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Birds in Urban Gardens

By Leo Shapiro, courtesy of the Council on the Environment of New York City and the American Community Gardening Association

Throughout history, birds have fascinated us. They are able to fly, as no human beings can do, and many of them are bright and colorful. Some birds are wonderful songsters, and their cheerful sounds add beauty and a note of victory to the air. They are an essential part of a garden's ecology. They control insect populations and help to spread plants by eating berries and releasing the indigested seeds in their droppings. In the following resource sheet, various aspects of attracting birds to urban gardens and encouraging them to nest are discussed. A bibliography is also included for those who want to study birds further.

Planting For Birds

Birds use shrubs and trees year-round for food and, in summer, for nesting. The following plantings are excellent for attracting birds to the urban garden:

Shrubs and Vines	Fruiting Period
American Honeysuckle, Sambucus Canadensis	Late Summer mid-fall
Amur Honeysuckle, Lonicera maakii	Fall
Arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum	Fall
Bayberry, Myrica pennslyvannia	Fall to early spring
Black Haw, Viburnum prunus	Fall
Highbush Blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum	Early summer - fall
Nannyberry, Viburnum lentago	Fall
Siberian Dodwood, Cornus alba sibirica	Fall
Tartatian Honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica	Summer
Sargent Crabapple, Malus sargentii	Fall
Winterberry, Ilex verticulata	Fall-winter
Blackberry and Rasberry, Rubus	Summer
Red Osier Dogwood, Cornus stolonifera	Midsummer - fall
Barberry, Berberis	Spring - fall
Chokecherry, Aronia arbutifolia	Fall-winter
Sumac, Rhus	Early summer - winter
Serviceberry, Amelanchier	Early summer - fall
Greenbrier, Smilax	Fall - winter
Elderberry, Sambucus Canadensis	Late summer - fall
Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Late summer - winter
Bittersweet, Celastrus scandens	Fall - winter
Wild Rose, Rosa	Fall - winter
Coralberry, Symphoricarpos orbiculatus	Fall- winter
Common Spicebush, Lindera benzion	Mid summer - fall
Russian Olive, Elaeagnus angustifolia	Fall

Trees	Fruiting Period
Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida	Fall - winter
Japanese Barberry, Berberis thunbergii	Fall winter
Red Mulberry, Morus rubra	Late summer
Cherry Eleagnus, Eleagnus multiflora	Summer
European Mountain Ash, Sorbus aucuparia	Fall-winter
Hawthorn, Crategus	Spring winter
Oak, Quercus	Fall
Wild Black Cherry, Prunus serotina	Mid summer - fall
Choke Cherry, Prunus virginiana	Mid summer - fall
Pin Cherry, Prunus pennsylvanica	Mid summer - fall
Eastern White Pine, Pinus strobes	Year round
Japanese Black Pine, Pinus thunbergii	Year round
Japanese White Pine, Pinus parviflora	Year round
Red Maple, Acer negundo	Fall
Silver Maple, Acer saccharum	Early summer - fall
Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum	Early summer - fall
Box Elder, Acer negundo	Fall
American Beech, Fagus grandifolia	Fall
Birch, Betula	Year round
Spruce, Picea	Year round
Canadian Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis	Year round
Black Gum, Nyssa sylvatica	Late summer-fall
Mulberry, Morus	Summer
Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana	Fall - spring
Mountain Ash, Sorbus	Late summer - spring

Flowers and Grasses	Fruiting Period
Sunflower, Helianthus	Mid-summer - fall
Ragweed, Ambrosia	Mid-summer - winter
Panicgrass, Panicum	Mid-summer - fall
Timothy, Phleum pratense	Summer
Bristlegrass, Setaria	Summer
Knotwood, Polygonum	Late spring - fall
Pokeweed, Phytolacca	Fall

The following plants will protect birds from the weather, as well as from predators, and are therefore potential nesting sites:

Blackberry, Rubus	Beach Plum, Prunus maritima
Greenbriar, Smilax	Mock Orange, Philadelphus virginalis
Pine, Pinus	Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida
Spruce, Picea	Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster
Fir, Abies	Willow, Salix
Viburnum, Viburnum	Honeysuckle, Lonicera
Canadian Hemlock, Tsuga Canadensis	Photinia, Photinia villosa
Native Roses, Rosa	Black Locust, Robinia pseudoacacia
Sassafras, Sassafras albidum

Feeding

Planting with birds in mind is the best method of feeding them. However, you may want to hang feeders with seed. In our opinion, sunflower seed is the best all-round food, and it is unpopular with house sparrows. Wild birdseed can be purchased at supermarkets; quality birdseed can be also obtained in 10 or 20 kilogram bags from the National Audubon Society which also sells excellent feeders that will last for many years. If you feed birds in the winter, it is very important to check feeders daily and keep them filled. Birds will concentrate around the feeders and become dependent on them for food. In times of severe weather, if the birds find their food source suddenly gone, they may not be able to find new supplies quickly enough and will starve or freeze. Do not stop feeding until spring has very definitely arrived. For insectivorous (insect-eating) birds such as the woodpecker, you can hand suet (beef fat) in a mesh bag (an onion bag, for example), or use a container with metal parts, as in very cold weather the birds tongue may actually freeze to the metal surface. You may wish to decorate your evergreens for the holiday season with strands of cranberries and popcorn these will be eaten quickly by the birds.

Some Birds That Eat Suet	Some Birds That Eat Sunflower Seeds
Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens	Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis
House Wren, Trogolodytos gedon	White-Throated Sparrow, Zanotruchia albicollis
White-Breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis	Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
Starling, Sturnus vulgaris	White-Breasted Nuthatch
Black-Capped Chickadee, Parus atricapillus	Black-Capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse, Parus bicolor	Tufted Titmouse
Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata	Blue Jay
Mockingbird, Mimus polylottos	House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus

Water Supply

It is essential to supply birds with water for drinking and bathing. A garbage can lid mounted on an old pipe or post a few feet above the ground and filled with an inch or two of water is excellent; do not make the water too deep. Even better than this, if possible, is a small pond with a few lily pads or other aquatic plants. Keeping the water thawed will allow birds to use it even in freezing weather. Some gardeners place water bowls on top of a "cooking" compost pile to keep them from freezing.

Injured Or Motherless Birds

Apparently motherless birds are often not motherless at all the mother is only hiding, waiting for you to go away. If you find an injured bird, it is usually best to leave it alone; caring for it will require a tremendous amount of time and a good deal of knowledge and skill. If, however, a wounded bird does somehow come into your care, call your local Audubon Society for advice. The number is 212-832-3200 in New York City.

Nesting Boxes

The only birds that commonly use nesting boxes are those that nest in tree holes in the wild. In small urban gardens, usually surrounded by building and concrete, the numbers of these birds are limited, but the house sparrow, starling, and the less common black-capped chickadee and house wren can all be expected to use nesting boxes. The wood should receive a natural finish or be painted a dull color. A few small (1/4") holes should be drilled in the floor or you can simply cut off the corners of the floor for drainage; a few holes should be drilled near the roof for ventilation. The inner surfaces of the wood should remain rough. Put two or three handfuls of coarse sawdust on the floor of the nest box. Do not use a perch it is unnecessary and may aid an attacking bird such as a starling. Be sure that the entrance does not face prevailing winds (generally from the northwest in the New York City area) or the birds may get caught in the wind and have difficulty entering or leaving the nest. Boxes should be mounted firmly on a tree or post, as most birds will not use a hanging nesting box. Certain birds, such as the American Robin, Turdus migratorius, will build nests on a simple nesting platform, about 6" X 8", placed 15 or 20 feet up in a tree.

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