Making your garden more hospitable for birds is an important way to give back to the ecosystem and it’s easier than you think. Birds contribute to crucial processes such as pollination, seed dispersal, and natural pest control.
Birds are looking for shelter, nesting places, food, water, and safe places to raise their young and you can help give back to your environment with one simple item. Calum Maddock at HomeHow.co.uk has shared which plants to choose for your garden to turn it into a safe and appealing place for birds.
One of the best ways to attract birds to your garden is by planting the flowers, trees, and shrubs that they will enjoy and rely on for purposes such as feeding and nesting. But there’s one pretty flower in particular that’s one of the best for birds.
Calum says sunflowers are one crucial flower to have in your garden. He says: “The many seeds packed at the centre of the flower heads provide nourishment that is rich in oil throughout the autumn for seed-eating birds such as finches and nuthatches.”
But this isn’t the only plant you can add to your garden with birds in mind. Another great addition is rowan berries which are beloved by many birds.
He adds: “Depending on the species, you can expect your rowan tree to bear berries from late July through to November. Crab apple trees are another great alternative – blackbirds and starlings will love their fruit!”
If you’re hoping for another option, honeysuckle will provide berries and are a great source of shelter for small birds like thrushes, warblers, and finches.
They will also attract insects during the summer months, providing a further food source for birds.
Meanwhile, hawthorn berries are a favourite of blackbirds, redwings, and fieldfares and are also enjoyed by many other species like starlings and chaffinches.
The leaves will also attract caterpillars, which are an excellent food source for baby birds during spring.