Garden for Wildlife
Grow native plants for native birds in your own yard!
There are many ways to help your local birds, and one of them is to provide the plants that help them thrive, whether by supplying food, shelter, a place to nest, or all of the above! Not only do native plants provide fruits and flowers that some birds love, they also support a wide range of nutritious insects on which many birds rely, especially when raising their young.
A lot of information is available to help you choose the most bird-friendly plants for your garden, and we’ve gathered together our favorite advice and resources to get you started.
What Are the Best Plants for Birds?
The best plants for birds are native plants that…
Provide a safe nesting location, like native shrubs and trees
Produce a food source like fruit, seeds, or nectar
Act as a host plant for native insects
The National Audubon Society’s Plants for Birds website is a great place to start learning about how you can support birds in your local area with native plants.
How to Choose Your Plants
Here are resources we recommend checking out to help your wildlife garden succeed:
Audubon’s Native Plant Database: Enter your 5-digit zip code to explore the best plants for birds in your area, learn which birds they’ll attract, and discover local resources such as places to buy native plants and seeds.
Birdscaping in the Midwest: Our CCAS Board members highly recommend this book.
Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants: Our CCAS Board members also highly recommend this book, particularly for its focus on attracting native insects to support wildlife up the food chain.
Natural Gardening for Birds: Our CCAS Board members also highly recommend this book, not only for its tips on choosing plants but also its advice for sustainable gardening practices and seasonal projects.
Where to Find Plants and Seeds
In addition to the listings provided by the Audubon Native Plant Database, here are some local places to help get your garden growing:
Native Plant Nurseries: The Illinois Native Plant Society maintains a list of nurseries that supply native plants throughout Illinois and the surrounding region.
Grand Prairie Friends: Each year, this local nonprofit based in Urbana, Illinois offers a native plant sale featuring over 50 varieties of high-quality native plants.
Prairie Moon Nursery: Our CCAS Board members highly recommend this vendor.
The Well Fed Caterpillar: Another local Champaign-Urbana native plant nursery to check out.
Get Certified!
Interested in having your backyard or property officially recognized as wildlife friendly? The Illinois Audubon Society offers Bird and Butterfly Sanctuary Certification! Check out their website to learn more.
