Plants for Birds: The 10 Best for Songbirds

The chirping of birds in the morning will delight the gardener's heart. Find out here which bird-friendly plants you can use to attract songbirds.

blackbird, Thrush, finch and star - these songbirds not only delight children, but are also extremely popular with adults. No wonder, after all, the birds inspire us with their wonderful song and are also wonderful to watch. Unfortunately, birds rarely get lost in many gardens. The reasons for this can be varied: Insufficient food supply, too few nesting places or one Lack of hiding places are just some of the factors that make birds a garden avoid. Fortunately, choosing the right plants can help - we'll show you ten plants that have been shown to be particularly bird-friendly.

Ideally, bird-friendly plants have a densely branched habit so that they are suitable as a nesting place and hiding place from predators. In addition, berry-bearing plants are perfect for birds because they provide a good source of food. But many birds are also dependent on insects for food - a

insect-friendly garden is therefore automatically very bird-friendly.

1. Ordinary snowball

With its ball-shaped, snow-white inflorescences, the common snowball (Viburnum opulus) a real splendor and attracts everyone's attention in the garden. But not only people are enthusiastic about the impressive flowers - birds also love the dramatic plant. The dense growth of the plant, which can be up to four meters high, offers a great hiding place for the animals. The numerous red berries that the snowball bears in autumn are also very popular with birds. In addition to the ordinary snowball, the woolly snowball (Viburnum lantana) turned out to be very bird-friendly.

2. Real whitebeam

With a height of up to 15 meters and a very dense crown, the real whitebeam (Sorbus aria) admittedly not suitable for small gardens. However, if you have a sufficiently large garden, the hardy wood is a versatile garden plant that has numerous advantages. In particular, their great attraction to birds should not be underestimated. With its leafy crown, the whitebeam offers a protected nesting place, and the small size of its berries make it an attractive source of food for smaller bird species. The plant also owes its unusual name to its berries - these were previously used as an ingredient in bread when ground.

3. Berry bushes

Delicious berries are a must in any garden in summer. But not only people are taken with the sweet treats - birds also benefit from the numerous berry bushes in the garden. Particularly Blackberries (Rubus fruticosus) as Raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are popular with birds because they provide them with a great food source. But also Currants (Ribes) and blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus) are real bird magnets - however, one should pay attention to the use of old varieties, as new breeds are not particularly well received by many birds.

4. sloe

Whether as jam, liqueur or syrup - the sweet and sour berries of the sloe (Prunus spinosa) can be processed wonderfully in the kitchen and are therefore popular with many. But birds are also taken with sloe fruits and use them as a source of food with particular preference. In addition, the sloe offers another advantage for birds: their densely branched growth and their long, dark thorns, which the plant also does have brought the name "black thorn", make it an ideal nesting opportunity in which the songbirds are protected from natural predators are.

5. Wild roses

Cultivated roses (pink) look adorable in the garden, but are often of no value to insects and other animals. If you still don't want to do without the queen of flowers, you will find it Wild roses an ideal solution: These have the same unmistakable charm as their bred relatives, but at the same time provide food and shelter for all kinds of creatures. Especially the dog roses (Rosa canina) and potato roses (Rosa rugosa) are considered to be particularly bird-friendly, because they attract insects with their flowers and open up with theirs in winter rosehips an important source of food.

tip: If you don't want to choose a bird-friendly plant, you can sow a whole mixture right away. Our Plantura beneficial insect magnet is a seed mixture of over 20 annual and perennial plants that provide beneficial organisms such as garden birds and insects with a rich supply of food and a habitat.

6. Rock pear

the Rock pear (Amelanchier) is a rather unknown type of fruit, which has been forgotten in many areas - wrongly, after all, the plant has numerous advantages: It is considered to be particularly undemanding and frost hardy, their fruits convince with a fantastic aroma and many varieties have one impressive Autumn colors. In addition, the plant is also considered particularly bird-friendly, because it is an ideal source of food. In spring, the flowers of the plant attract countless insects that are eaten by many species of birds. In autumn, on the other hand, their fruits are a popular meal.

7. Holly

the Holly (Ilex aquifolium), also under its botanical name ilex known, is probably one of the most popular Christmas plants in general and is often used in gardens as an ornamental wood. In particular, its distinctive red berries, which stay on the plant all winter, make the holly's decorative value. But birds are also fond of the holly: While the small berries are poisonous for humans, they ensure a richly set table for birds. The plant is also particularly popular as a nesting place for smaller birds, because its prickly leaves are a reliable protection against larger predators.

8. Cornelian cherry

the Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas) has proven to be particularly popular in recent years bee-friendly plant made a name for it is an important food source for pollinators with its early flowering in March and April. But the plant is also a godsend for birds: In addition to the insects, there are also numerous small ones Fruits in autumn are an important food source for birds, which are magically drawn to the cornel. Even people like the aromatic fruits - the cornel is particularly popular as a jam.

9. Barberry

Hedges can be found in almost every garden; after all, they offer protection from prying eyes and ensure sufficient privacy in the garden. But hedge plants are not only a blessing for humans - songbirds also like to use them as a protected nesting place. The barberry is particularly attractive (Berberis vulgaris): The dense wild hedge offers an ideal shelter and is therefore often used as a place for the brood. The red berries of the hedge are not only attractive, but also good food for birds. Incidentally, the attractive berries are also absolutely non-toxic for humans - with their slightly sour taste Taste, which gave the plant the name "Sauerdorn", is not for everyone Thing.

10. Rowanberry

The name says it all: There is probably no other plant that attracts birds as reliably as the rowanberry (Sorbus aucuparia). A total of 63 bird species can be brought into direct contact with the plant - either they use the density Foliage of the plant as a nesting place or they eat their distinctive red berries, which are on the tree from the end of October are located. Another special feature of the rowanberry is that it is also suitable for small gardens: Some varieties of the robust rowanberry, for example the Chinese rowanberry (Sorbus koehneana), are also suitable for planting in pots.

And if you would like to support your garden birds even further, you can of course also offer additional bird feed. Our Plantura sunflower seeds with extra vitamins, iodine and honey, for example, provide plenty of energy and nutrients even in winter. As you have the kernels in your own, self-made bird feeder can offer, you can find out in our special article.

In addition to the right planting, there are a number of other things you can do to make one bird-friendly garden to design. We have prepared 10 tips for you to turn your garden into a bird paradise.