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Seasonal Sanctuary: Create a Cold Season Haven for Birds
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Fall is the time of year that many birds fly south for the winter. While some of our feathered friends won't be seen again until spring, others settle in to spend the winter here. Some are winter visitors from further north, like the Dark-Eyed Junco, (pictured above,) the American Tree Sparrow & White-Throated Sparrow, and the Pine Siskin (pictured below,) a rarely seen bird that's often mistaken for a goldfinch.
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Attracting these cheerful visitors to your backyard can be as simple as growing the right plants and trees. You may already have some of them!
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In this article, we'll explore a selection of plants that attract cold season birds in Central Illinois, and provide a handy chart for download showing who eats what.
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Beyond blooms: let seed heads stand
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By resisting the urge to tidy up your garden as the growing season ends, you can add interest to your winter landscape while creating a haven for birds.
Some of the most popular perennial seed sources include asters, black-eyed susan, coneflower, coreopsis, and goldenrod.
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Ornamental grasses, such as switchgrass and bluestem, are another important source of seed, as well as adding texture and grace to the winter garden.
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As the temperatures drop and food sources become scarce, these seed heads transform into a vital natural resource, providing nourishment for a variety of bird species, as well as a garden focal point.
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A number of birds feed on conifer cones for the winter, including blue jays, brown creepers, Carolina wrens, chickadees, crossbills, finches, northern flickers, nuthatches, and woodpeckers.
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Aside from food, conifer trees like pines, firs, spruces and hemlocks provide all sorts of birds protection from harsh weather conditions and predators. They feel at ease in a garden with safe cover, and they'll be more inclined to spend the cold season there.
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Bird buffet: trees & shrubs
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Nut and seed-bearing trees help birds through the cold season as well. In fact, birds like the Carolina wren, (pictured above,) which is ordinarily an insect eater, depend on high-calorie nuts and fruits to survive the cold season. Thanks to backyard birdfeeders, particularly offerings of suet and cracked peanuts, the Carolina wren has been appearing farther and farther north during the winter.
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There's plenty to look forward to as we embrace the changing season! By getting to know our backyard birds and their needs, we can help them through the winter while enjoying their presence in our gardens. Take an in-depth look at our most common winter birds and the plants they seek out for food by downloading our reference chart. You may already have some of these plants in your garden. If not, we encourage you to consider adding a few. There's nothing like flock of backyard snow birds to put a smile on your face during the cold season.
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Holiday workshops
are filling fast!
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The holiday season is about to start, and what better way to add a personal touch to your celebrations than by joining one of the Hoerr Nursery holiday workshops?
We still have spots available for our wreath and porch pot decorating classes! Make the holiday season one-of-a-kind by joining us to create beautiful, handmade decorations for your home.
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On sale now
while supplies last!
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Fall Giftware - up to 30% off
Houseplants - 25% off
Pumpkins, mums, etc. - 30% off
Select Trees - 40-60% off
Select shrubs - 33% off
Small Fruits - 40% off
Blueberries, raspberries, etc.
Shrub Roses - 33% off
Roses - $15 each
David Austins, florabundas, grandafloras, hybrid teas & climbers
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