Urban Birding Cleveland-Native Plants For Sustenance by Gloria Ferris, WCAS Board Member

Expanding the use of native plants in our landscapes allows us to shrink the monoculture of a lawn, eliminate the use of pesticides, and eliminate invasive plants in our gardens.  All good things to do if we want to attract birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects to our backyard retreats.

Urban Birding Cleveland-Native Plants For Sustenance

During this time of “stay at home”, many birders have found that their own backyard provides bird watching at its best.  Pour a cup of coffee, choose a seat at a window by one of your bird feeders and watch birds from the warmth and comfort of your home.

It is not the same as walking along the Lake Erie shore with the spray from the waves hitting the rocks or walking through marshy trails in the Cleveland Metroparks, but it does allow us to watch nature and experience some peace and calm.

Now, might be a good time to plan making that view outside your window an even better place to attract birds to your garden. As you know, a garden that provides food, water, shelter and cover, and a place to raise young is the optimal way to attract birds to your home.

Expanding the use of native plants in our landscapes allows us to shrink the monoculture of a lawn, eliminate the use of pesticides, and eliminate invasive plants in our gardens.  All good things to do if we want to attract birds, pollinators, and beneficial insects to our backyard retreats.

Height as well as width should be considered when adding trees, shrubs, and plants to the enhanced habitat you are creating. Overstory (trees), Middle Story (dogwoods and serviceberries), Understory (shrubs and flowers), and groundcover (American Ginger and Allegheny Sedge).

Food is the first essential component of any retreat for birds. Nuts, berries, insects, and nectar are essential for a holistic environment for birds to feed themselves and their young.

Sources of food:                    

• Nectar
  • Redbuds, Cardinal flower, Trumpet vine
• Fruits and berries
  • Cherry, blueberry, crabapple, holly, spicebush, and dogwood
• Nuts
  • Oaks, chestnuts, beeches, and hickories
• Pollen
  • Hibiscus, dandelions, and goldenrod
• Sap
  • Pines, spruces, and  junipers
• Seeds
  • Sunflowers, New England Asters, Black-eyed Susan, and Echinacea

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Birds attracted:

• Nectar
  • Hummingbirds, Orioles, Chickadees, and Finches
• Fruits
  • American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Bluebird
• Berries - 35 species of birds eat berries.
  • Holly - Mourning Dove
  • Juniper - Catbirds
  • Dogwoods - Juncos and Titmice
• Nuts
  • Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Chickadees, and Jays
• Seeds
  • Niger - Goldfinches, House and Purple Finches
  • Sunflower - Grosbeaks, Cardinals
• Sap
  • Sapsuckers

This list of possible birds who eat these foods is incomplete and is only meant to help you get started to finding out what food will attract what birds. Sunflower seeds in a tray feeder may invite bully birds such as English Starlings and Grackles. Sapsuckers do not normally frequent bird feeders but they may be enticed by a suet feeder.

Two good on-line sources to research native plants that attract birds, pollinators, and insects to you to your garden are: National Audubon’s Native Plants Database and Lady Bird Johnson’s Native Wildflower Database.

More and more local nurseries are offering native plants as demand increases. So be sure to check out our locally owned nurseries, Ohio Prairie Nursery and Bluestone Perennials ship when planting time is optimal.

Planning before acting will make sure that the changes you make to the view out your window will bring enjoyment for years to come. 

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Photo: Gloria Ferris

Gloria Ferris, Director-at-Large. Gloria is a life-long lover of nature. She is the mother of two and grandmother of two. She believes preserving and protecting bird habitat for our future is paramount to our well-being. Gloria grew up in the Killbuck Creek Valley and attended Bowling Green State University. Having worked in the public sector, Cleveland Public Schools, and the private sector at BP America, Gloria realizes the important role education and conservation play in our children's future. Gloria co-founded Brooklyn Centre Naturalists. She chaired MetroWest Community Development organization during its early years, moderated Midtown Brews, a monthly panelist discussion that explored topics such as water, land, air, and energy, and co-founded Meet.The.Bloggers, a citizen journalist initiative. Gloria believes citizen science and grassroots activism are critical components of our future impact on birds, wildlife, our environment and us.  Gloria brings financial management, facilitation and fundraising skills, community development, and government relations to the board.

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