A Garden for the "Birds"!
Shared by Sandy Bivens, BIRD Program
sandy.bivens@nashville.gov
Photo credit given
May 2021
What is a “bird garden”? A garden designed for birds is a garden that provides a place for birds to live, eat, drink, raise a family, winter and serves as an important stopover site for birds migrating through the area.
A garden for birds is a garden for butterflies, moths, caterpillars, insects, pollinators, bats, bees, worms, skinks, turtles, beetles, frogs, voles, wildlife and native plants.
A bird garden can be small, large, urban, rural, in the sun, in the shade, in the woods or in a field; on the formal side or on the wild side; or on a patio, on a balcony, in the backyard, the front yard or the whole yard.
A bird garden provides a place to live – habitat. This could be a circle of your yard that you stop mowing, add some native plants, and a bird feeder, a nest box and bee house or a bird bath.
Start with a plan (or a list!). Providing native trees, shrubs and herbaceous and removing any non-native invasive plants is important first step. You could visit the nature center bird garden and learn about plants native to Middle Tennessee and the Central Basin. These brochures are others are available at the nature center and online.
American Goldfinch use thistle down to make their nest. Courtesy of Alan Plummer
Insects are fascinating, beautiful, and provide an important food source for birds. A study at the University of Delaware revealed that it takes 5000-9000 caterpillars and other insects to raise ONE brood of chickadees. That is a lot of insects! So, if you want to attract birds, you need to attract insects and eliminate insecticides in your garden.
6 Chickadees in a nest by Sandy Bivens
And to attract insects you need to provide food, shelter and space for them. Of all the native plants to choose from, the very best plant to start with is an oak. An oak is a stately tree that is a host to over 500 species of caterpillars as well as acorns for Blue Jays and other wildlife species and provides space for nesting. When all the leaves drop in the fall, the leaf litter plays an important role in the life cycle of many butterflies, moths, bees, and birds. Eastern towhees and brown thrashes are ground feeders and find food in the leaves. If you are lucky you might see a tanager taking a “leaf bath” in your leaves. Many pollinators over-winter in the leaves and old plant stems – so leave the leaves!
Bur Oak tree by Sandy Bivens
Common Milkweed by Sandy Bivens
Scarlet Tanager taking a leaf bath by Kim Bailey
Water is another important feather of a bird garden, so you could provide a bird bath or a fountain for birds to drink and bath and attract more birds to the space. A mister attracts birds especially during the dry season. You could add a heated bird bath on your porch and watch as all the birds visit in the winter.
Bird at bird bath courtesy Nature Center archives
Providing nesting boxes for bluebirds, chickadees, purple martins, bats and bees will attract wildlife to the garden. Eastern Phoebes nest under a porch, hummingbirds build nests on small tree branches. Dead trees, logs, stumps, and dead limbs also provide nesting spots for birds and wildlife. Dead branches serve as excellent lookout posts for bluebirds and other species. A small brush pile also can be an easy way to attract wildlife.
Eastern Bluebird box on fence and eggs and baby by Sandy Bivens
Bird gardens are important spaces for people too! Make sure you can see your garden from a porch or window (not too close to the window and add window applications to avoid window strikes by birds that could injure or kill them). You could add a swing or chairs in your garden so it a place to observe, listen and enjoy wildlife. You could keep a list or journal of all the birds that come to the garden. And note their behaviors or learn their songs!
Volunteer and native plant specialist Margie Hunter observes feeder birds during Cornell's Project Feederwatch. Courtesy Sandy Bivens
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are feeding from coral honeysuckle right now! Courtesy Charlie Curry
The nature center campus is full of native plants and contains many gardens – a bird garden, a hummingbird/butterfly/pollinator garden, a fern garden, a water garden (pond), a wildflower garden, an organic vegetable and herb garden, and a native tree/field garden with a tree trail. Stop by the nature center and enjoy!
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