Let Your Garden Feed the Birds

Leaving Seeds, Grasses and Late Blooms Helps Northern Colorado Birds

By North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com

As Northern Colorado gardens begin their transition from summer into fall, gardeners may be tempted to start cleaning up. But leaving some of those fading flowers and grasses standing can turn the landscape into a natural bird feeder for months to come.

Perennials, native grasses, shrubs and other plants provide birds with seeds, nectar, insects and nesting material. A garden that looks a little less manicured heading into winter can actually be much more useful to wildlife.

That makes late summer a good time to think about what stays rather than simply what gets cut down.

Save Those Seed Heads

Coneflowers are among the easiest examples. Echinacea and other seed-producing perennials bloom through summer, attracting pollinators before their flowers mature into seed heads.

Instead of removing those spent blooms, gardeners can leave them standing. Chickadees, finches and other seed-eating birds can continue visiting the plants well into fall and winter.

Maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) and upright prairie coneflower (Ratibida columnifera) are also valuable choices for Front Range landscapes. Both offer flowers for pollinators followed by abundant seeds for birds. Once established, these native plants are relatively low-maintenance and can spread readily.

Birds may even help with that process. Seeds carried or dropped around the yard can produce plants in unexpected places the following season.

Plant for Hummingbirds, Too

Natural feeding isn’t limited to seeds.

Hummingbirds are drawn to tubular flowers, particularly bright red blooms containing nectar. Hummingbird trumpet, hyssop and penstemon can provide colorful additions to the garden while serving as food sources.

These plants also support insects and other native pollinators, expanding their value beyond hummingbirds.

Many drought-tolerant perennial choices need relatively little supplemental water after becoming established — an important advantage in Northern Colorado landscapes.

Don’t Forget Ornamental Grasses

Native and ornamental grasses may be some of the hardest-working plants in a wildlife-friendly garden.

Little bluestem, switchgrass and other grasses provide seeds for birds during fall and winter. Their stems can supply nesting material, while the plants themselves provide habitat for insects.

That insect population matters. Many birds rely heavily on insects when feeding their young, meaning plants that support caterpillars and other insects indirectly support bird populations as well.

Little bluestem, for example, serves as a host plant for several species of skipper butterflies.

Grasses also add structure and winter interest to landscapes. Rather than cutting them down in fall, gardeners can leave them standing through winter and remove the old growth as new growth begins in spring.

A Little Less Cleanup Can Mean More Wildlife

Creating a bird-friendly landscape doesn’t necessarily require installing another feeder or constantly buying birdseed. It can begin by allowing the garden itself to provide food.

Leave seed heads standing. Keep grasses through the winter. Choose nectar-producing flowers and native plants when adding to the landscape.

The result can be a garden that continues working long after the traditional growing season ends — providing food and habitat while bringing more birds to the backyard.

Northern Colorado gardeners looking for additional bird-friendly plant choices can explore the National Audubon Society’s Native Plants Database, which identifies plants that support birds and other wildlife based on location.

Source: Adapted and updated from North Forty News’ 2024 “Natural Bird Feeders” gardening feature.