The best plants and hedges for attracting birds
Birds bring life and joy to our gardens. Not only do they provide a lively spectacle, but they also help to keep down insects and spread seeds. By including specific plants and hedges in your garden, you can create an appealing environment for the most common garden birds.
Below you'll find inspiration for making your garden bird-friendly, adapted to the top 10 garden birds according to recent censuses.
1. House sparrow
House sparrows are sociable birds that like to live in groups. They are drawn to dense bushes and hedges that offer shelter and nesting sites. Privet (Ligustrum vulgare) is an excellent option; this hedge plant provides both protection and food in the form of berries. Climbing plants such as ivy (Hedera helix) are ideal too, as they offer a safe place for nests.
2. Great tit
Great tits are curious birds that like to eat insects. They like trees and bushes where they can find food and build nests. Planting oak trees (Quercus robur) can help, as these trees attract lots of insects. Hazel trees (Corylus avellana) are suitable as well as they provide both food and nesting sites.
3. Eurasian blue tit
Eurasian blue tits are similar in appearance to Great tits but slightly smaller. They like dense bushes and trees where they can find insects. Ornamental grasses such as Chinese fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln') attract insects and produce seeds that Eurasian blue tits like to eat.
4. Jackdaw
Jackdaws are intelligent birds that live in flocks. They like to nest in tall trees and on buildings. Planting tall trees such as beech (Fagus sylvatica) can attract them to your garden. Dense hedges such as English yew (Taxus baccata) can provide shelter too.
5. Blackbird
Blackbirds are known for their melodious song and like gardens with plenty of shelter and food. Berry bushes such as redcurrants (Ribes rubrum) and elderberries (Sambucus nigra) provide them with a source of food. In addition, hedges such as beech (Fagus sylvatica) give them a safe place to nest.
6. Finch
Finches are seed eaters that like to forage on the ground. They are attracted to gardens with ground cover plants such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'), which produces seeds that finches like to eat.
7. Wood pigeon
Wood pigeons are large birds that like open spaces containing a few trees or bushes. Evergreen bushes such as cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) provide both food and nesting sites. Furthermore, hedges such as privet (Ligustrum vulgare) can provide them with shelter.
8. Magpie
Magpies are smart birds that like varied gardens containing both open spaces and shelter. Hedges such as hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) provide both food in the form of berries and nesting sites. Tall bushes such as buddleja (Buddleja davidii) attract insects that magpies feed on.
9. Eurasian collared dove
This dove species likes urban areas and gardens that offer shelter. Climbing plants such as ivy (Hedera helix) provide a safe place for them to nest in. Trees such as birch (Betula pendula) can offer food and resting places too.
10. Robin
Robins are solitary birds that like dense bushes and ground cover plants. Ground cover plants such as lesser periwinkles (Vinca minor) offer food and shelter. Bushes such as hazel (Corylus avellana) can also provide nesting sites.
Tips for a bird-friendly garden
- Variety of plants: make sure you have a mix of trees, bushes and ground cover plants to attract different bird species.
- Sources of food: plant bushes and trees that produce berries, seeds or nuts.
- Shelter and nesting sites: dense hedges and climbing plants offer birds safe places to shelter and build nests.
- Water: a shallow pond or birdbath provides birds with water for drinking and bathing.
By including these specific plants and hedges in your garden, you create an inviting environment for a wide variety of bird species. In doing so, you not only help birds find food and a safe place to build nests, but you also enjoy a vibrant garden full of birdsong and movement. With the right plants your garden can become a true paradise for garden birds, all year round!