Bird Gardening Plant Guide
Elements of a bird garden:
Food—Consider native shrubs, trees and
flowers that produce seeds, fruits and nuts throughout the year. Provide nectar
producing plants for hummingbirds and butterflies. Allow leaf litter to remain
under trees and shrubs, limit dead heading of annual and perennial flowers. Insects
are the primary source of food of many birds—eliminate all insecticides. Supplemental feeders should be offered with
seed, suet or nectar.
Water—Birds need a dependable supply of
water throughout the year for drinking and bathing. Many bird species that are
not attracted to feeding stations are attracted to a reliable water source.
Water is most attractive when it is audible and moving. Water sources can
include small pools and waterfalls, bird baths, saucers, drippers, and misters.
Shelter—Plant evergreen trees and shrubs that
provide year round cover from weather and predators. Deciduous trees and
shrubs, brush piles, dead trees and nesting boxes provide additional protection
as well as nesting and roosting sites.
More information on each plant can be found at the Missouri Botanical
Garden website: missouribotanicalgarden.org
Missouri
Native Trees
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Botanical/Common Name
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Birds
Attracted
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Plant
Appeal
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Aesculus pavia/Red Buckeye
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Hummingbirds
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Seed, Nectar, Shelter, Nesting
Red, narrow-tubular flowers that bloom in spring, (buckeyes) ripen in
fall.
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Amelanchier arborea/Serviceberry
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40+ species, including cardinal dove, robin, catbird, and goldfinch.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
White spring flowers, followed by red berries available June to
August.
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Cornus florida/Flowering Dogwood
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90+ species, including sparrows, bluebirds, indigo buntings,
cardinals, kingbirds, thrushes and many warblers; other birds hunt for
insects in their bark.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Missouri state tree. White
spring flowers, bright red fruits mature in early fall and usually
persist until the middle of December.
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Crataegus spp. /Hawthorn
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39+ species, including black-capped chickadee, mockingbirds,
robins, hermit thrush, waxwings, and purple finch.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Missouri state flower. White spring
Flowers, bright red fruit that persists through winter. Thorny
stems-great shelter!
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Diospyros virginiana/ Persimmon
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Bluebirds, Grackles, Jays,
Mockingbirds, Orioles, Thrashers, Thrushes, Waxwings, Woodpeckers
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Distinctive thick, dark gray bark that is broken into rectangular
blocks. Yellow spring flowers. Male and female trees needed for fall
fruit.
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Ilex opaca/American Holly
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Waxwings, bluebirds, robins, hermit thrush and mockingbirds enjoy
holly fruit.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Male and female trees needed for fall/winter berries.
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Juniperus virginiana/Red Cedar
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50+ species, including warblers, juncos, sparrows, robins, tree
swallows, and waxwing
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Seeds, Shelter, Nesting
Native foundation evergreen tree.
Male/female trees needed for fall/winter blue berries (cones).
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Liquidambar styraciflua
/Sweetgum
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Nuthatches, Chickadees, Finches
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Seed, Shelter, Nesting
Seed balls have a bad, but
are a useful food source for wildlife.
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Malus spp. / Crabapple
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29+ species, including songbirds, robin, and woodpeckers.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Only North America native apple tree. Deep pink-red flowers in
spring. Small, purplish-red fruit in the fall that persist into winter.
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Pinus spp./Pines
Pinus echinata/Shortleaf Pine
Pinus strobus/Eastern White Pine
Pinus resinosa/Red Pine
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Chickadees, goldfinches, nuthatches, and woodpeckers pick the seeds
out of pine cones.
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Seed, Shelter, Nesting
Year round evergreen shelter.
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Prunus seroting/Black Cherry
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84+ species, including, robin, and waxwing.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Fruits ripen in August-September.
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Quercus spp. — Red Oak (Black
Jack, Pin Oak, Southern Red); White Oak (Burr Oak, Chinkapin, Swamp White)
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60+ species, including brown thrasher, blue jay, nuthatches,
woodpeckers, and titmice.
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Seed, Shelter, Nesting
Foundation tree; Shade tree
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Missouri
Native Shrubs
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Botanical/Common Name
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Birds
Attracted
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Plant
Appeal
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Aronia melanocarpa/Black Chokeberry
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21+ species, including chickadee, thrasher, waxwing, and meadowlark
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Berries, Shelter, Nesting
White spring flowers followed by fall
blackish purple, blueberry-sized fruits. Berries are edible, but extremely
tart (hence the common name of chokeberry).
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Callicarpa americana/Beautyberry
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Robins, cardinals, mockingbirds, Bobwhites, bluebirds, cedar waxwings
& thrushes
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Berries, Shelter, Nesting
Great winter interest shrub. Purple berry-like drupes appear in fall;
last through early winter.
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Hamamelis spp. /Witchhazel
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Robin, junco, titmouse, cardinal, and many others
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Seeds released in September- October.
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Ilex verticillata/Winterberry
Holly
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Waxwings, bluebirds, robins, hermit thrush & mockingbirds enjoy
holly fruit.
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Berries, Shelter, Nesting
Male and female plants needed for fall red berries.
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Lindera benzoin/Spicebush
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17+ species, attracts migrants as well as resident birds.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Leaves are the host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail.
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Prunus viriginiana/Common
Chokecherry
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21+ species, including chickadee, thrasher, waxwing, eastern bluebird
and meadowlark.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Fruit ripens September-November and persists into January.
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Ribes odoratum/Clove Currant
Ribes aureum/Golden Currant
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Berries eaten by robins, thrushes, waxwings, jays, sparrows,
woodpeckers.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Golden yellow flowers spring emit a strong, clove-like fragrance.
Male and female plants are needed for fruit production.
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Rhus spp.
Smooth Sumac, Stagnorn, ‘Gro-Low’ Fragrant Sumac
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More than 95 species have been observed eating sumac berries incl.
woodpeckers, chickadees and warblers.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Fruit ripens in August
–September and persists into spring.
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Sambucus canadensis/American
Elderberry
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120+ species including
woodpeckers, thrasher, finch, waxwing, and warblers
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Berries, Shelter, Nesting
Fruit ripens July-September.
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Symphoricarpos orbiculatus/Coralberry
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Chickadee, robin, and cardinal.
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Berries, Shelter, Nesting
Winter interest woodland shrub. Fruit requires several freezes to be
palatable. Late emergency winter source.
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Viburnum spp.—Viburnum
(Arrowwood, Black Haw, Nannyberry)
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Robins, thrushes, waxwings, thrashers, bobwhites, cardinals &
bluebirds
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Berries, Shelter, Nesting
White spring flowers followed by fall berries.
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Missouri
Native Grasses
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Botanical/Common Name
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Birds
Attracted
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Plant
Appeal
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Andropogon scoparius/Little
Bluestem
Andropogon gerardi/Big
Bluestem
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Sparrows and juncos, which often perch on the stalks and eat the
white seed heads.
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Seed, Shelter
Most outstanding feature of this grass may be the bronze-orange fall
foliage color.
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Sorghastrum nutans/Indian
Grass
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds
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Seed, Shelter
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Carex spp./Sedges
Carex stricta/Tussock Sedge
Carex grayi/Globe Sedge
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds.
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Seed, Shelter
Many sedges grow in dense clumps; creating an excellent nesting
cover. Good grass for water/shade gardens.
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Panicum virgatum/Switch
Grass
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds
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Seed, Shelter
Pink-tinged, branched flower panicles in mid-summer followed by seed
plumes persisting well into winter. Seeds are a food source for birds in
winter.
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Bouteloua curtipendula
Sideoats Grama Grass
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds
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Seed, Shelter
Noted for the distinctive arrangement of oat-like seed spikes which
hang from only one side of its flowering stems.
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Sorghastrum nutans/Indian
Grass
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds
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Seed, Shelter
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Missouri
Native Perennials
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Botanical/Common Name
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Birds
Attracted
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Plant
Appeal
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Aquilegia canadensis/Columbine
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar
Features drooping, bell-like, red and yellow flowers.
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Symphyotrichum/Aster
Aromatic Aster, Spreading Aster,
New England Aster
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant late season
seeds.
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Seed
Profuse late summer to fall bloom.
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Coreopsis spp.
Coreopsis palmate/Prairie
Coreopsis
Coreopsis grandiflora/Large-flowered
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant late season
seeds
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Seed
Tolerant of heat, humidity and drought.
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Echinacea
purpurea/Purple Coneflower
Echinacea
paradoxa/Yellow Coneflower
Echinacea
pallida/Pale-purple
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds.
Favorite of finches.
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Seed
Tolerant of drought, heat, humidity and poor soil. Plants usually
rebloom without deadheading.
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Geranium maculatum/Wild
Geranium
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds
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Seed
Woodland perennial which typically occurs in woods, thickets and
shaded roadside areas throughout the State.
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Heuchera spp./Coral bells
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds
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Seed
Attractive foliage and airy flower panicles. Good edging plant. Mass
to form an attractive ground cover.
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Liatris spicata/Blazing Star
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Hummingbirds, several species of songbirds which feed on their
abundant seeds
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Nectar, Seed
Features spikes of deep purple flower heads. Good plant for perennial
borders, native plant gardens, cottage gardens and prairie areas.
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Lobelia cardinalis/Cardinal
Flower
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar
Intense red flowers/late summer bloom.
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Rosa setigera/Prairie Rose
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38+ species including northern cardinal and brown thrasher.
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Fruit, Shelter, Nesting
Features deep pink, single (5-petaled) flowers which bloom in late
spring to early summer. Red hips in early autumn.
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Rudbeckia spp./Black-eyed
Susan
Rudbeckia fulgida
Rudbeckia missouriensis
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant seeds.
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Seed
Prolific bloom production over a long mid-summer to fall bloom
period.
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Solidago spp./Goldenrod
Several native varieties.
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Several species of songbirds which feed on their abundant late season
seeds. Finches!
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Seed
Profuse late summer to fall bloom.
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Missouri
Native Vines and Ground Covers
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Botanical/Common Name
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Birds
Attracted
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Plant
Appeal
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Campsis radicans/Trumpet
Creeper
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar, Shelter, Nesting
Woody, clinging vine—can become invasive. Quick cover for fences,
trellises, brush piles.
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Celastrus scandens/Bittersweet
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At least 15 species of birds eat the fruit.
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Berries
Twining woody vine that is best known for its showy red berries that
brighten up fall and winter landscapes.
Plant male and female plants.
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Fragaria vesca/Wild
Strawberry
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Attracts ground-feeding birds.
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Berries
Spring and summer fruit for ground feeding birds. Should be mown
annually
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Lonicera semperivirens
Trumpet Honeysuckle
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Hummingbirds feed on the nectar from the flowers and
songbirds which eat the small red berries.
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Nectar, Berries, Shelter, Nesting
Semi-evergreen climbing vine with salmon-red or orange,
trumpet-shaped flowers. Red berries in late summer/fall.
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Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Virginia Creeper
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35 species including thrushes, woodpeckers and warblers.
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Berries
Vigorous tendril-climber that needs no support and typically grows
30-50'.
Crimson-red leaves in autumn; blue/black berries in fall.
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Annuals
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Botanical/Common Name
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Birds
Attracted
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Plant
Appeal
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Centanna cyaruis/Bachelor
Buttons
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Songbirds
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Seed
Easy to start outside form seed. Re-seeds freely. Large variety of
colors.
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Cosmos bipinnatiis/Cosmos
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Songbirds
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Seed
Easy to start outside form seed. Re-seeds freely. Large variety of
colors.
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Helianthus anninis/Sunflowers
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Favorite seed choice of many birds including: northern cardinal,
finches, tufted titmice, jays, chickadees, nuthatches.
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Seed
Numerous varieties/colors.
Easy to grow from seed.
Successive plantings provide longer bloom time.
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Ipomoea purpurea/Morning Glory
Ipomoea quamoclit/Cardinal
Climber
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar
Easy vines to grow from seed.
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Lantana spp./Lantana
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Hummingbirds, Songbirds
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Seed, Nectar
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Nicotinia alata/Flowering
Tobacco
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar
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Salvia corciiica/Scarlet
Sage
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar
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Verbena spp./Verbena
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Hummingbirds
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Nectar
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Zinnia spp./Zinnia
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Hummingbirds, Songbirds
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Seed, Nectar
Many colors/varieties. Easy to
start seeds outside after last frost. Tall garden variety attracts most
species.
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Bird-Feeders:
Set up your feeder in a place where it is easy to see and convenient to refill. Window collisions are often fatal to small birds and feeders should be placed either very close to the window (less than three feet) or much further away (greater than 10 feet). Feeders located about 10-15 feet from a natural shelter such as trees or shrubs offer resting places for birds between feedings and provide a quick escape from predators. Black-oil sunflower seed is the best all-around choice for attracting a wide variety of birds. Finches, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, nuthatches and many other common feeder birds readily consume black-oil sunflower. Safflower isn’t a favorite of every bird (cardinals’ love it!), but if you’re having trouble with non-native starlings at your feeders you might switch to this seed. Millet is a favorite of many ground feeding birds including sparrows, doves, and juncos. Corn, either whole or cracked, is attractive to pigeons and doves. Nyjer or thistle is another common seed that is favored by finches.
Birdhouses:
You can encourage birds to nest in your yard by providing nest boxes. Many common feeder birds, such as chickadees, titmice, bluebirds and wrens readily nest in manmade birdhouses. Securing the birdhouse to a metal pole or PVC pipe will offer the most protection against predators. Wrens, titmice and chickadees prefer a shaded area with a height of about 5 feet. Bluebird houses should be placed in a more open area at a height of about 3-6 feet. The entryway hole should be shielded from the afternoon sun, so facing any direction except west will be best.
Resources
Local
demonstration gardens—Nathanial Greene Park—Botanical Center—Xeriscape
Native
plant nurseries
Missouri Wildflower Nursery
(Jefferson City)
MDC George O. White State Forest
Nursery
Hamilton Native Outpost
(hamiltonseed.com)
*Annual native plant sale held at the Nature Center, 1st weekend in April
*Annual native plant sale held at the Nature Center, 1st weekend in April
On-line
sites
Missouri Botanical Garden “plant
finder”—missouribotanicalgarden.org
Cornell Lab of Ornithology—allaboutbirds.org
National Audubon Society on-line bird
guide—audubon.org
Books
MDC free publications—Wildlife
Landscaping, Grow Native
Missouri Wild flowers by Edgar Denison
MDC--Tried and True Missouri
Native Plants for your Yard
Trees of Missouri Field Guide by Don Kurz
Birds in Missouri by Brad Jacobs
The Audubon Backyard Birdwatcher, Birdfeeders
and Bird Gardens
by Robert Button and Steven W. Kress