Gardening to Attract Wild Birds

For trees and shrubs to provide winter food, the fruit or seed must be persistent, which means it remains on the plant long after ripening. “Persistence” also means that the fruit is above the snow and accessible. These fruits, with low appeal to wildlife when not mature, become sweeter as they freeze and thaw during the fall and winter. Persistant fruit is available to provide resident wildlife species food in lean times during the winter and into early spring for returning migratory birds. If space is a limitation in your yard, consider winter food plants first. They are the most important and the persistent fruits provide an attractive feature in the garden all winter long.  Robins, waxwings, Pine Grosbeaks, and mockingbirds are among the birds drawn to fruit trees in winter. Crabapple, snowberry, native bittersweet, sumacs, viburnums, Virginia creeper, and winterberry (holly) are reliable food sources.