Trees, bushes attract feathered friends in winter

MOSES LAKE — Kurt Braunwart remembered how the cedar waxwings used to show up in the yard of his childhood home in Moses Lake.

The birds didn’t fly through every year, but when they did, it was always late in the winter.

“They showed up in the same spot, in the same bush,” Braunwart said. “There was a particular plant that attracted them.”

That’s one of the rules for people who want to attract birds to the yard in winter and summer. Different birds are attracted to different plants, and gardeners and birdwatchers can tailor the yard — up to a certain point — to attract feathered friends.

Daryl Cole of Emerald Desert Nursery in Quincy said there are bird species that overwinter in Grant County, ground feeders and others.

“They kind of like a combination of shelter and a food source,” she said.

Of course, birds will be attracted to food set out for them, in a bird feeder or on the ground. Braunwart and his wife Chris host a lot of quail and juncos, among other species, in the yard of their Othello home.

“But even the juncos want some cover along with feeding areas,” Braunwart said.

Cole said birds are attracted to evergreens, which provide shelter, and trees and bushes with edible berries. (Edible for birds, that is.) Birds also like plants with edible, and accessible, seeds.

For planting purposes, gardeners and birdwatchers should choose plants that meet the criteria for Zone 5 of the “plant hardiness zones” established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Cole said plants should be able to withstand temperatures to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Braunwart said birds flock to the arborvitae in his yard, and the website, Birds and Blooms, states arborvitae is a good choice to attract overwintering birds. Other good choices are the American cranberry bush, winterberry, black and red chokeberries, sumac and firethorn.

Holly bushes (and trees) provide both food and shelter. Braunwart said the small weeping willow tree in his yard also appeals to birds. American bittersweet bushes offer shelter and provide food for multiple bird species.

Birds like hemlock for shelter, Birds and Blooms said. Boxwoods, often used in hedges, are bird favorites. Additionally, blue spruce trees provide shelter and birds eat the seeds in the cones.

For more information on plant zones, visit planthardiness.ars.usda.gov.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at [email protected].