If you love watching birds in your garden, you might want to consider adding some flowering plants and herbs that provide them food.
Many plants not only brighten up your garden with their beautiful flowers but also produce tasty berries, seeds, or fruits that birds enjoy.
Here are 23 different plants and herbs that can help attract a variety of bird species.
1. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
Sunflowers are not only vibrant and beautiful, but their seeds are also a favorite treat for many bird species. The large, seed-filled heads of sunflowers attract birds like finches, chickadees, and nuthatches.
These plants are easy to grow and can be a great addition to a bird-friendly garden.
2. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Known for its striking purple blooms and medicinal properties, the Purple Coneflower also provides a valuable food source for birds. After the flowers fade, the seed heads are highly sought after by finches and other small birds that enjoy pecking at the seeds.
3. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
The Black-Eyed Susan features bright yellow petals and a dark center, making it a visually appealing plant. Its seeds are a nutritious food source for a variety of birds, including goldfinches and sparrows, especially in late summer and fall when the seeds are fully developed.
4. Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
Serviceberry bushes produce small, blueberry-like fruits that are rich in nutrients. These berries are loved by many birds, including robins, cedar waxwings, and bluebirds.
In addition to providing food, Serviceberry bushes offer beautiful spring blossoms and vibrant fall foliage.
5. Holly (Ilex spp.)
Holly plants are well-known for their glossy, spiky leaves and bright red berries. The berries of holly shrubs are an important winter food source for birds like American robins and northern mockingbirds.
Holly bushes also provide excellent shelter and nesting sites for various bird species.
6. Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
Elderberry bushes produce clusters of small, dark berries that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. These berries are a favorite among birds such as bluebirds, waxwings, and jays.
In addition to being a food source, elderberries attract pollinators with their fragrant flowers in early summer.
7. Crabapple (Malus spp.)
Crabapple trees are well-known for their beautiful spring blossoms and ornamental fruit. The small, tart apples that follow the blooms are a valuable food source for birds like cedar waxwings, robins, and finches. These trees also offer excellent cover and nesting opportunities.
8. Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)
Viburnum plants produce clusters of small, often fragrant flowers that are attractive to pollinators. Their berries, which vary in color from red to blue or black, are an important food source for birds such as thrushes, mockingbirds, and jays.
Viburnum shrubs also provide good shelter for nesting.
9. Dogwood (Cornus spp.)
Dogwood trees and shrubs are celebrated for their striking flowers and colorful fall foliage. They produce small, berry-like fruits that are eaten by a variety of birds, including cardinals, robins, and bluebirds.
The dense foliage also offers shelter and nesting sites.
10. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)
Black Cherry trees produce small, dark cherries that are a favorite among birds such as warblers, robins, and woodpeckers. The fruit is rich in nutrients and provides an essential food source, especially during migration periods.
Additionally, Black Cherry trees offer valuable habitat for insects, which in turn support insect-eating birds.
11. Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.)
Hawthorn trees and shrubs are known for their attractive blossoms and thorny branches. They produce small, red or orange berries that are eagerly consumed by birds like waxwings, thrushes, and sparrows.
Hawthorn also provides excellent cover and nesting sites due to its dense, thorny structure.
12. Mulberry (Morus spp.)
Mulberry trees produce small, sweet fruits that are highly attractive to birds such as robins, cedar waxwings, and jays. The berries come in various colors, including white, red, and purple, and are a rich source of nutrients.
In addition to providing food, mulberry trees offer good cover and habitat for various bird species.
13. Wild Grape (Vitis spp.)
Wild grapevines produce clusters of small, tart grapes that are a favorite treat for birds such as bluebirds, cardinals, and wrens. The vines can be grown on trellises or allowed to climb, providing both food and shelter.
The dense foliage also offers excellent nesting sites.
14. Sumac (Rhus spp.)
Sumac plants are known for their vibrant red, fuzzy seed heads that appear in late summer. These seed heads are a valuable food source for birds like finches, sparrows, and grouse.
Sumac shrubs also provide good cover and can be a striking addition to bird-friendly landscapes.
15. Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Nannyberry bushes produce clusters of small, dark berries that are enjoyed by birds such as robins, waxwings, and sparrows. The berries are rich in vitamins and are an important food source, especially in the fall and winter.
Nannyberry bushes also offer excellent shelter and nesting opportunities.
16. Mountain Ash (Sorbus americana)
Mountain Ash trees, also known as rowan trees, produce bright orange-red berries that are a favorite food for birds like thrushes, waxwings, and jays. The berries provide essential nutrients and are particularly important during winter months when other food sources may be scarce.
The tree’s attractive clusters of berries and beautiful fall foliage make it a popular choice for bird-friendly gardens.
17. American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
American Beautyberry is known for its striking clusters of vibrant purple berries that appear in late summer and fall. These berries are a favorite food for birds such as mockingbirds, robins, and catbirds.
The plant also offers attractive foliage and is relatively easy to grow in a variety of soil types.
18. Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus)
Coralberry is a deciduous shrub that produces small, pink to coral-colored berries. These berries are enjoyed by birds like waxwings, robins, and sparrows.
It also provides good cover and habitat for birds, making it a useful addition to bird-friendly gardens.
19. Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)
Red Chokeberry bushes are known for their clusters of bright red berries that persist into winter. These berries are a valuable food source for birds such as bluebirds, robins, and cedar waxwings.
The plant also has attractive white flowers in the spring and vibrant fall foliage, adding seasonal interest to gardens.
20. Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Virginia Creeper is a vigorous, fast-growing vine that produces small, dark berries. While the berries are less commonly eaten by birds compared to other fruiting plants, they can still provide a food source for species like woodpeckers and nuthatches.
The vine’s dense foliage also offers excellent cover and nesting sites.
21. Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
Highbush Blueberry bushes produce sweet, blue berries that are highly attractive to a variety of bird species, including bluebirds, robins, and cedar waxwings. The berries are rich in nutrients and can be enjoyed fresh or dried.
Besides providing food, these bushes offer beautiful white or pink flowers in spring and vibrant fall foliage.
22. Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Cosmos flowers bloom profusely from mid-summer until the first frost, ensuring a steady supply of seeds for birds over an extended period.
Once the flowers begin to fade, the seeds mature and become a valuable food source for birds, especially as they prepare for colder months.
These seeds are small but abundant, attracting seed-eating birds such as finches, sparrows, and chickadees.
23. Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
Spicebush is a versatile shrub that produces small, aromatic berries in late summer and fall. The berries are a favorite of birds such as robins, bluebirds, and cedar waxwings.
In addition to its berries, spicebush has fragrant, yellow flowers in early spring and lush green foliage that turns yellow in the fall, adding seasonal interest to gardens.
Adding flowering plants and herbs that offer food for birds can make your garden both beautiful and bustling with life. By choosing plants that provide seeds, berries, or fruits, you can create a welcoming space for various bird species.
Read Next:
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.