Creating a Bird and Wildlife Garden
Birds
add color, movement and song to any garden. They make it come alive and bring joy to the watcher.
Be Like a Bird
Victor Hugo
Be like the bird, who
Halting in his flight
On limb too slight
Feels it give way beneath him,
Yet sings
Knowing that he hath wings.
Food Plants for the Birds and Other Wildlife
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: (as of 11/11/2009)
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.
Bringing Nature Home
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens
Amazon Price: (as of 11/11/2009)
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: $21.86 (as of 11/11/2009)
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
-
Hummingbirds and Gardening for Them
-
Who wouldn't want to attract hummingbirds, nature's flying jewels, to their yard? Hummingbird feeders will help bring them into view, but to really sustain them it is necessary to plant for them. Planting a Hummingbird Garden full of nectar rich flow...
-
Butterflies and Gardening to Attract Them
-
What is more beautiful than a garden full of colorful flowers with gorgeous butterflies flitting around? It's really not that hard to create a haven like this right in your own yard. All you need to create this sanctuary for you and the butterflies a...
-
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth
-
One may think there's a tiny little baby hummingbird flying among the flowers, but more than likely it's a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth. This moth will feed during the day and it's shape, coloration and scaleless wings give it the appearance of a small...
Other Habitat Lenses
-
Gardening with Native Plants
-
Using native plants in the landscape and sustainable gardening are 2 hot topics, today. This lens will provide you with native plant lists, techniques, and links to more information that will get you started on the way to creating an ecologically hea...
-
Naturally Native Habitat
-
Naturally Native is all about our love of nature, animals and the great outdoors. We enjoy Louisiana's scenic rivers and the abundant native flora and fauna and we want to share it with the world. Most of the photographs featured here were taken in S...
-
Preserving Native Habitats in Louisiana
-
Scientists from all over the world, like Douglas Tallamy the author of Bringing Nature Home, are advocating using native plants in sustainable, ecologically balanced gardens in suburban and urban yards to help bring back the beneficial insects that a...
Bird Songs
Anonymous
Oh, there's music
In the forests
And there's music
In the glen
As the birds
Are warbling greetings
To the spring
That's come again.
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: $23.07 (as of 11/10/2009)
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!
Lasagna Gardening
Lasagna Gardening: A New Layering System for Bountiful Gardens: No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding!
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/11/2009)
Robin in Yaupon on CafePress
Robin Redbreast 2.25" Magnet (10 pack)
Price: 15.99
Robin Redbreast BBQ Apron
Price: 18.99
Robin Redbreast Tote Bag
Price: 14.99
Robin Redbreast Large Mug
Price: 13.99
Robin Redbreast Greeting Cards (Pk of 10)
Price: 16.99
Flowering Dogwoods on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Bird Garden Video
Birds on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand byLittle Tchefuncte Hummingbird Hill Blog RSS Feed
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byHope we planted a seed. Leave us a note.
AnimalGuy wrote...
I love birds. We live in the country so we are blessed with a lot of them. It really does help to plant things that birds like.
Posted May 13, 2009
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
Christmas is over and my Burpee's catalog has arrived. My thoughts are turning back to the birds and gardening.
Spring is coming
Lizzy
Posted December 29, 2008
ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...
Welcome to The Totally Awesome Lenses Group.
Lizzy
Posted November 01, 2008
paperfacets wrote...
I have studied more titles from your lensgraphy than anyone on Squidoo. I am a big fan of yours.
Thanks again for a beautiful lens.
Posted October 09, 2008
Bird Gardening Blogs
- Mark Hearld's Bird Garden
- Here's a sneak preview of our forthcoming fabric designed by painter-printmaker Mark Hearld, the follow-up to his first design for St. Jude's, Doveflight. We'll be launching with two colourways on linen-union (blue and red) plus a ...
- Sam And Lisa's Wildlife Photos: Back to Reality, Birds in The Garden
- Back to Reality, Birds in The Garden. Back to reality after the Flycatcher, we have had our first yellowhammer in the garden this year and hopefully more to follow. Last year we had six visiting for a couple of months. ...
- Julie Orr Design » Blog Archive » Bird Gardens - If You Plant It ...
- I just finished a design project for a couple looking for a bird garden in their backyard. As more birds are being displaced through urban development (lack of trees for nesting and fruit-bearing shrubs for food sources) it is more ...
- Lotherton bird garden on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
- This is a very striking bird and large at half a metre tall.
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
We are Master Gardeners and... (more)
Explore related pages
Snakes of Louisiana- Snakes are probably one of the most controversial animals. You either love them...
Box Turtles of Louisiana- The habitat in the riparian area around the Tchefuncte River is perfect for box...
To the River and Back Again in Pictures- Each morning, around 9:00 a.m. we (two humans and our two dogs, though sometimes...
Nest Box Trails for Bluebirds and Others- Lawrence Zeleny's book, the Bluebird How You Can Help Its Fight for Survival, al...
Bluebird Tribute in Video and Song- This is a tribute to the beautiful and joyful Bluebird of the fields and forests...
Natural Garden Tips and Tricks
- Do you get spring fever as soon as the seed catalogs arrive in early January? I...
