Attracting Birds with Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Overview: Deciduous trees and shrubs lose their leaves seasonally, usually this means they drop their leaves sometime in the fall, are leafless through winter, then grow new leaves the following spring, so that they are at fool bloom for summer. Deciduous plants go through this process to better survive winter conditions. While the lack of leaves makes Deciduous trees and shrubs a poor winter shelter option for birds, they do provide great benefit to birds once the leaves return. In fact, migratory birds often return to northern breeding grounds just as woody deciduous plants are beginning to bloom and leaf out – this is no coincidence as birds often use these plants for breeding and nesting activities. Woody deciduous plants also play hosts to thousands of insects (the number one source of food for birds) and provide other food sources like berries, nuts, seeds, sap, and nectar.

Top Deciduous Trees - Shrubs for Attracting Birds