Almost all species of songbirds are allies for gardeners in the battle to control insects. When our gardens provide a welcoming habitat, they will be a haven for many migratory as well as resident birds.
Most important in a suitable habitat are a predictable water sources, an open area of lawn, some dense shrubs for cover, some tall trees, plants with berries, and nesting places for ground birds. For winter shelter, evergreens are especially important for birds. This type of environment will also attract chipmunks, squirrels, fireflies, butterflies, and moths.
Feeding stations are not necessary in the summer but are crucial in the winter. Seed balls of suet are especially attractive to woodpeckers and chickadees. Woodpeckers carve out nesting holes in dead branches of trees.
Humming birds love columbine, trumpet vine, flowering tobacco, coral bells, million bells, petunias, and phlox. Goldfinches are attracted to sunflowers, goldenrod, and cosmos, and butterflies, of course, love many flowers but especially butterfly weed.
Grow plants with berries such as blueberry, chokeberry, cotoneaster, elderberry, juniper, sumac, viburnum, Virginia creeper, winterberry, mulberry, hawthorn, shadbush, and especially lots of holly for winter residents, as well as migrating birds, to enjoy.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on a birder’s garden.
