Red-Flowering Currant
Ribes sanguineum
A winter seed source birds return to, rose-pink tassels flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
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Collection
Native Plants for Birds
Seed, berry, and cover plants that feed songbirds year-round — and the caterpillars that nesting birds actually raise their chicks on.
Tip: open your state below for the version of this list filtered to plants native to your region and hardy in your zone.
The plants
39 native species in this collection.
Feeders are a snack; native plants are the real grocery store. Berries and seed heads carry birds through fall and winter, while the caterpillars these natives host are what nearly all songbirds feed their young in spring. Leave the seed heads standing, hold off on fall cleanup, and let a layer of leaves and shrubs give birds the cover they need.
Apache Plume
Fallugia paradoxa
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, white roses, pink plumes flowers.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
A winter seed source songbirds return to, spreading 15–25 ft.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — 10–20 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Bird food twice over — seed heads birds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Feeds songbirds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; good through zone 9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
A winter seed source songbirds return to, happy in sand, clay, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
A winter seed source birds return to, golden yellow flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
A winter seed source birds return to, cold-hardy to zone 5.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
A winter seed source songbirds return to, reaching 5–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, 5–8 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
A winter seed source songbirds return to, spreading 2–4 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; reaching 2–3 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, golden plumes flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Bird food twice over — seed heads birds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Hairy Manzanita
Arctostaphylos columbiana
A winter seed source birds return to, happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 3–9 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Oregon Grape
Berberis aquifolium
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; happy in rocky and loam soil.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 3–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
Bird food twice over — seed heads birds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
A winter seed source birds return to, hardy in zones 2–6.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; 4–8 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
A winter seed source birds return to, happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; spreading 6–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Browse by state
For birds, near you.
Native ranges differ across the country — open your state for the list that actually applies to your yard.
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Sourcing
Where to find for birds plants
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.