Grosbeaks for Dinner
How to plant your yard to attract and feed native songbirds
No, we won’t be giving you recipes for grosbeak pie, or vireo turnovers. Our namesake Mr. Audubon was indeed quite an accomplished bird hunter and did occasionally include culinary comments in his species descriptions. However, tastes have changed since his lifetime. The tradition of day-long Christmas bird hunts changed long ago to the Christmas bird counts, vital to local conservation efforts, we know and enjoy today. As proficient as the people of John James Audubon’s time may have been in describing how to prepare songbirds for dinner, we in fact will be helping you invite grosbeaks over for dinner, along with cat birds, orioles, cedar waxwings and the many other resident and migrant species that find food and shelter in Northern Virginia.
The mantra to remember whenever you’re trying to attract native wildlife is diversity attracts diversity. If you want to attract and support a diversity of native wildlife species, you need to offer a diversity of native habitats and food sources. Today we’re going to focus on selecting native plants that provide the highest quality food for our feathered guests. We’ll also be sure to suggest plants best suited for suburban yards of Northern Virginia. With those two criteria in mind let’s jump right to that plant list.
The second all-important principal to keep at your side when landscaping for wildlife is plant for all seasons, and that’s how our plant list will be structured. Most native plant fruits can be separated into 3 basic categories. Add a few spring-flowering, pollen and nectar rich blooms that attract insects for birds to feed on in March and April and you have a four season, five-star songbird buffet.
Spring - - - Insect-attracting Blooms for Hungry Migrants
Oaks, Hickories, Elms and Willows are best at attracting insects for famished spring warblers, but you may not have room for these large trees in your yard. If not, try one of these yard-sized shrubs:
Summer - - - Sugar-filled Fruits for Over-worked Parents
Red Mulberry and Black Cherry are absolute magnets for summer birds and should be preserved whenever possible. But again, maybe they are too big for your yard? Try these easy-fit, fruit-filled shrubs:
Fall - - - Fat-heavy Fruits to fuel long-distance Autumnal Flights
It’s getting cold and birds have miles to fly, sometime countries to cross. Give them fatty fruits to get them there. Black Gum/Tupelo and Sassafras are two of the best – if they’re too big, any of the following will fill the bill:
Winter - - - Tough fruits that Withstand Harsh Weather and Fill Cold Bellies
Most of these fruits aren’t on bird’s list of favorites. They eat them when the sugary and fatty fruits are all gone. They may not be yummy, but they’re how birds survive into spring.
So which ones should you plant? Choose 1 or 2 species from each season list and if possible, plant at least 3 individuals of each plant you choose. And it’s OK to clump them and make a hedgerow rather than spreading them out. If small space is a big issue, go for 1 Alder, 3 Highbush Blueberry, 3 Silky Dogwood, 3 Inkberry and 1 Eastern Red Cedar. If you can squeeze in one more plant I would suggest an Elderberry, Serviceberry or Pagoda Dogwood. Good luck and remember, no pesticides! You don’t want to poison the meal. Enjoy your new songbird restaurant and take one of our Audubon At Home classes to learn more about attracting wildlife.