BIRDS IN THE GARDEN 



355 



BERRY-BEARING SHRUBS, VINES AND TREES FOR THE 



BIRDS. 



Another way, and a very effective one of attracting birds, is to 

 plant berry-bearing shrubs, trees and vines. The robins, starlings, 

 thrushes, cedar birds, mocking birds, in fact most so-called soft billed 

 birds, will eat berries, and some of the finches and sparrows will pick 

 them open to get at the seeds. 



Many of the migrating birds will stay about a place, where there 

 is an abundance of berry-bearers and an allowance of suet and seeds, 

 'much later than they ordinarily would stay. 



For example here in Northern Jersey as I write this in the last of 

 October, there are great flocks of robins and thrushes hurrying to cull 

 the very last of my Mountain Ash and Dogwood berries, before they go 

 away South. 



Last year one robin stayed with us all Winter eating the Japanese 

 Barberries. There is also a pair of chewinks still here, while back in 

 the woods they have been gone for at least three weeks. I should 

 head the Ust of berry-bearers with such trees as the Mountain Ash, 

 Dogwood, various wild Cherries and Cedars, Junipers, and other berry- 

 bearing evergreens. These are especially beloved by the birds. A 

 list of shrubs should include the shrubby Dogwoods, such as the Cor- 

 neUan Cherry, Red Oiser, etc.; many of the Viburnums, and Ilexes, 

 all the Vacciniums (that is. Blueberries, Cranberries and Deerberries) 

 some of the Loniceras and Crataegus or Hawthorns, Aronias, CaUi- 

 carpa, Enkianthus, Ribes, Rubus, Sambucus, Phillyrea, Amelanchier 

 and Symphoricarpus, and be sure and save a shady nook for a clump 

 of Mahonia and Cotoneaster. Last but not least we put the Bar- 

 berries, for the reason that the birds will eat everything else first. 

 Then when all the rest of the berries are gone they will settle down to 

 the sour, bitter berries of Berberis Thunbergii. Berberis vulgaris is 

 also very good, but the birds will eat its fruit earUer for the clear, sour 

 flavor (which our grandmothers found so good in jam making) is 

 pleasant to the robins' palate, so, let me repeat, be sure to have a clump/ 

 or hedge of Thunbergii, for the cold January and February days 

 when aU the other sweeter fruits are gone and the Cedar birds -will 

 stay with you till the hosts appear from the South in March, April 

 and May. 



There are also a few vines which will repay planting for the birds. 

 Notably Actinidias, Lyceum and the berry-bearing Loniceras. 



All these trees, shrubs and vines are not only useful as bird food 

 but have decorative value as well. Not nearly enough people realize 

 the great beauty of berry-bearers in Winter. The warm oranges, reds. 



