Trees and Plants to Attract Songbirds to Your Yard

Songbirds     

Each fall the Southwest is marked by a massive migration of birds. More than 350 species of birds leave for a little R&R in Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Central and South Americas. These tiny winged creatures travel thousands of miles to their winter retreats to breed and rear their young. It’s hard to imagine the crisp air of fall without the sounds and drama of our migratory birds.
Some have names many of us recognize - the ruby-throated hummingbird, chimney swift, purple martin, gray catbird, wood thrush and northern oriole. Others may be familiar to the more serious birdwatchers - the ruddy turnstone, yellow-bellied cuckoo, common nighthawk, yellow bellied flycatcher, scarlet tanager, bobolink, red-eyed vireo and Cape May warbler. Collectively, these birds are known as “neotropical migrants because they nest in Canada and the United States, and winter in Mexico and points south” (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).
Over the last few decades ornithologists have noticed a concerning decrease in these populations. What has happened to these birds? Habitat loss is part of the problem. What can you do to help our little winged friends? Plant a tree or a shrub in your yard this fall!

Create a conducive habitat for songbirds.

You can create and restore habitat for these little singers at your home or at your workplace. You can make any property attractive to birds by offering water, shelter, food and nesting habitat. Start first by evaluating your property. Keep in mind that diversity encourages a larger variety of birds.

Trees:         
Landscape your yard with native evergreen and fruiting trees. One of the best Songbird Tree is the Mesquite Tree because it is loaded with pollinating insects. This tree draws scores of songbirds, including cardinals, green tailed towhee, and all sorts of varieties of warblers.

Shrubs:     
Shrubs are a natural attraction for songbirds. Shrubs are versatile in your landscape design and can add definition or can be used as a natural barrier on your property.

Water Features:      
Noisy water features attract more migratory birds. Birds are attracted to water features that are shallow, clean and noisy. The sound of dripping water is a magnet for songbirds.


You don't have to put out a commercial bird feeder to provide food for the neotropical migrants that pass through the southwest this time of year. Moon Valley Nursery will help you landscape your yard with native evergreen and fruiting trees, shrubs, grasses and vines and water features that birds cannot resist. Call a designer from Moon Valley today and let us design a songbird habitat for you.