Spring in Ontario can be a hard time with fluctuations in temperature that can lead to late frosts or flash thaws sometimes making it difficult for the early birds to find food. “Birding” is a popular activity in southern Ontario and thousands of people have feeders and bird houses to attract the pretty little fliers into their yard, protect them, as well as help fuel their journey.
You can take this even further by creating bird habitat in your backyard! Adding native shrubs can entice a wide variety of birds. Most native shrubs produce preferred berries in different months, which can offer a constant buffet throughout the year. I’ve pulled together the top five Ontario-native shrubs to attract migrating songbirds to your property.
1. Serviceberry – produces beautiful early spring flowers to attract pollinators, followed by red/purple berries in June. These berries are often eaten by birds before they are ripe, so if you are looking to collect some for yourself you better be quick!
2. Dogwood (grey or red-osier) – this shrub family is greatly utilized by birds, attracting almost 100 different species with their berries. Pretty white flowers appear a bit later in the season than the serviceberry and offer a food source for our hardy overwintering bird species once the snow falls.
3. Elderberry – most well-known for its jam, this old-time favourite also is a food source for over 50 different species of birds. With large plate-like flowers in the spring to attract pollinators, this shrub is the epitome of an all-rounder.
4. Purple Flowering Raspberry – a very versatile shrub that can grow anywhere from full sun to full shade. During the summer it produces a purple rose-like flower that is a favourite of pollinators. In the late-summer and early fall its raspberries are delicious and can be enjoyed both by you and the visiting birds (if they leave any).
5. Ninebark – this sneaky shrub species appears to flower twice a season, but in reality the second “bloom” is the ripening of small red seedpods that feed everything from chipmunks to songbirds.
You can find most of these species at local nurseries. And at LEAF we offer them at a subsidized price through the Backyard Tree Planting Program. The main food source for birds in early spring are small bugs and other insects, which are attracted to flowering perennials (native species often produce seed later in the season as a further food source). You can take the pampering a step further and give them the spa treatment - leave a small dish of water an inch or so deep near protective shrubbery that will both hydrate the travelling birds and entice them to wash off the dust of their long journey.
By growing conifer trees, or constructing a pile of fallen branches in a corner, you can create lounge areas where birds are able to socialize, and take shelter from the weather (as well as predators). Open your yard, and your eyes to one of the best shows nature has to offer. Hook up a feathered friend today!
The Backyard Tree Planting Program is supported by Ontario Power Generation, York Region, Ontario Trillium Foundation, The City of Markham and Toronto Hydro.