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Bird-friendly gardens provide an ideal habitat for every native bird. It finds enough nesting sites and sufficient food here. Therefore, such plants should be planted from which the birds can benefit. This not only attracts a wide variety of bird species to the garden, but also other small animals such as insects, butterflies, squirrels or hedgehogs. The little feathered friends will gladly accept their new paradise and thank them with happy chirping. In this article we present 10 bird-friendly hedges, shrubs and trees.
Bird friendly garden
The normal habitat of the native birds is being decimated more and more, mainly due to increasing urbanization and the cultivation of monocultures in agriculture. Trees and shrubs are becoming increasingly rare in cities. Increasing colonization makes it increasingly difficult for birds to find suitable nesting sites. There is simply no more space for nesting on modern roofs. It is therefore particularly important that every garden owner makes a small contribution to protecting the birds. Here it is sufficient to plant a few bird-friendly hedges, shrubs and trees. Perhaps a small "wild" corner in the garden should remain. In this way, the feathered friends can be provided with food and enough places to retreat or nest.
A bird-friendly garden should always contain a mixture of trees, shrubs, hedges, herbs and flowering shrubs as different food sources. Particularly popular are berry-bearing shrubs, coniferous trees and fruit trees. The fruits are an important source of food for birds from summer through autumn to winter. With a lot of luck, crossbills and goldcrests can be attracted to coniferous conifers.
Robin, Erithacus rubecula
Hedge is not the same as a hedge
When we talk about hedges in a bird-friendly garden, we are not talking about hedges that are always trimmed properly and serve as demarcations between properties. Most of the time you will find mainly finely cut hedges made of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens). Bird-friendly hedges, on the other hand, are densely packed bushes and smaller trees of different species. Underneath, low plants should still be able to settle. Such plants offer many birds like
- blackbirds and starlings
- Greenfinches and Tits
- linnets and robins
- sparrows and magpies,
but also other mammals such as hedgehogs and squirrels shelter and food in the form of berries, seeds and insects. Small bird species find a lot of protection from natural predators, especially in thorny hedges and bushes. Climbing plants on house walls are also popular nesting sites for blackbirds, wrens and house sparrows.
It should be noted that only native plants planted if a natural habitat for birds is to be set up in the garden. Exotic plants bring a Mediterranean flair to the garden, but are of no use to native bird species. They find no food or nesting places here. As a rule, the birds tend to stay away from plants that do not reproduce in our latitudes. The more natural a garden is designed, the more it corresponds to the habitat of the birds. Not only they are attracted by this, but also insects, which serve as food mainly for young birds. Incidentally, birds also prove to be eager helpers in combating plant pests.
notice: Ideal conditions for a bird-friendly garden are created by planting a variety of hedge plants with different leaf densities. Here even the smallest bird finds protection and food.
cutting time
According to Section 39 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act, it is forbidden to cut hedges, bushes and living trees between March 1st and September 30th. The reason is that at that time the birds breed and in the case of pruning measures, nests can be destroyed. Normally, the birds then give up their nest site, even if the nest is not destroyed. The young birds are then left behind and, in the worst case, starve to death. Violators will be punished with high fines.
The best time to cut back is therefore autumn and winter. No nest sites can be destroyed here. If a generous pruning takes place during the winter months, then it is usually unnecessary to trim again in summer. The clippings should not be removed straight away, but carefully piled up. This creates important small habitats for birds and small mammals.
notice: The leaves of deciduous shrubs should also remain where they fall. Over time, nutrient-rich soil develops there for the growth of a natural layer of herbs under hedges and shrubs. This should not be missing in any natural garden. It forms a habitat for spiders and insects, which in turn are food for birds.
Bird-friendly plants at a glance
There is a wide range of bird-friendly hedges, shrubs and trees. Below is a small selection.
From E - H
Ivy (Hedera helix)
The climber is a popular breeding ground for greenfinches, blackbirds and sparrows. Ivy is poisonous, but poses no danger to birds. The yellow-green flowers that appear in spring attract insects. After flowering, blue-black berries form. These also serve as winter food for birds.
- popular protection
- climbs up the walls of the house
- loves shadows
Hedera helix 'Woerner'
Yew (Taxus baccata)
A yew hedge is very popular in this country. It is evergreen but poisonous to humans and pets. On the other hand, this is not a problem for birds. With several short and upright trunks, the yew not only offers good privacy, but also excellent nesting sites. Birds like to eat the bright red berries that form in autumn.
- very robust, easy to care for and easy to cut
- likes half-shady to shady locations
- Growth per year is 20 to 25 cm
Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
The hornbeam is also ideal as a hedge plant. Because it offers perfect hiding places and rich food for medium-sized birds such as blackbirds and finches. It grows relatively slowly and can be stimulated to grow in width instead of in height by various measures. The foliage is very dense and therefore a good nesting place. It can be planted as a tree or hedge.
- cut resistant
- Leaves over 10 cm long and wavy
- dense foliage
- withered leaves remain on the bush until spring
From L - S
Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
The shrub is not only very bee-friendly because of its yellow-white flowers, but the black berries serve as food for the birds in autumn and winter. They are slightly toxic and not tolerated by humans or pets. The rich and dense branching is an ideal breeding ground and offers sufficient protection from predators. The green leaves only fall off completely in the spring and new ones immediately grow back. Privet is suitable as a compact, dense hedge and is
- robust, easy-care, cut-friendly
- growing upright
- two to five feet wide and
- tolerates sun and shade
Euonymus europaeus
The berries are poisonous to humans and pets. The fruits are also very popular with wild birds, mainly robins, thrushes and magpies. The shrub is also known as robin bread. The white-yellowish-green flowers appear in May/June and attract insects. From August onwards, orange-colored fruits appear.
- undemanding
- easy-care
- prefers a sunny location
sour thorn (Berberis vulgaris)
The sour thorn is also known as the common barberry. The fruits are popular with humans and birds. The evergreen shrub turns bright red in autumn. It offers an ideal privacy screen and excellent nesting place. Therefore, predators have no chance. Yellow flowers appear in May, attracting insects. The red fruits and seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals. Other parts of the tree, such as the bark, are poisonous.
- frost hardy
- densely branched and thorny
- loves a sunny to semi-shady, dry location
Barberry is also called vinegar berry
Black elder (Sambucus nigra)
The blue berries are not only popular with birds, but are also used in the kitchen. They are rich in vitamin C and can only be tolerated by humans when cooked. The shrub also offers a retreat for larger birds, but it is not readily accepted as a nesting site. Only old bushes with rotten branches and cavities are good nesting sites for cavity breeders. The white flowers appearing in June attract bees and insects.
- undemanding
- loves nutrient-rich, moist soil
From V - W
Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
The rowan berry is also better known as rowan. These trees are very bird friendly in the garden. They are chosen by 63 species of birds as a habitat and also used as a source of food. The berries only become really digestible for the birds after the first frost. The bitter parasorbic acid was then converted to sorbic acid. The fruit then tastes sweet. For humans, the berries are only digestible when cooked.
- robust and easy to care for
- thrives on any soil
- white flowers only appear after five to six years
Rowanberry, Sorbus aucuparia
Juniper (Juniperus communis)
The juniper grows densely and is particularly interesting for smaller birds such as robins. Because they find protection from predators here and it is a good nesting place. The bluish berry cones usually ripen in the second or third year in autumn and winter. They serve as food for various thrush species. Juniper is toxic to humans and pets.
- adaptable
- heat and drought resistant
- prefers a sunny to semi-shady location
- needs well drained soil
Juniper is a bird friendly hedge
Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
In the garden, the hawthorn is just as popular as the rowanberry. It guarantees a rich bird visit and is therefore considered a bird-friendly plant in the garden. The thorny hedges are particularly popular with smaller birds. Because they offer protection against predators and are an ideal nesting place. The pink and white flowers then appear in May and attract insects. Red berries appear in August. These are also a popular autumn and winter food for birds. In addition, the fruits can also be used in the kitchen. Hawthorn is not demanding on the soil.
- easy-care
- heat and drought resistant
- a fast-growing privacy screen and
- prefers a sunny location
Crataegus, Hawthorn
tip: Of course, fruit trees such as apple (Malus) and cherries (Prunus avium) and berry-bearing shrubs such as blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), raspberries (Rubus idaeus), blackberries (Rubus fructicosus) or currants (Ribes), mainly old varieties such as red currant ( Ribes rubrum), black currant (Ribes nigrum) or alpine currant (Ribes alpinium) should not be missing in a bird-friendly garden. These are very popular as food.