What backyard birds eat in summer
By late spring, migratory birds and backyard birds resume their native diet. By now, an abundant horde of insects both in the air, on tree bark and buds, or within tree cavities, are the primary part of our feathered friends’ diet. As summer bird feeding approaches, their native diet expands to fruit, seeds and buds.
Because wild birds rely heavily on themselves through summer, eating native plants, they are likely to ignore feeders in summer.
Our backyard birds face the increasing challenge of finding sufficient food because their habitat is shrinking day-by-day due to human deforestation. Therefore, the benefit of putting out feeders is only temporary, whereas adding native plants that serve as food and cover in your yard is by far the most beneficial because it provides food and shelter -not temporarily – but year-after-year!
Thus, bird watchers can be of tremendous help to wild birds by including native plants that provide food as well as cover. By planting them this summer, your backyard will be ready to make them at home next year or sooner!
So, what should you plant to attract the wild birds you love?
We will now consider the native plants that serve as food for some of your favorite backyard birds.
Seeds
Sunflowers:
- Carolina Chickadee
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Boreal Chickadee
- American Goldfinch
- House Finch
- Pine Siskin
- Purple Finch
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Northern Cardinal
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Meadowlark
- Blue Jay
- Scrub Jay
- Steller’s Jay
- Pinyon Jay
Summer Fruit-bearing Plants
Cherry Tree:
- House Finch
- Bushtit (West)
- Hepatic Tanager
- Black-headed Grosbeak
- Orchard Oriole
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Gray Catbird
Plum:
- House Finch
Blackberries:
- House Finch
- Song Sparrow
- Lincoln’s Sparrow
- Purple Finch
- Black-headed Grosbeak
- Wilson’s Warbler
- Swainson’s Thrush
- Blue Grosbeak
- Summer Tanager
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Veery
- Great-Crested Fly Catcher
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Gray Catbird
Raspberries:
- Song Sparrow
- Lincoln’s Sparrow
- Purple Finch
- Black-headed Grosbeak
- Orchard Oriole
- Palm Warbler
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Swainson’s Thrush
- Great Crested Fly Catcher
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Gray Catbird
- Northern Mockingbird
- House Wren
Blueberries:
- Song Sparrow
- Varied Thrush
- Red-breasted Sapsucker
- Gray Catbird
- House Wren
Grapes:
- Lewis’s Woodpecker
- Hepatic Tanager
- Curve-billed Thrasher
- Bushtit
- Black-billed Magpie
- Orchard Oriole
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Northern Oriole
- Brown Thrasher
- American Robin
Elderberries:
- Band-tailed Pigeon (red or blue)
- Yellow Warbler
- Red-breasted Sapsucker
- Ash-Throated Fly Catcher
- Black-headed Grosbeak
- Western Bluebird
- Mountain Bluebird
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Fox Sparrow (Far North)
- Wood Thrush
- Tufted Titmouse
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- American Robin
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
- House Wren
- Carolina Wren
Mulberries:
- Curve-billed Thrasher
- Cactus Wren
- Bushtit
- Orchard Oriole
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Eastern Bluebird
- Wood Thrush
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Scarlet Tanager
- Great-Crested Fly Catcher
- Tufted Titmouse
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Northern Oriole
- Cedar Waxwing
- Gray Catbird
- Brown Thrasher
- American Robin
- House Wren
Service berries:
- Eastern Bluebird
- Wood Thrush
- Tufted Titmouse
- Some of the Hummingbirds natural food sources are:
- Daylilies (almost all summer)
- Columbine (late spring-early summer)
- Bee Balm (late summer-early fall)
- Hibiscus (early summer-first frost)
- Peony (late spring-early summer)
- Penstemon (all summer)
- Coral Bells (early summer-late fall)
- Red is most attractive to Hummingbirds
Other food sources native to a backyard bird’s summer diet include seeds from Conifers (Evergreens), plant seeds, and buds from trees and shrubs.
While coniferous trees mainly serve the purpose of nesting and shelter, some double as a food source where seeds from cones are accessible. If you are interested in knowing which conifers produce seeds and which birds eat them, please check your local gardening or horticulture center for more information.
So, do you see the importance of adding native plants to your backyard rather than feeding birds in summer? Again, our backyard birds’ instinct is to rely heavily on its self during seasons that produce abundant food. Thus, many backyard birds will ignore feeders in summer.
Also noteworthy is man’s negative effect on a backyard bird’s effort to find food and cover. Therefore, by providing native plants for our feathered friends, you are greatly easing their struggle to find food and cover, affecting backyard birds in the time to come, not just today and tomorrow.
- Craig Curtis
Tags: backyard birds, Summer Bird Feeding
September 2nd, 2010 at 4:49 am
Where did you got this much info on your blog from??
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I reference from many related resources such as educational websites, ornithology websites, bird enthusiasts websites and books, as well as birding magazines. I use such references to write posts from scratch.
-Craig
September 5th, 2010 at 11:51 am
I really appreciate the way the blog is laid out. I think it is great. If you dont mind me asking what template is it? Thanks.
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It is “redwood” theme. I’m glad you like it.
-Craig
September 11th, 2010 at 2:23 am
Hello there, just recently found your site via Yahoo, and been coming back regularly. You have a cool site! Would you mind if I link to it from my Website here?
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No, I don’t mind at all. You are welcomed to use the link. Thank you for your interest in
“Feeding Backyard Birds”!
-Craig