Backyard birds are pissed! Can you help me find a new shrub/bush?

March 7, 2020 6:50 AM

I had the perfect bird perch and shelter next to my bird feeder, but it turned out to be the invasive multiflora rose shrub and had to be removed. I'm now looking for a replacement shrub or bush that will be equally useful as cover (and looks nice) but one that's native to my area (Massachusetts). Any suggestions?
posted by jeremias to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

On the Cape, birds hang out in holly, bayberry and anything else with fruit. Bushes that leaf out early or provide cover in winter are choice. Check out Mass Audubon's Landscaping for Birds page or go to your local sanctuary and ask, they live for those questions.
posted by Freyja at 7:14 AM on March 7, 2020 [3 favorites]

We're in upstate New York near the MA border, and a popular local solution to this is Shadbush, also called serviceberry. They're great for bees and for birds. If you're in Eastern MA, the state would probably love for you to cultivate the endangered Nantucket species.
posted by minervous at 7:32 AM on March 7, 2020 [4 favorites]

My birds love my Camelia bushes/trees. They're evergreen, and will flower 1-2 times a year. Looks like there are varietals that are hardy to zone 6, and spring is a great time to plant. (They're not native, but they're not invasive either)
posted by hydra77 at 8:54 AM on March 7, 2020 [1 favorite]

The Native Plant Trust, based in Framingham, MA, is a plant conservation organization focused on New England’s native plants. On their website, they have a Garden Plant Finder (they have a selection for songbirds) and they also sell plants starting in April.
posted by bCat at 2:56 PM on March 7, 2020 [2 favorites]