Berry Bushes for Birds

Downy Serviceberry

• Downy serviceberries are also known as Indian cherries and juneberries and are considered bushes or small trees. Berries produced by these bushes attract at least 40 bird species, including cardinals, mockingbirds and Baltimore orioles. These bushes provide a good nesting site for small birds. Fruits are red-purple at maturity and have a taste similar to blueberries. They are edible for humans and can be baked into pastries or eaten fresh. Serviceberries produce fruit in late spring to midsummer, which is nesting time. They tolerate many types of soil, including sandy, rocky and loamy. Downy serviceberries also have ornamental value and have attractive foliage in the fall with shades of red, orange, gold and green.

Chokeberry

• The chokeberry is a deciduous shrub with dark green foliage that turns red in the fall. It produces deep purple or red berries and continues to produce fruit in winter and early spring, helping to replenish food supplies for birds that overwinter. Chokeberries are a great choice for an easy-to-grow shrub, because they tolerate drought and are resistant to disease. They grow 3 to 6 feet tall. They flower and fruit best in full sun.

Bayberries

• Bayberries are large shrubs that produce waxy gray berries well into the winter. These shrubs can grow to a height of 5 to 8 feet and are attractive to more than 20 species of birds. Bayberry shrubs are evergreen and are often chosen for their pleasant aroma. Bayberries have a tart flavor and aren't usually the first choice of the birds, but they are an important food source for migrating birds, such as the eastern bluebirds, warblers and tufted titmice. The bayberry bush can also be used to create sweet-scented candles.

Other Berry Bushes to Attract Birds

• Many commonly planted fruits are attractive to birds, such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Winterberries are hollies that lose their leaves in the fall but continue to produce berries that last through the winter. According to My Ohio Landscape, these berries are attractive to 12 species of birds. Other good choices of bushes that attract birds include the cranberry cotoneaster and the elderberry.