  A goldfinch forages for cone seeds on a cedar tree. (photo: Project CHIRP) |
Planting a garden or landscaping your yard? Add in the cheerful songs, bright colours and lively movement that wild birds bring. Every space, large or small, can become a year-round sanctuary for birds. Just include the four required ingredients of an urban songbird habitat: food, shelter, nesting and water.
When choosing what to plant, let the notion of The 100-Mile Diet guide you. Birds thrive on plant species indigenous to their area, says Christina Sharma, founder of Project CHIRP, a not-for-profit songbird conservation initiative.
“Native plants have evolved with our native wildlife to directly meet their food and shelter needs. When you plant them, you are providing the best possible way nutritionally to meet their survival needs.”
Top bird pleasers? They tend to end in “berry,” says Sharma: elderberry, serviceberry, black chokecherry, nannyberry. “Then there’s grey dogwood, and even the smooth rose which turns into rosehips – my chickadees love those.”
Paul Zammit, director of horticulture for Toronto Botanical Garden, adds hawthorn, sumac and viburnum to Sharma’s list.
Many of the shrubs and trees that attract birds with their blooms and berries then delight the eye with a blaze of autumn colour, says Sharma. “Pagoda dogwood turns a brilliant red. Black chokeberry turns bright red, as well. The grey dogwood and witch hazel become a lovely yellow. The blue beech actually holds its bright yellow leaves for at least half the winter.”
Equally important are evergreens, like the native white cedar, white pine, white spruce and Eastern hemlock. These tall, dense trees provide plenty of nesting sites, good cover and year-round shelter. Birds pick the seeds from the cones – a welcome food supply in the winter months when other sources are scarce.
Many well-known perennials and annuals provide birds with a ready food supply, says Zammit. “Any of the rudbeckias – commonly known as black-eyed Susans – are excellent. Asters are fantastic; they love to pick away at the seeds. Goldenrod is another one, and it does not cause hay fever like everyone thinks. Some of the grasses, like panicums or switch grass. Helianthus – perennial sunflower – is another one."
One annual that is a magnet for birds is ornamental millet, Zammit says. “Last fall, it was a screaming mess of birds, going up and down the stems to feed off the seed. It was so rewarding to watch them.”
Sharma tosses in several more favourites: sedges, prairie thistle, wild bergamot, purple coneflower, sweet oxeye and grey coneflower.
“If you don’t have a lot of space, you can grow vertically with vines,” suggests Zammit. “Virginia creeper – birds love it and they feed on the berries. And bittersweet is another one.”
Other bird-friendly vines include virgin’s bower, wild grape and cardinal flower.
Want to really make birds happy? Take a laid-back approach to gardening, says Zammit. “Don’t clean the garden meticulously. Leave the seed heads on your perennials through the winter. The birds continue to pick away.”
“And don’t be quite so tidy in the spring,” urges Sharma. “That’s when local birds like our robins are picking up grasses and twigs and leaves to build their nests.”
Forgo pesticides completely. Pesticides and birds don’t get along. Many birds forage on the ground and ingest the toxin-laden seeds. Others eat insects; pesticides kill off their food supply.
Birds need fresh water year-round. Incorporate a birdbath, a pond or a fountain in your garden plans and the birds will flock to your yard. Since they find water through sight and sound, try using a circulating pump or bubbler. In winter, plug in a birdbath heater to prevent a skin of ice from forming.
Winter brings a new dimension to the garden. By then, birds have consumed much of the garden’s bounty and they appreciate the generosity of a birdfeeder. If you keep it full, they reward you with their loyal patronage.
We enjoy gardens from outdoors in fine weather, and from inside when the snow flies. Double your pleasure by designing the garden and looking at the placement of plants with both viewpoints in mind. Place bushes and a birdfeeder against the window to receive a close-up view of the birds at play.
Sharma says, “If you’ve got your feeder and a birdbath and your evergreens, your property is much more attractive. The birds don’t have to leave to find water or food. It’s the whole bed-and-breakfast – they’ve got everything they need.”
This year, build an outdoor oasis that attracts birds. Spring is the perfect time to start. Begin with short-term, this-summer plants like annuals and perennials. Fill in the garden with longer-term greenery like trees and shrubs for nesting, food and shelter. Add water and – presto! – you’ll make your garden a haven for songbirds.
Our home and native plants
Looking for native species? You’ll find out everything you need to know on the following websites.
The Evergreen and Canadian Wildlife Federation websites both feature a searchable database with information and photos. Gardeners across Canada can find the most appropriate trees, shrubs, vines, annuals and perennials for their geographic location. CWF also supplies a directory of native plant suppliers across Canada under their Gardener’s Toolbox.
Project CHIRP supplies many songbird and garden links and resources, including a listing of native species.
Toronto residents can call on LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests) for advice on local native species. Not only does the non-profit group offer online resources, they’ll deliver and plant your choice of native trees and shrubs.
