Planting gardens for birds.qxp 16/01/2008 14:15 Page 1

Birds require food, cover and nesting sites to survive. are eaten by wood pigeons, jays, great spotted produce red berries are best for birds. It can be grown Careful choice of plants and provision of other features woodpeckers and nuthatches. as a hedge, against a wall or a fence. such as ponds, will help you create a haven for wildlife Beech Fagus sylvatica* supports only small quantities Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna* can be a hedge or a in your garden. of insects, but the ‘masts’ (nuts) are eaten by tits, clipped bush for cover, but should be left unclipped chaffinches, bramblings, great spotted woodpeckers for the berries to develop. Plant the native form. The more varied you can make your garden, the better and nuthatches. Holly Ilex aquifolium* is grown for berries. Plant it will be for wildlife. Inclusion of shrubs, a hedge, Rowan/mountain ash Sorbus aucuparia* the normal female plants of the normal wild form, but for good climbers, and trees will create habitats to suit many red-berried form is best for birds. fruiting there should be a male tree nearby. different birds. Herbaceous plants and a lawn are other Whitebeam Sorbus species are small trees with silvery Roses – Rosa canina* and R rubrifolia are among the valuable features. undersides to the leaves. They produce white flowers species which fruit freely and attract greenfinches. in May and red berries in the autumn. Free fruiting Elder Sambucus nigra* produces black berries and S Choose a selection of shrubs and trees that provide species include S intermedia, S x kewensis and S racemosa red berries. insect food, and berries or fruit for as long a period as sargentiana. Spindle Euonymus europaeus* robins take the fruit of possible. Inclusion of thorny plants and some June-berry Amelanchier leavis is a small tree that the native spindle. evergreens provide shelter and safe nesting sites. This produces white blossom in spring and is best grown Dogwood Cornus sanguinea* is a deciduous shrub leaflet lists some of the useful shrubs, trees and on light, acid soils. The blackish purple fruits ripen in whose berries are taken by a wide variety of birds. climbers for a wildlife garden. Due to limited space, July and are especially popular in dry weather with Butterfly bush Buddleia globosa attracts large growing conditions and flowering and fruiting periods thrushes and warblers, such as blackcaps. quantities of insects, which in turn are taken by birds. are not given. These can be gleaned from many good Crab apples Malus sylvestris*, varieties ‘Golden B. davidii is invasive. gardening books. Hornet’, ‘John Downie’, ‘Lady Northcliffe’ and M Juniper Juniperus communis* supports spiders and sargentii are all good sources of food. other insects, and provides well protected nest sites. Avoid planting non-native, invasive species which can Cherries – bird cherry Prunus padus* and wild cherry P Gorse Ulex europaeus* is an attractive shrub whose cause a conservation problem if they spread into avium* are amongst the earliest fruit to ripen, and are thorny stems provide birds with secure nests. sensitive habitats. Non-native pond plants are a sought after by many species of birds Lavender flowers attract butterflies and bees, and particular problem, as they can be moved into European larch Larix decidua is a deciduous conifer seeds are taken by goldfinches. watercourses by birds, cats and dogs, travel many with seasonably abundant insects that attract finches. Guelder rose Viburnum opulus* and the dwarf variety miles and may blanket large areas of water or In autumn and winter the cones attract siskins and compactum have white flowers that attract insects, riverbank. Never tip garden rubbish into a semi-natural crossbills. followed by red berries. habitat as the seeds can spread. Compost your green Scots pine Pinus sylvestris* can attract coal tits, gold Privet Ligustrum vulgare* forms a semi-evergreen rubbish and take the rest to a local tip, where it can be crests and crossbills. Since it grows tall and has very hedge for cover, and its berries are taken by birds. disposed of properly. shallow roots, it is best planted well away from Do not plant the commonly available L ovalifolium. buildings. Yew Taxus baccata* is a slow growing and shade Trees tolerant hedge or tree, but for dense cover it needs to Native trees are preferable, since most of them provide Shrubs be clipped every few years in July. The female trees insects in the breeding season as well as seeds in The following shrubs will provide shelter or food, have sticky red fruit, beloved by mistle and other winter. Oaks and beeches grow into big trees and are many of them both. thrushes. only suitable for large gardens. Garrya elliptica is an evergreen shrub with grey-green Barberry Berberis species have spiny branches, which catkins in winter. It provides useful cover for early Alder Alnus glutinosa* or non-native A incana and A provide good cover, and have bright red fruit and nesting birds. cordata are suitable for damp or wet sites. The ‘cones’ foliage in autumn or blue-black fruit in summer. Forsythia produces yellow flowers in April, but attract siskins, goldfinches and redpolls in winter. Berberis aggregata, B gagrepainii, B vulgaris, B bullfinches are partial to the buds. Forsythia can be Alders produce long, hanging catkins in early spring. stenophylla and B thunbergii are all suitable. For small planted as a hedge. Birch Betula pendula* supports good quantities of gardens, B wilsoniae is ideal. B darwinii has insects, including caterpillars, which attract many evergreen, holly-like leaves and orange flowers. Climbers and ramblers birds. The seeds attract redpolls. Birch grows best on Cotoneasters are a large group of shrubs and trees. All Honeysuckle Lonicera periclymenum* and L well drained sites. of them are good for wildlife, with the exception of caprifolium both flower in early summer and their Willows – goat willow Salix caprea* and S daphnoides Cotoneaster conspicuax decora whose berries birds fruit attract warblers, thrushes and bullfinches. L produce catkins in early spring, attracting insects eaten will ignore. Consult gardening books for size, type and periclymenum ‘Serotina’ flowers in late summer and by birds. Willow leaves, particularly those of the goat growing requirements. bears red fruit in September. Also a useful nesting willow, are eaten by many kinds of caterpillar. Firethorn Pyracantha is a thorny shrub that provides site. Oak Quercus robur* supports a rich variety and good cover and produces masses of white flowers in Ivy Hedera helix* (the normal wild form) is excellent quantity of insects, including many caterpillars which may. The handsome show of berries in autumn/early cover on tree stumps and walls, but may need to be provide food for young tits and other birds. The acorns winter is very popular with birds. Varieties that restrained, particularly on buildings. Ivy also provides Planting gardens for birds.qxp 16/01/2008 14:16 Page 2

good cover for nesting and its flowers are attractive spend much time on mown lawns in search of to insects in autumn. The fruits are eaten by earthworms and other invertebrates. Worms continue woodpigeons, thrushes, robins and blackcaps. to be available until the surface dries out later in Bramble Rubus fruticosus* fruit are eaten by summer. The lawn is also a source of small flies for blackbirds, warblers and other birds, especially in dry dunnocks, pied wagtails, chaffinches and even blue weather, and the seeds are eaten by bullfinches and tits. In rural areas, a green woodpecker may visit the greenfinches. Forms a useful thicket for nesting wrens lawn or a rockery in search of ants. A rockery may also and warblers. harbour snails that provide food for song thrushes in Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia, P dry summer weather. henryana and P tricuspidata are vigorous climbers for walls and trees. Good nesting and roosting cover. Garden ponds Wisteria sinensis needs to be trained onto a wall or A pond, even a small one, is a valuable place where over a pergola, and its sturdy stems can form a good birds and other wildlife can drink, bathe, and in some base for a nest. To encourage trusses of lilac flowers, cases, feed. A sizeable pond in the garden may attract which appear in May and June, the current year’s side moorhens, pied wagtails (even grey wagtails in winter) INFORMATION growth should be cut back to six inches in August. and, if there are fish, a heron. Dragonflies, frogs, toads Clematis montana is a rampant climber, which and newts breed in garden ponds. An RSPB leaflet provides excellent nesting sites when grown up a Ponds for wildlife gives information on how to make Planting gardens wall or a tree. and plant a pond. Herbaceous plants for birds The following bear fruit or seeds that are attractive to garden birds: Cornflower Centaurea cyanus* (annual) Evening primrose Oenothera spp mostly biennials Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica* (a short-lived The RSPB perennial) – bullfinches eat the seeds Honesty Lunaria annua (a biennial with silvery fruits UK Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire useful for winter decoration) – the flowers attract SG19 2DL. Telephone 01767 693690 butterflies and hoverflies in autumn Northern Ireland Headquarters, Belvoir Park Forest, Michaelmas daisy Aster novi-belgii varieties Belfast BT8 7QT. Telephone 028 9049 1547 (perennials) – the flowers attract butterflies and hoverflies in autumn Scotland Headquarters, 25 Ravelston Terrace, Sunflower Helianthus annuus Edinburgh EH4 3TP. Telephone 0131 311 6500 Wallflower Cheiranthus cheiri (a short-lived perennial) Wales Headquarters, Sutherland House, – leave it to set seed Castlebridge, Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff The fruit and seeds of common weeds, such as CF11 9AB. Telephone 029 2035 3000 chickweed, coltsfoot, dandelion, groundsel and www.rspb.org.uk revised 2002 sowthistle are favoured by goldfinches, linnets and greenfinches; nettles by bullfinches. ‘Weeds’ also The RSPB speaks out for birds and harbour insect food for birds. wildlife, tackling the problems that threaten our environment. Nature is The seed heads of lettuce and lemon balm attract amazing - help us keep it that way. We many birds, especially goldfinches. The flowers of belong to BirdLife International, the goldenrod Solidago canadensis (in autumn) and global partnership of bird conservation hemp agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum (in July) are organisations. attractive to insects which, in turn, are food for birds. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered *native in Britain and Ireland charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654 The lawn and rockery Illustrations by Mike Langman wpo\np\5190 Blackbirds, song thrushes, robins and starlings will a million voices for nature