The pallet of the landscape is transforming from subtle browns and tans, exploding to splashes of hot pink, white, yellow, and purple. The sweet smelling crabapple blossoms, showering down papery petals in a gentle breeze, blanket the landscape. The rustling, hatter, and singing of the wildlife have filled the once still air. Spring is here!
I peer out my bedroom window to watch the dance of the robins in the crabapple trees. Pecking a few of the faded fruits remaining from winter,
Mr. Robin urgently searches for a home to impress Mrs. Robin. This is a busy time for the migratory birds, just arriving back home after a long
flight. Some species of birds fly thousands of miles from Central America, Mexico, or South America to arrive at their final destination. In the
southeast, our American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is with us all year long. In a matter of days, the male robin scopes out his territory and then
the female arrives (choosing the male with the best nesting spot). They then build a nest, incubate eggs, and raise their young, or brood. In the case of the robin, they have two (sometimes three) broods before winter arrives
You might ask yourself, “What influences Mr. & Mrs. Robin to select their prime nesting spot?” They are looking for the same things that we do to survive: food, water, shelter, and a place to raise young. Birds will often return to the same location year after year if all of these are present. So let’s discuss what you can do in your garden to bring home the birds.
Depending on the species of bird, their diets will vary greatly. In the case of my friend, the robin, his/her diet consists of a mixture of fruits, berries, earthworms, and insects such as beetle grubs, caterpillars, and grasshoppers. Another frequent visitor to my garden is the Carolina wren,
Thryothorus ludovicianus, which does not migrate. He’s also here all year round. The Carolina wren is a ground forager whose diet mainly consists of caterpillars, moths, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders, wasps, and flies (I’m sure you can already see the wonderful benefits of attracting birds to your garden!).
There are so many native plants you can place in your landscape that provide fruit, berries, and seeds that our native birds need (see Tables 1.1-1.4). From my own observations in my backyard, the crabapple trees, smooth sumac, yaupon holly, American beautyberry, chokeberry, elderberry, blackberry, and blueberry are very popular amongst the fruit and berry eating birds. And like it or not, poison ivy berries are a favorite. I make sure this vine stays far away from my walkways!
For the seedeaters, I see lots of activity on my swamp sunflower, black-eyed-Susans, purple coneflower, and goldenrod. For nectar loving birds such as hummers, cardinal flower, bee balm, salvia (pineapple, anise & autumn sage), crossvine, coral honeysuckle, and jewelweed are big attractors.
But in addition to our bird friendly plants, it’s always a pleasure to supplement feed our feathered friends at our feeders. I especially make sure the feeders are full during late winter and early spring since the natural food supplies are diminishing and the new migrants are arriving. There are so many feeders available, some bird specific, that it can be overwhelming. The website www.enature.com has wonderful information on the various feeders and more.
My favorites are the standard cylindrical tube on a pole complete with the squirrel baffle, thistle feeder, suet, and nectar feeder. The cylindrical feeder attracts an array of birds from titmouse to woodpeckers. The seeds that are tossed out by the fussy eaters are eaten by the ground foragers (such as morning doves). I usually mix my own seed consisting of black oil sunflower, hulled sunflower, safflower, and sometimes peanuts. I stay away from corn and millet; two foods that appear to attract more rats than birds! The thistle feeder is specific to gold finches. And of course, the nectar feeder is for our sweet little hummers. This is filled with 1 part sugar to 4 parts water and is refilled every few days.
Not only is food essential to your habitat but also water. A simple birdbath that is 12 inches wide and two to three inches deep works perfectly. Also, water drips and fountains are appealing to birds because of the rippling affect on the water surface. A water garden or pond is also inviting. Just be sure to have a very gentle slope (half inch to 4 inches) so that it is accessible to the birds. The placement of your water feature will also determine which birds it will attract. In open areas, bolder species such as robins, jays, and chickadees will visit. To attract the more timid species, such as warblers, place your water source near evergreen shrubs.
For stagnant water, such as birdbaths, be sure to change the water every few days. Not only to keep it clean for our visiting birds, but also to prevent mosquitoes. Mosquito dunks or bits (Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt) are also helpful if added to the water. Bt is a naturally occurring soil bacterium, which is lethal to mosquito larvae but harmless to mammals and birds.
The next essential element, which encompasses your entire habitat, is shelter. To create a desirable shelter, we must concentrate on vegetation structure and layering. “Many migrants are attracted to thickets, dense masses of fruiting shrubs, vines, briers, and brambles. Native trees and shrubs are best, because they are genetically programmed to leaf out, bloom, and fruit at precisely the right time for the migrants with which they’ve co-evolved.” According to Janet Marinelli, Director of Publishing at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. It is also essential to have brush and log piles, and a small open area or meadow. This is where being a good steward comes into play. Be as organic and pesticide free as possible. If your garden is diverse, consists of plants native to your area, and you practice good maintenance habits, this should come naturally. If you must reach for the bottle of pesticide, please read the label carefully!
For the final element, we must provide places for the birds to raise their young. By providing a good shelter, you’ve probably already created good nesting places. Good nesting places are evergreen trees and shrubs, snags, trees with cavities, brush piles, and artificial nesting sites (such as nesting boxes). I often have robins and wrens nesting in plants on my front porch. Another important aspect of a nesting site is safety. Birds want to feel secure from predators. One of the biggest predators in my habitat is the free-roaming domestic cat. So if you own a cat, please be mindful of this. A bell around the neck does not work when it comes to baby birds. Please, try to keep kitty inside, especially in spring.
This sounds like a lot of work but with time and patience, it can be accomplished. If you are successful, the rewards are endless. The ultimate gift in return is to discover a nest, with 5 bright blue eggs, see them hatch, watch the brood grow, and take their first flight!
NATIVE PLANTS FOR YOUR BIRD HABITAT
Table 1.1- LARGE CANOPY TREES
All provide shelter to some degree but the evergreens* offer more winter protection
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Resource |
| American beech | Fagus grandiflora | Nut, shelter(not evergreen but leaves drop late) |
| American holly | Ilex opaca | Shelter, fruit |
| Arborvitae | Thuja occidentalis “Green Giant” | Shelter |
| Blackgum | Nyssa sylvatica | Fruit |
| Eastern red cedar | Juniperus virginiana | Fruit, shelter |
| Hickory | Carya spp. | Nuts & nut scraps |
| Magnolia, sweetbay*, southern*, cucumber tree, bigleaf, fraser | Magnolia virginiana, M. grandiflora, M. acuminata, M. macrophylla, M. fraseri | Seed, shelter |
| Oak; note the Sawtooth Oak is considered an exotic invasive | Quercus spp.; note the white oaks produce acorns more frequently than red | Nuts & nut scraps |
| Persimmon, common | Diospyros virginiana | Fruit |
| Pine* | Pinus spp. | Seed, Shelter |
| Sourwood | Oxydendrum arboreum | Seed |
| Sycamore | Platanus occidentalis | Seed |
| Sweetgum | Liquidambar styraciflua | Seed |
| Tuliptree | Liriodendron tulipifera | Seed, nectar |
| Wild or black cherry | Prunus serotina | Fruit |
| Riverbirch | Betula nigra | Seed |
| Winged elm | Ulmus alata | Seed |
| Ash, white & green | Fraxinus americana, F. pennsylvanica lanceolata | Seed |
Table 1.2- SMALL TREES & SHRUBS
All provide shelter to some degree but the evergreens* offer more winter protection
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Resource |
| American beautyberry | Calicarpa americana | Fruit |
| American Hophornbeam | Ostrya virgiana | Fruit |
| Agarista* | Agarista populifolia | Shelter, nectar |
| Arborvitae* | Thuja occidentalis ‘Emerald Green’ | Shelter |
| Blackberry | Rubus spp. | Fruit |
| Blueberry | Vaccinium spp. | Fruit |
| Chokeberry, red | Aronia arbutifolia | Fruit |
| Clethra | Clethra alnifolia | Fruit, nectar |
| Devil’s walkingstick | Aralia spinosa | Fruit |
| Dogwood | Cornus florida | Fruit |
| Elderberry | Sambucus canadensis | Fruit |
| Florida anise* | Illicium floridanum | Nectar, shelter |
| Fothergilla | Fothergilla gardeni, F. major | Seeds |
| Fringe tree | Chionanthus virginicus | Fruit |
| Gray owl juniper* | Juniperus virginiana | Fruit, shelter |
| Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis | Fruit |
| Hawthorn | Crataegus spp | Fruit |
| Huckleberry, some* | Gaylussacia spp | Berry |
| Inkberry* | Ilex glabra | Fruit |
| Leucothoe* | Leucothoe spp. | Nectar, shelter |
| Magnolia | Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’, M. ashei Ashe Magnolia | Seed |
| Mountain laurel* | Kalmia latifolia | Nectar, shelter |
| Native azalea | Rhodendron viscosum, R. canescens, R. prunifolium, R. roseum, R. austrinum | Nectar |
| Osage orange | Maclura pomifera | Fruit |
| Possumhaw | Ilex decidua | Fruit |
| Red Mulberry | Morus rubra | Fruit |
| Rhododendron* | Rhododendron catawbiense, R. maxmium | Nectar, shelter |
| Rose, swamp | Rosa palustris | Fruit |
| Sassafras | Sassafras albidium | Fruit |
| Serviceberry | Amalanchier arborea | Fruit |
| Southern crabapple | Malus angustifolia | Fruit |
| Spicebush | Lindera benzoin | Fruit |
| Strawberry bush | Euonymus americanus | Fruit |
| Sumac | Rhus spp. | Fruit |
| Viburnum, mapleleaf & Rusty black haw | Viburnum acerifolium V. rufidulum | Fruit |
| Wax myrtle* | Morella cerifera | Fruit, shelter |
| Wild plum | Prunus americana | Fruit |
| Winterberry | Ilex verticillata | Fruit |
| Yaupon holly* | Ilex vomitoria | Fruit, shelter |
Table 1.3- HERBACEOUS GROUND LAYER
All provide shelter to some degree but the evergreens* offer more winter protection
P=perennial, A=annual, V=vine
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Resource |
| Aster, Short’s | Aster shortii | P Nectar, seed |
| Shale aster | Aster oblongifolius | P Nectar, seed |
| Bee balm | Monarda didyma M. fistulosa | P Nectar |
| Black-eyed-Susan | Rudbeckia spp. | P & A Seed |
| Cardinal flower | Lobelia cardinalis | P Nectar |
| Carolina jessamine* | Gelsemium sempervirens | V Nectar, shelter |
| Columbine, wild red | Aquilegia canadensis | P Nectar |
| Coral bells | Heuchera americana | P Nectar |
| Coral honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens | V Nectar |
| Coreopsis, tickseed | Coreopsis auriculata | P & A Seed |
| threadleaf, pink tickweed | C. verticillata, C. rosea | P & A Seed |
| Crossvine* | Bignonia capreolata | V Nectar, shelter |
| Firepink | Silene virginica | P Nectar, seed |
| Geranium, wild | Geranium maculatum | P Seed |
| Goldenrod | Salidago spp. | P Seed |
| Grasses, native- some* | Andropogon spp, Panicum spp, Juncus spp*,Caryx * | P&A Seeds, shelter, nesting material |
| Greenbriar | Smilax spp. | P Nectar |
| Indian pink | Spigelia marilandica | P Nectar |
| Iris, copper | Iris fulva | P Nectar |
| Iris, dwarf | Iris cristata | P Nectar |
| Jack-in-the-pulpit | Arisaema triphyllum | P Fruit |
| Jewelweed | Impatiens | A Nectar |
| Joepyeweed | Eupatorium fistulosum | P Seed |
| Lantana | Lantana spp | P&A Fruit, nectar |
| Mosses, lichens * | Various spp | Nesting materials |
| Mountain mint | Pycnanthemum tenuifolium | P Seeds |
| Muscadine, wild grape | Vitis rotundifolia | V Fruit |
| Obedient plat | Physostegia virginiana | P Nectar |
| Partridge berry* | Mitchella repens | V Fruit |
| Phlox, Carolina | Phlox carolinia | P Nectar |
| Poison ivy | Toxicodendron radicans | V Fruit |
| Pokeweed | Phytolacca americana | P Fruit |
| Purple cone flower | Echinacea spp. | P Nectar |
| Salvias- anise sage, autumn sage, pineapple sage, Mexican bushsage, Texas sage, lyreleaf sage | Salvia guaranitica, S. greggii, S. elegans, S. leucantha, S. coccinea | P&A Nectar |
| Silphium, cup-plant | Silphium perfoliatum | P Seed & leaves hold basins of water |
| Solomon’s seal & false solomon’s seal | Polygonatum biflorum, Smilacina racemosa | P Fruit |
| Sundrops | Oenothera tetragona | P Nectar |
| Sunflower | Helianthus spp. | P&A Seed |
| Swamp hibiscus | Hibiscus coccineus | P Nectar |
| Trumpet creeper | Campsis radicans | V Nectar |
| Virginia creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | V Fruit |
Table 1.4- COMMON BIRDS OF GEORGIA AND DIET
Note-Some bird’s diets are more detailed than others due to research available
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Diet |
| American gold finch | Carduelis tristis | Hulled sunflower, niger,suet. White ash, box elder, American elm, American hop hornbeam, red mulberry, most pine, sweet gum, osage orange, grape, sunflower, rose, silphium, and serviceberry. |
| American robin | Turdus mirgatorius | Insects, spiders, worms, most berries -chokeberry, wild grapes, crabapple |
| Blue jay | Cyanocitta cristata | Black oil, hulled sunflower, nuts. Other bird’s eggs, fruit, nutmeats, acorns, insects |
| Brown Thrasher State bird | Orpheus rufus | Suet, black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower seed, nutmeats, fruit. Red chokeberry, flowering dogwood, cedar, Southern magnolia, red mulberry, Southern wax myrtle, black gum, pines, black cherry, devil’s walking stick, serviceberry, holly, juniper, Virginia creeper, pokeberry, wild plum, and blueberry. Also, insects, worms, spiders, small amphibians, caterpillars. |
| Brown-headed nuthatch | Sitta pusilla | Black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower seed, striped sunflower seed, safflower seed, niger (thistle), suet, nutmeats, fruit, shelled peanuts. Mostly pine seed, but also maple, oak, beech, hickory, insects, spiders. |
| Carolina Chickadee | Poecile carolinensis | Sunflower, niger, safflower, suet. Maple, sweet gum, pines, elm, sunflower, insects. |
| Carolina wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus | Insects, Bird Cakes, Mealworms, suet, niger. Sweet gum, pine, oak, and osage orange. |
| Dark eyed junco | Junco hyemalis | Seed mix, hulled sunflower. A wide variety of seeds. Also, insects, spiders, |
| Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis | Shelled peanuts, cracked nutmeats, suet, raisins, currants, hulled sunflower chips, and live mealworms. Red chokeberry, flowering dogwood, hackberry, common persimmon, red cedar, crabapple, red mulberry, Southern wax myrtle, black gum, black cherry, sassafras, huckleberry, devil’s walking stick, strawberry bush, holly, juniper, Virginia creeper, pokeweed, sumac, rose, blackberry, elderberry, grapes, blueberry, and viburnum. Also, insects, spiders, caterpillars. |
| Eastern screech owl | Otus asio | Voles, mice, large insects, crayfish, earthworms, and other vertebrates |
| Field sparrow | Spizella pusilla | Insects, spiders, grass seeds |
| House finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | Introduced in 1940. Hulled sunflower, safflower, grasses, and ‘weed’ seeds, berries |
| Mourning dove | Zenaida macroura | Seed Mix, Hulled Sunflower. Variety of seeds, waste grain, fruit, insects |
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | Black Oil Sunflower, Safflower. Maple, ironwood, hackberry, fringetree, flowering dogwood, hawthorn, ash, huckleberry, sweet gum, Southern magnolia, red mulberry, hop hornbeam, pine, black cherry, aralia, sunflower, firebush, lantana, rose, and blackberry. Also, grass seed, waste grain, ‘weeds’. Also, insects, spiders, caterpillars. |
| Northern mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | Suet, peanut butter, nutmeats, fruit. Hackberry, mulberry, flowering dogwood, elderberry, sumac, and serviceberry. Also, spiders, insects. |
| Red bellied woodpecker | Melanerpes carolinus | Suet, hulled sunflower, sugar water. Pine, oak, red mulberry, flowering dogwood, maple, crabapple, black gum, American beech, American elm, bayberry, elderberry, sunflower, holly, Virginia creeper, pokeweed, grape, and blueberry. Also, insects, other small mammals & reptiles & bird eggs. |
| Ruby Throated hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | Nectar, sugar. water flowering maple, scarlet sage, anise sage, pineapple sage, coral honeysuckle, trumpet vine, cardinal flower, lantana, cross vine, Mexican sage, bleeding heart vine, Carolina jessamine, hibiscus, azaleas. Also, small insects. |
| Song sparrow | Melospiza melodia | Most seeds, grains, grass, berries and on some occasions insects |
| Summer tanager | Piranga rubra | Fruit, suet, sugar water. Black gum, flowering dogwood, red mulberry, blackberry, black cherry, elderberry, muscadine grape, and pokeweed. Also, many flying insects, especially bees & wasps. |
| Scarlet tanager | Piranga olivacea | Fruit, suet, sugar water. Same as Scarlet Tanager plus black oil sunflower seeds, hulled sunflower seeds, pecan meats, peanut hearts, and sugarwater. Red mulberry, black cherry, serviceberry, blackberry, sparkleberry, and grape. Also, many flying insects, especially bees & wasps. |
| Tufted titmouse | Baeolophus bicolor | Black oil sunflower, suet. American beech, crabapple, red mulberry, black gum, hackberry, oaks, blackberry, elderberry, serviceberry, Virginia creeper, and grape. A variety of insects and other invertebrates. |
| White breasted nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | Black oil sunflower seed, hulled sunflower seed, striped sunflower seed, safflower seed, niger (thistle), suet, nutmeats, fruit, shelled peanuts. Mostly pine seed, but also maple, oak, beech, hickory, insects, spiders. |
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Dendroica coronata | A variety of insects and berries. An opportunistic feeder. |
The following websites were a great resource of information:
http://www.abcbirds.org/index.htm -American Bird Conservancy
http://www.nsis.org – Your Florida Backyard
http://www.for-wild.org – Wild Ones-Native Plants, Natural Landscapes
http://www.enature.com/ – eNature.com
http://www.audubon.org/ – National Audubon Society
http://www.wildlifehabitatdesign.com/ – Wildlife Habitat Design