Here at Bucks County Audubon Society, we love feeding the birds, especially in the winter when they are looking for valuable food. We have several varieties of seed in our Self-Service Bird Seed Shed that we put out in our dozens of feeders all around our property.
But how can you help the birds get food if you want to encourage them to forage for themselves?
Fortunately, there are many plants (click here to learn more about native species specific to your zip code!) that produce berries that last through the winter and the great thing is that those plants provide cover, nesting sites, and add color to your winter landscape!
Provided below is a list of great native trees and shrubs that produce food and the birds that those plants attract.
Native PA Plant | Benefits | Birds Attracted | Special Notes |
Flowering Dogwood![]()
|
– Fruits in the fall and can stick around through early winter
– Nest Sites |
Robins, Bluebirds, Catbirds, Cardinals, Grosbeaks | Flowers add beauty to the landscape in the spring |
Crabapple
|
– Fall fruits that stay through winter
– Birds can eat flowers in spring and seeds in summer/late fall – Cover and nest sites |
Robins, bluebirds, catbirds, cardinals, waxwings, finches | Flowers add beauty to the landscape in the spring |
White Oak
|
– Fall acorns that last through winter
– Nest sites |
Woodpeckers, wild turkeys, Blue Jays | Produce acorns annually |
Eastern Red Cedar
|
– Fall fruits that maintain berries in winter
– Cover and nest sites |
All native seed eaters | Only female tree produces fruits. Make sure to have a few females and males in the mix. |
Wild Grape
|
– Fruits in fall that stick around into early winter
– Nest sites and nest material |
Robins, bluebirds, catbirds, cardinals, orioles, wild turkey, Pileated woodpecker, mockingbirds | |
Northern Bayberry
|
– Fall and winter fruits
– Nest sites |
Wintering Tree swallows and bluebirds | |
Staghorn Sumac
|
– Fall fruits with seeds that persist in winter | Robins, catbirds, cardinals, chickadees, starlings, wild turkey, Pileated Woodpecker | Fuzzy red fruits add color to summer and fall landscape |
Red-Osier Dogwood
|
– Fall fruits that may stay into early winter
– Cover |
Robins, bluebirds, catbirds, vireos, juncos, cardinals, warblers, Wild Turkey, grouse | Red stems add great color to the winter landscape. |
Arrowwood Viburnum
|
– Fall fruits that may continue into early winter
– Cover |
Robins, bluebirds, catbirds, cardinals, finches, waxwings | |
Winterberry Holly
|
– Fall fruits that last through winter
– Cover |
Robins, bluebirds, waxwings | Only females produce fruits. Make sure to have a few females and males in the mix. |
Elderberry
|
– Fruits in fall and may continue through early winter | Native songbirds | |
Eastern White Pine
|
– Pinecones produce seeds
-Cover and nesting sites |
Finches, Chickadee, Woodpeckers, Nuthatch | Evergreen |
Hawthorn
|
– Fruits stay throughout winter
– cover |
Chickadee, Waxwing, Mockingbirds, Wild Turkey | Has large thorns |
Chokeberry
|
– Fruits in late fall and stays through out winter | Many native seed eaters and songbirds | Low in protein/fats and is bitter, so birds will wait until late winter when other food is gone to eat it |
Beautyberry
|
– Fruits late summer and stays through late winter | Robins and Mockingbirds | Beautiful magenta/purple berries add color to winter landscape.
Spreads quickly and easily |