Watching birds can be a very pleasant and relaxing experience. They are interesting creatures to watch in the wild. Rather than needing to go to a wild field, forest, woodland or nature reserve, though, you can have the benefit of a visual delight from the comfort of your own home, watching birds who call your garden home throughout the year.
If you do not have many bird visitors to your garden and yard, it could be that your choice of plants or the lack thereof, maybe the reason why the birds are not flocking in their droves to your property.
Do you have a nice sized yard and garden space that you could use to attract more birds? Would you like to enjoy watching a greater variety of different and interesting birds? If you do but are not sure where to start when it comes to choosing the best and most exotic plants to attract an exciting variety of winged creatures, you’ve come to the right place by checking out this blog post.
In collaboration with James at BirdwatchingBuzz.com, we have put together a helpful guide to give stunning plants you should consider having in your garden if you want the widest variety of interesting birds. We are not suggesting you use them all, because that may prove to be a little too much to deal with.
However, by having one or two of these great options in your own garden, you will be able to spectate, observe and even take some high-quality natural history snaps without leaving the vicinity of your home.
Serviceberry
Although the name may sound unfamiliar to many people reading this post, the Serviceberry is a subtle, but a smart plant that produce attractive little berries. The foliage of this plant is a comfortable home for various types of butterfly larvae. And where there are butterfly larvae, there are birds. Some of the birds that you may have a chance of seeing in your garden with serviceberry or two are pileated woodpeckers, robins, black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice and bluebirds.
Elderberry
Although Elderberry may not be the most exotic plant, it is still one you may not have considered, but should if you want a good selection of different birds. There are several different insects that use elderberries to collect large quantities of nectar, but also use them during winter and for nesting. As you know, the birds go where the insects go, but the bonus of the elderberry is that birds enjoy this tasty fruit as a good source. You could expect to see the likes of northern flickers, lesser goldfinches, black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice and bluebirds if you planted some elderberries in your garden.
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Again, it may not be what your idea of exotic is, but the Trumpet Honeysuckle features blooms that are extremely high in nectar and therefore attract hummingbirds for that very reason. There are other birds who love the crawler too, though, as the Baltimore oriole will eat all the flower in its entirety to get to the nectar. Additionally, finches, bluebirds, robins and waxwings all enjoy the fruit as a food source.
Dogwood
We love Dogwood because of just how much of the plant attracts various birds. Whether it’s the groundcover the plant creates or its tree-like structure, you will find birds flying around and sitting in such a rich and diverse variety. Look out for downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, flickers, bluebirds, titmice, cardinals, pheasants, wild turkeys, grouse and even vireos are just some of the possible species you may spot trying to get to some part of your Dogwood plants.
In particular, the silky dogwood berries are extremely high in fat, a component of these plants that are a great and efficient source of energy for various birds who need to complete a long and treacherous journey southward when they migrate.
Bayberry
Bayberries are ideal for attracting various species of interesting and beautiful birds all year long. Thanks to the continuously available berries they offer and protective cover whether it’s cold, rainy, sunny or snowing, you can expect to see some truly fascinating species. Tree swallows, black-capped chickadees, Carolina wrens, tufted titmice and red-bellied woodpeckers are just some you could possibly sight.
There you have it, if you are determined to attract a varied selection of beautiful birds to your humble abode, so you can observe them and find light relief and calmness from your busy day to day life, we hope you will consider some of the plants highlighted above.