With this year’s Big Garden Birdwatch well under way, there’s one question on every birdwatcher’s mind: how can I make my garden more attractive to birds? Our answer is: trees!
Topping up your bird feeders is one solution, but planting a tree can provide a low-maintenance and consistent source of food for our feathery friends, not to mention a safe space for nesting.
Here we recommend our top trees for bringing birds into your garden.
Cotoneaster 'Hybridus Pendulus' Tree
This small, weeping evergreen tree grows clusters of vibrant-red berries in the Winter which are an extremely popular snack with birds, particularly Waxwings! It tolerates most conditions and soil types, making it a convenient solution for bringing those birds into your garden.
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Crataegus laevigata 'Paul’s Scarlet' Tree | Double Crimson Hawthorn
As its common name of Hawthorn suggests, this tree grows sharp thorns on its branches and thus provides a safe home for birds to nest. It is very hardy and will grow in almost any condition or soil including coastal, exposed, polluted or damp sites.
Arbutus unedo | Strawberry Tree
Also known as the Strawberry tree, this small evergreen tree produces bright yellow and red fruits in the Autumn as well as clusters of pretty white flowers in November. The fruits are popular with common garden birds such as robins and starlings.
Ilex aquifolium 'Argentea Marginata' Tree | Silver Variegated Holly
This lovely Holly tree grows dark-green leaves which are highlighted with cream-coloured edges. It is ideal for screening purposes or to use as a windbreak, but it also grows berries and its spiky leaves provide protection for various species of birds.
Sorbus aucuparia Tree
The Common Mountain Ash Tree is an all-round crowd-pleaser when it comes to wildlife. While its flowers produce nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators, it also grows bundles of orange-red berries which provide a rich source of food for blackbirds, thrushes, and other species of bird.