Annie, our English springer spaniel dog, brings my husband and me an indescribable amount of joy. Her exuberance for life, extreme loyalty, and constant affection lift our spirits each and every day. She is a blessing to us and by providing food, shelter and care we, hopefully, we bring her happiness.
Another, but completely unexpected, source of joy from animals comes to us in the form of birds. My husband loves bats (a trait I do not share!) and looks forward to seeing them in the evenings. This summer we have been gleefully discussing the hummingbird sightings outside our kitchen window. As winter approaches, we are hoping that our landscaping will support birds and other wildlife throughout the colder months.
As homeowners, we all play an important role in helping wildlife survive and perhaps even thrive during the winter. When we provide shelter, food and water through our landscaping birds and other animals will benefit. Living in harmony with these creatures benefits us all. Biodiversity represents the different types of life that are coexisting in one area. A healthy biodiversity results in a strong ecosystem that provides oxygen, clean water, healthy food sources, and healthier air.
Ways to Provide Shelter
Evergreen shrubs, which often have a tight branching structure, give birds a place to escape predators. Yews (Taxus), junipers (Juniperus), and arborvitae (Thuja) are examples of evergreen shrubs provide good sources of shelter. Pine (Pinus) and spruce (Picea) are two types of evergreen trees that grow well in our area and in which you will often find birds sitting. Grouping several pyramidal (upright) evergreen shrubs together provides shelter from strong winds and precipitation in the form of rain or snow. The thick waxy leaves of broadleaf evergreens, such as boxwood, also provide great shelter to birds and other animals. Deciduous shrubs, which lose their leaves in the winter, can also provide shelter for birds. Birds use their branches as a way to camouflage themselves. Burning bush (Euonymus alatus), lilac (Syringa), viburnum (Viburnum) and forsythia (Forsythia) are examples of nicely branched shrubs on which birds can perch and enjoy a sunny day while we enjoy looking at them.
Ways to Provide Food
Plants with berries, fruit, and seed heads are an excellent source of food throughout the winter for our feathered friends. Dogwood (Cornus sericea), cotoneaster (Cotoneaster), bayberry (Myrica) and winterberry (Ilex verticillata) are examples of deciduous shrubs that produce edible berries. Crabapple (Malus) and serviceberry (Amelanchier) are two trees on which the flowers are followed by an edible fruit. Many native and non-native perennial flowers also produce an abundant supply of food for the birds. Salvia (Salvia), coreopsis (Coreopsis), liatris (Liatris), alliium (Allium), baptisia (Baptisia) and coneflower (Echinacea) are just a few gorgeous perennial flowers that bloom in the summer and have excellent seed heads.
Ornamental grasses, when left standing in the fall, provide both shelter and food to birds throughout the winter. Their seed heads provide high quality rich grain for birds. Examples of those grasses are Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’), Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’), Blue Oat Grass (Helectotrichon sempervirens ‘Saphirsprudel’) and Northwind Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’).
Providing Drinkable Water
Just as it is important for us to stay hydrated in the winter, birds need to keep drinking water throughout the colder months. Depending on the weather, melted snow or freestanding puddles of water may be able to provide liquid for the birds. During the coldest months of the year, a birdbath heater can be placed in an existing bird bath. Bird bath heaters ensure that birds have a place to drink and bath in December, January, and February.
A bird’s choice for shelter and food varies among species. Certain types of birds prefer seeds and fruits from specific plants; other species are more prone to eat from a variety of food sources. By planting a variety of flowers, shrubs and trees, you will widen the appeal of your yard and will be more apt to attract a variety of bird species.
By supporting birds, we are in turn doing so much more for ourselves. Their role in our ecosystem cannot be overstated. They also provide us with numerous spiritual and recreational benefits.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
