by Debra Macapagal

Created on: January 07, 2009   Last Updated: January 14, 2009

What to feed the birds in your backyard really depends on what species of birds live in your region.

Birds can eat all sorts of different foods such as, insects, berries and nectar. So knowing what your favourite bird likes to eat makes it easier to feed them.

Creating habitat with native tree, shrub or wildflower species is an excellent way to ensure that the birds in your backyard will be fed a diet that is natural and healthy. Native plants species provide an abundant of nourishment and habitat for many our native wildlife speices.

Hummingbirds for example love plants such as Wild Columbine, Fireweed, and Great Blue Lobelia, as they are a great source of nectar.

The American Goldfinches Carduelis tristis use thistles and dandelions seeds to feed their young. If you spray your lawn to get rid of dandelions you may not only be encouraging the Goldfinches to live somewhere else, you may be poisoning their young.

White-Winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera according to the All About Birds website can eat up to 3000 confer seeds in one day. They also eat seeds from other deciduous shrubs. These northern birds could be in your back yard all day, if you planted different types of Spruce, Hemlock and Alders.

Black-Capped Chickadee Poecile atricapilla eat insects during the summer months; seeds and berries during the winter months. These birds are also excellent at pest management for your garden. You can attract Chickadees by planting Sumacs and Sunflowers.

The seeds from Sumacs Rhus can also be used to attract; Robins, Eastern bluebirds , Eastern phoebe, northern mockingbird, gray catbird, wood thrush, and the hermit thrush.

Shrubs such as Winterberry Ilex verticillata provide berries which feed a wide range of bird species all winter long. These species include Robins, Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis, Grouse, Bluebirds, Thrushes, Waxwings, White-throated sparrows, Northern flickers Colaptes auratus and Grey Catbirds

The following plants provide birds with food all year round:

Summer: Chokecherry, Honeysuckle, Raspberry, Serviceberry, Plum, Elderberry.

Fall: Dogwoods, Mountain ash, and Winterberries

Winter: Black chokecherry, Snowberry, Bittersweet, and Highbush cranberry.

It is easy to find out what native plant your favourite bird needs. Contact your local plant nursery as they should know what bird species are in your area also ask them if they carry native plant species.

Native plant species are vital to our local ecosystem however, these species are disappearing due to development, pollution, and exotic species (plants not originally from your immediate area), so our birds are loosing their natural food and nesting sources.

Planting the species mentioned above along with native wildflowers, your backyard will become a buffet for your local birds. You will be surprised at the number of birds these attract, providing years of feed and enjoyment for your birds.

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