Hi Hi Birdie! Flowering Trees Attract Birds

By Laurie Casey
The Morton Arboretum

Spring spoils us with so many beautiful sights all at once.

It flows like a fashion show: The blooming trees and flowers all dance down the runway to the wing beats, chirps and tweets of the spring bird migration.

Growing flowering trees that attract birds can bring the spring show into your yard.

"The colors of the flowers and buds attract insects, which attract birds," said Gloria Dobry, who teaches ornithology classes and leads bird walks here at the Arboretum.

In addition to pollen and nectar, many trees also provide food, shelter, nesting areas and singing perches for birds year round.

The spring migration season began a few weeks ago, with the arrival of Red-Wing and other blackbirds, according to Dobry, who monitors birds at the Arboretum for the Bird Conservation Network.

This month, watch for water fowl and sandhill cranes flying overhead. Thrushes, vireos and warblers arrive late April through the peak of migration season in mid-to-late May.

Plant a tree this spring with the birds in mind. There are many gorgeous choices. Dobry shared some of her favorites.

"Stoplights for robins," is how the late Arboretum naturalist and teacher May Watts, who also helped create the Illinois Prairie Path, referred to the large orange fruit clusters of the Washington hawthorn.

In addition to robins, more than 40 species of birds visit hawthorns, said Dobry. Another hawthorn to try is Winter King, a highly adaptable tree and one of the best hawthorns for small landscapes.

It has a strong, horizontal branching habit with few thorns. The bright red fruits persist into winter.

One of Dobry's absolute favorite bird trees is serviceberry. "They have lovely, delicate flowers in spring," she said.

Try Autumn Brilliance apple serviceberry, a fast growing ornamental that likes full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils. The blue-black fruits are quickly devoured by birds. Bluish-green leaves turn a brilliant red orange in fall.

"Another of my favorites is honey-locust, but for a different reason altogether," said Dobry. "Their wide open branches with fern-like leaves allow great visibility for bird watching. It has no showy flowers, but birds come to feed on the buds."

Any bird-friendly garden should include conifers. Pines, spruces, evergreens and cedars, are a boost and a bane for bird watchers. Birds flock to conifers for the seeds in the cones and dense foliage that protect them from predators and the elements. But all that foliage makes the birds hard to see.

"We will usually hear them before we find them in a tree," said Dobry. Try Black Hills spruce, a smaller spruce reaching between 20 and 40 feet in height. It does best in full sun but it's tolerant of light shade. It has short, grayish, blue-green foliage and 2-inch long cones.

Planting shrubs is a nice strategy, since they can bring birds to your level. Dobry recommends Cornelian-cherry dogwood, which provides fruit in summer and fall. Arrowwood viburnum is another good choice. If you like hummingbirds, try trumpet vine, whose large orange flowers call out to them.

For more tips and trees to attract birds to your yard, visit mortonarb.org, select "Plant Trees," then "Selection & Care" to find a free informational leaflet on "Trees and Shrubs that Attract Birds."

Laurie Casey is a staff writer at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle.