Late summer season by autumn, tens of millions of birds go by the Southern Plains on their migration to southern wintering grounds. Birds comply with 4 important paths as they migrate. The Southern Plains Area lies on the coronary heart of the most important of those, the Central Flyway. Roughly half of North America’s migratory waterfowl use the Central Flyway, in addition to many shorebirds, together with sandhill cranes.
Of specific curiosity to gardeners are the a whole lot of songbird species that additionally migrate by the Southern Plains on their approach to hotter climes. To gasoline the flight, many birds that consumed bugs all through the summer season change to high-energy meals in fall, notably fruits of native shrubs and timber. Gardeners can provide birds a lift by planting a variety of native fruit-bearing vegetation within the panorama to assist gasoline migrations.
Fruiting timber to feed migrating songbirds
Fruiting timber like Carolina buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana, syn. Rhamnus caroliniana, Zones 5–9) and rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum and cvs., Zones 5–9) not solely present fruits to birds, but in addition give them a spot to relaxation. The dense branches present safety for the birds throughout the day between their nighttime migration flights. Each vegetation develop as small timber or giant shrubs reaching 10 to twenty toes tall and extensive. These adaptable species tolerate warmth and drought, in addition to the alkaline soils frequent to many areas of the Southern Plains. Plant them in partial shade to full solar. Carolina buckthorn, notable for its golden fall foliage and burgundy-black berries, is maybe the higher panorama specimen. Rusty blackhaw places on a greater spring floral show, with clusters of white flowers in April and Might that entice butterflies and different pollinators.
Shrubs with berries for migrating birds
There are a selection of panorama shrubs that not solely supply lovely decorative shows but in addition are favorites of birds. Maybe essentially the most beloved of those is American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana and cvs., Zones 6–10), adored by gardeners and birds alike for its vibrant purple autumn berries. The fruits seldom final to winter, as they’re devoured by catbirds, wooden thrushes, northern mockingbirds, and American robins, however they placed on a stunning show till then. Plant in full to partial solar for optimum fruiting. Beautyberry tolerates clay soil and dry situations as soon as established. It may possibly attain as much as 8 toes tall and 6 toes extensive.
Different shrubs to think about for fueling chook migrations embrace strawberry euonymus (Euonymus americanus, Zones 6–9) and Southern wax myrtle (Morella cerifera, syn. Myrica cerifera, Zones 7–9). The crimson strawberry euonymus fruits dangle from the branches of the 4- to 6-feet-wide-and-tall shrub and are loved by a wide range of songbirds. Wax myrtle can get significantly taller within the wild, rising right into a small tree 20 toes tall and 10 toes extensive. However in cultivation it sometimes solely reaches round 10 toes tall and eight toes extensive. Its berries are wolfed up by tree swallows, yellow-rumped warblers, and scarlet tanagers, amongst others.
Fruiting vines that present meals for migrating birds
When choosing vegetation for birds, it is very important think about vines. Not solely do vines supply fruits and flowers, however they will present glorious shelter and summer season nesting websites as properly. A seldom-used native actually price its house within the panorama is American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens and cvs., Zones 3–8). This native is to not be confused with its invasive Asian relative, Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus and cvs., Zones 4–8). American bittersweet produces an abundance of showy, vivid orange berries in late summer season and early autumn. Plant in full solar to partial shade. This twining vine reaches lengths of 20 toes, spreading 2 to eight toes extensive. Vegetation tolerate salt, clay, and alkaline soils.
Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens and cvs., Zones 4-9) is great for fueling migrations of hummingbirds, which additionally want vitality for his or her long-distance migration. Hummingbirds migrate all through September and October, so preserve these feeders stuffed, and supply a number of flowering plant materials. Coral honeysuckle additionally produces small crimson berries that entice and feed migrating songbirds. A fast grower to 10 to twenty toes tall and three to six toes extensive, coral honeysuckle has beautiful blue-green evergreen foliage and periodic flowers all through the season. Plant in full solar, and supply loads of moisture to determine.
Depart some “weeds” for the birds too
Most of the vegetation that volunteer themselves in our landscapes are glorious for wildlife. In relation to fruit, pokeweed (Phytolacca americana, Zone 4–8) is tops. The darkish purple berries are eaten by japanese kingbirds, summer season tanagers, thrushes, and great-crested flycatchers. Tough-leaf dogwood (Cornus sperifolia var. drummondii, syn. Cornus drummondii, Zones 5–8) offers shelter and berries for migrating songbirds. Additionally think about permitting Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia and cvs., syn. Vitis quinquefolia, syn. Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Zones 3–9) to ramble alongside the wooden’s edge. This vine produces beautiful crimson fall foliage and berries that entice great-crested flycatchers, red-eyed vireos, japanese kingbirds, hermit thrushes, and others.
Sustaining an abundance and variety of fruiting vegetation is a good way not solely to draw songbirds to your panorama, but in addition to help them on their lengthy southward journey within the fall.
—Kim Toscano is a horticulturalist based mostly in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She beforehand hosted Oklahoma Gardening, a weekly PBS tv program produced by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Photographs: Kim Toscano