Birds attracted to Wild Blackberry

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Rubus allegheniensis

Native to North America

STATE DISTRIBUTION (USDA): AL, AR, CT, DC, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV

CANADIAN DISTRIBUTION: NB, NS, ON, PE, QC

Wild Blackberry Identification and Relationship with Birds

A perennial flowering and fruiting, multi-stemmed-deciduous bramble (thorny shrub) of the Rose family, Wild Blackberry is one of the top bird attracting plants in North America. Wild Blackberry ranges from 3 to 8 feet in height, with a spread of 6 to 12 feet. White flowers (which attract a myriad of insects) bloom in late spring to early summer, with the signature blackberry (which also attracts insects) maturing later in summer. For these reasons, Wild Blackberry shrubs are commonly used by insectivorous birds when foraging for insects, while the blackberries themselves are eaten by birds as well and are a particular favorite of the Gray Catbird and Red-Eyed Vireo. The thorny and therefore protective nature of a Wild Blackberry bramble make it a top shelter, ground foraging, and nesting location for many birds, in fact it may be the Indigo Bunting’s most commonly used nesting site.