Ant Moat, Dependably Durable, Pole Mountable.
Other Habitat Lenses
Bird Friendly Plants on Zazzle
See our other designs at Naturally Native on Zazzle.com.
Forest Plants of the Southeast
Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses
Amazon Price: $22.39 (as of 02/17/2012)![]()
Photographs, great descriptions and a list of the wildlife that use each plant.
Wonderful Wildlife Gardening Books
More Wildlife Gardening Books
Woodpecker
Meish Goldish
Peck! Peck! Peck!
Drill with your bill
And bob your neck!
Peck out a hole
In the trunk of a tree.
Peck out a nest
For all to see.
Cling to the wood
With your sharp clawed feet.
Peck through the bark
And find bugs to eat!
Peck! Peck! Peck!
Drill with your bill
And bob your neck!
Robin in Yaupon on CafePress
Flowering Dogwoods on eBay
Birds on eBay
Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Blog RSS Feed
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byTraditional Bluebird House
Traditional Bluebird House - $ 34.50This traditional Bluebird House has a 1 9/16 in hole. Woodlink makes high-quality, Ornithologically correct houses and shelters.
Hope we planted a seed. Leave us a note.
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Reply
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NotTooTall
Aug 18, 2011 @ 3:35 pm | delete
- Hi naturegirl7,
I really liked your lense. I believe that some things grown in the garden can be for the benefit of the little ones! Shelter, food and drinks are important elements to include for them.
N T T
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BlueStarling Jul 24, 2011 @ 4:28 pm | delete
- Great list of plants that provide food for birds and wonderful photos for identifying plants. You've made me feel guilty for pulling out such plants as Pokeberry, but I do try to keep in mind what trees, shrubs, etc. will benefit birds when I'm adding plants.
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susannaduffy
Jun 16, 2010 @ 5:39 am | delete
- I adore your bird lenses and your information on wildlife - especially the advice on planting to attract wild creatures. Blessed by an angel today ( /one-hundred-lens-blessings)
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Reply
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ElizabethJeanAllen
Jan 14, 2010 @ 7:36 pm | delete
- Beautiful!
Lensrolled to Plant a Hummingbird Garden
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BevsPaper
Sep 8, 2009 @ 10:23 pm | delete
- Beautiful photos and wonderful lens!
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About Naturegirl7
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Links to Help Plan a Backyard Habitat
Folsom Louisiana Native Plant Society
Photographs (4 Photo Galleries) and information ab more...1 point
Little Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Habitat
All about the native plants and animals of Southea more...1 point
Garden for Wildlife - National Wildlife Federation
Gardening for wildlife means you'll get to see bea more...1 point
Backyard Nature with Jim Conrad
Backyard nature study1 point
Register Your Yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat - National Wildlife Federation
Help spread the word about gardening for wildlife more...1 point
eNature: FieldGuides
eNature Field Guides -- Comprehensive guide to Ame more...1 point
by naturegirl7
My husband and I have always loved nature and the outdoors. We currently maintain a 9 acre private wildlife preserve.
We are Master Gardeners...
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