Native Trees and Shrubs Attract Birds like Robins and Cardinals

Reduce bird feeder usage to maximize wildlife health  & survival

To provide fresh food year round plant native trees and edible fruit shrubs to attract birds like the titmouse, cardinals, robins, and finches instead of using bird feeders.  Ohio native trees like Hawthorne will provide in fall and winter, native shrubs like blueberries will feed in early spring. Fruit trees like sour cherry will feed in summer,

Watching the birds and other critters living their lives in their natural habitat (like in this tree in my backyard) is my favorite way to observe and photograph them. The cardinals and robins devouring my native blueberry bushes, finches  and waxwings eating my sour cherries in the summer, and the chickadees ravaging the heirloom annual sunflowers for seed is much more heartfelt for me than seeing them on my feeders—lured in by human hands.

My vision for nature here at my house is synonymous to my views on raising children; the best form of love is - independence. Provide them tools and supplies for them to live with capability, acceptance, purpose, and independence. Allowing them to weather the storms of life as much as possible on their own with little reliance on me- free birds so to speak. In a nut shell, I don't want the birds, or any wildlife relying more on me for food than their environment.

Plant for bird families

I live on a small urban lot that is around .20 acres and I now have 6 blueberry bushes- enough for me and the birds! The reduction in feeders and number of months need use them has been decreasing here- as it should! As the feeders decreased and the plants came in- birds families grew in number and continue to do so.

According to scientists, birds like the titmouse and chickadees cannot successfully reproduce in environments that contain 30 percent or less native plants. In order to reverse wildlife decline across the board homeowners need to have at least 70 percent native plants, trees and shrubs.

Native trees and shrubs provide food and shelter year round. Yes, you will have to share your berries! Yes, some plants foliage will be eaten by the caterpillars! Your dead landscape will become a place of life again!

Lastly, I am aware that the Cedar Waxwing picture is a little blurry. It was a very windy day and it was the first time one had visited my yard 4 years ago which makes this picture too cute and too important to exclude from this post.Plant for them as the cedar waxwing and other birds pictured proves--- they will come and flourish in our crazy Ohio weather!