In order to survive the sometimes harsh elements of nature, all birds need access to shelter and cover. They need shelter from their natural predators but they also need protection from the weather elements. If you want to attract birds to your garden, make it more attractive by providing plenty of shelter for them.
In their native environments, birds are naturally attracted to the type of trees that provide the necessary shelter and cover for them from rain, snow, wind, and so on. The more your yard can mimic the environment that they find in the wild, the more comfortable birds will be in setting up their home in your back yard.
Here are some of the trees and plants that provide great shelter for birds:
Pine Trees -
This evergreen tree provides a thick foliage in which small birds can hide from their predators. In addition, as the birds move towards the center of the tree, they can be protected from hash winds and storms. On cold nights, the tree can provide a place of warmth where birds can rest. Pine trees also provide a nice aesthetic touch to any back yard.
Oak Trees -
Oak trees are a type of deciduous tree which means that they lose their leaves at the end of the growing season. Oak trees not only provide shelter and nesting sites for many cavity-nesting birds. They also provide food. There are many different species of oaks in all parts of the world. The oak tree is food and shelter for many insects, including caterpillars, so they come with their own built in food source. Even dead oak trees can be beneficial to birds as many birds will nest in the cavities of dead oak trees.
Hollies -
Hollies come in deciduous and evergreen varieties. The deciduous holies seasonally lose its leaves while the evergreen variety retains its leaves and provides shelter for birds year round. The holly's dense foliage provides great shelter for birds. When the holly tree flowers, its red berry fruit provides food for many bird species.
Hemlocks -
The hemlock tree is an evergreen tree. They are fantastic nesting plants for smaller birds such as chickadees, cardinals, blue jays, robins, and others. The hemlock's low branches also give shelter to ground feeding birds. In addition, the hemlock needles is a food source for birds that live in tall grasses such as grouse.
Firs -
The foliage of the fir tree is used by many bird species for shelter. Firs are evergreen trees mainly noted for the pleasing scent, year round, but especially in the warmer months. Although the sense of smell is not really developed in most birds, many people do appreciate the pleasing scent of the fir.
Other popular plants suitable for backyard planting to provide shelter for birds include the alder tree, the juniper bush, the mulberry tree or shrub, the spruce tree and others. To get a full range of the viable options available to you, visit your local plant nursery who will likely have years of experience to guide you in helping you to populate your garden.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.NewAgeLivingArticles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
