There’s nothing like a beautiful garden full of butterflies, bees, and birds. However, transforming your Florida yard into the perfect environment for birds can be a challenge. You’ll want to know a few tips and learn the best Florida plants to attract birds.
What Birds Want in a Garden
To create a bird-friendly paradise, you need to first consider a bird’s preferences and needs. The highest priority for any bird is food. Keep in mind, though, that different birds eat different things. Your garden must feature a variety of native plants to provide a variety of food sources.
Some bird species, such as finches, sparrows, thrashers, and chickadees, primarily eat seeds. Other native birds (like mockingbirds and warblers) add insects to their diet. Of course, then you have the highly prized hummingbirds — they feast off nectar and fruit.
Knowing how to attract birds in your garden starts with offering an excellent source of food. Birds want a habitat that provides nectar, berries, and seeds without scaring away all the bugs.
Best Bird-Friendly Plants for Your Garden
If you’re struggling to welcome birds to your landscape, think about the types of plants available. Do the trees and shrubs offer shelter, safety, and good branches for nesting? Do the plants supply the right kinds of bird food?
Proper plant life can make all the difference for your garden. Here are some of our favorite Florida plants to attract birds:
Seed-Bearing Plants
- Sunflower
- Coneflower
- Ironweed
- Mistflower
Fruit-Bearing Plants
- Wax myrtle
- Chickasaw plum
- Pawpaw
- Persimmon
Berry-Bearing Plants
- Blueberry
- Holly
- Simpson’s stopper
- Red mulberry
Nectar-Producing Plants
- Coral honeysuckle
- Trumpet creeper
- Firebush
- Wild columbine
Some plants also work well for attracting grasshoppers, caterpillars, and other insects. These include sneezeweed, goldenrod, dotted horsemint, and many other native species.
Other Tips for How To Attract Birds in Your Garden
Flowers and shrubs are essential to a bird-friendly garden, but you can do more to attract your favorite songbirds. By following these tips, you’ll instantly boost your landscape and give the birds something to look forward to:
- Add a birdbath: It’s often hard to cool off during Florida’s blistering summers. Adding a birdbath to your garden can help the birds clean themselves and stay comfortable all year.
- Plant native trees: Trees can do a lot for your garden. They create shade and adequate shelter for when it rains. They can also encourage birds to build nests, depending on the type of tree.
- Leave compost and leaf litter: Fallen leaves and decomposing materials are a neon welcome sign for little critters. You may think these will harm your garden. However, more bugs mean more tasty treats for the birds and their chicks.
Get the Right Plants for Your Florida Garden
The best way to attract birds in your Florida garden is to plant the right wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. At CWG Landscape, our garden experts can help you select the perfect plants to attract birds. Call us today at (239) 242-0900 for more garden tips and tricks in Cape Coral, FL!