3
slope down to no deeper than 3".
A rock in the middle, or an
upside-down flowerpot with a
branch stuck in it, makes an
enticing perch. Clean the bath
often and add fresh water.
Birds are especially attracted
to moving water, so you might
want to consider incorporating
a drip or spray into your
birdbath.
This can be accomplished
simply, by suspending a bucket
with a small hole above the bath
and letting water drip out, or
more elaborately with a series of
containers creating a waterfall
effect. There are many kits on
the market, or you can buy a
recirculating pump and create
your own design.
Although birds can get
moisture from snow, having free-
flowing water available in the
winter is a big benefit and allows
them to bathe as needed. There
are relatively inexpensive outdoor
heaters especially made for
birdbath use, and you will find it
delightful to watch birds enjoy
the water during the colder
months.
If you choose not to maintain
your birdbath during the winter,
turn it upside down so that
water won’t freeze in it and
cause cracking.
Food
Many times, when we think of
food in connection with birds, we
picture only mixed birdseed. While
seed has its place, there are
many kinds of preferred food,
just as there are many species
of birds.
Breeding season for many
birds coincides with the
RECOMMENDED PLANTS
The following plants are popular with a variety of birds.
This is a very small sampling of possibilities. For
additional suggestions, consult guidebooks, a nature
center or extension service, local nurseries, or the
Internet.
LARGE TREES:
Birch
Crab Apple
Hawthorn
Hemlock
Pine
Spruce
Dogwood
Hackberry
Mountain Ash
Oak
Tupelo
Mulberry
SMALL TREES AND SHRUBS:
Buckthorn
Holly
Serviceberry
Sumac
Barberry
Bayberry
Elderberry
Blackberry
Rose
Viburnum
Blueberry
Pyracantha
PERENNIAL FLOWERS:
Purple Coneflower
Aster
Coreopsis
Goldenrod
Globe Thistle
Butterfly Flower
Rudbeckia
Statice
Columbine
Scabiosa
Chrysanthemum
VINES:
Honeysuckle
Fiveleaf Akebia
Virginia Creeper
English Ivy
Bittersweet
Grape
Trumpet Vine
ANNUAL FLOWERS:
Cosmos
Zinnia
Sunflower
Cleome
Gloriosa Daisy
Ageratum
Fuschia
Dianthus
Sea Lavender
Marigold
California Poppy
Lantana
GRASSES:
Little Blue Stem
Tufted Hair Grass
Bulbous Oat Grass
Miscanthus
Pampas Grass
SEEDS:
Black Oil Sunflower
Black-Striped Sunflower
White Proso Millet
Grey-Striped Sunflower
Niger (thistle)
Hulled Sunflower
