Oklahomans take an active interest in wildlife. In addition to the consumptive uses of wildlife like hunting and fishing, more and more citizens are enjoying non-consumptive activities such as wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and the study of nature. To enhance the opportunities for viewing wildlife, many people transform their yards into oases by incorporating native plants and landscaping for birds.
To attract the greatest diversity of wild birds, it is necessary to go beyond providing supplemental food and water resources. The next step is to manage backyard habitat. With an appropriate landscape design, you can make your backyard a true home for birds and other wildlife.
Unfortunately, many commonly used landscape plants are chosen solely on the basis of appearance rather than for what they offer to wildlife in the way of food or shelter. The most common problem with the typical landscaped yard is that it is not "wild" enough. Most yards are too open. They lack the tangle of trees, shrubs and vines that are found in natural habitats. That is not to say a yard has to look like a jungle before it is attractive to birds; sometimes just a few inexpensive changes or additions to the plantings is all it takes. The following list offers some suggestions.
- Choose plants for your landscape plan that are of notable use to birds. These include plants that bear fruit, seeds, nuts, or other foods; plant shrubbery which has the branchy growth ideal for nesting sites or escape cover. Try to achieve a combination of plants which will meet bird needs on a year-round basis.
- Create a "layered" effect in the landscaping by planting some of each of the following: large trees, small trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Open areas surrounded by plantings is the important concept.
- Maximize habitat edges where different types of plantings meet. This might be where a flowerbed and hedgerow converge or where a hedgerow adjoins trees. These habitat edges are preferred activity centers for birds and other wildlife.
- Include evergreen trees and shrubs in your landscaping plan. Not only do they function as a year-round privacy screen for the backyard, but they also provide critical winter shelter for many wildlife species during inclement weather.
- Be less energetic in removing dead tree stumps, dead branches, leaf litter or harvested garden plants. Dead trees, or snags as they are called, provide food for insect-eaters and homesites for cavity-nesters. The dead branches offer perching areas. Leaf litter and leftovers in your garden provide sources of food. Try letting the branches of some shrubbery go unpruned. This can greatly improve your bird habitat.
- Include some special habitat features. A sizeable brush pile composed of cut branches is a favorite haunt for native sparrows. Place a brush pile near a feeder which is out in the open and you will be surprised by the increased visitation.
- Selecting Landscape Plants
Generally speaking, native plants or those naturalized in the state are best suited to meeting the needs of wildlife. Native plants also tend to be the hardiest - able to withstand the sometimes severe droughts and freezes which Oklahoma experiences. In choosing plants for your landscape plan, it is a good idea to take a soil sample to your local agricultural extension office and have it analyzed as your first step. With this information and the plant lists in this document, you can visit your local nursery or other plant distributor and determine what is best suited for your yard. Again, variety is key. Try to include some of the nut-producing trees like oaks, pecans, or walnuts. Berry-producing shrubs like firethorn, blackberry, and elderberry are also good choices. Select a combination of plant species which will meet food and cover needs year-round.
It is important to realize that if you are starting out with only a lawn and new plantings, you may have to wait a few years before you can attract a large variety of birds, particularly woodland species. With bird feeders and a water source, you can draw in some visitors, but what will really be lacking is shelter and the nesting sites.
Herbaceous plants recommended for flowerbeds and borders which offer seeds in fall and winter to Oklahoma wildlife (from Oklahoma Bird Life by F. M. and A. M. Baumgartner).
Common Name Bloom Season Aster Summer - Fall Black-eyed Susan Summer Chrysanthemum Summer - Fall Coreopsis Summer Gaillardia Summer Marigold Summer Millet, foxtail Summer - Fall Millet, proso Summer - Fall Portulaca Summer Sunflower Summer - Fall Verbena Spring - Summer Zinnia Summer The following lists woody plants mainly native to Oklahoma that provide significant cover, nest sites and/or food to wildlife (adapted from Oklahoma Bird Life by F. M. and A. M. Baumgartner and the Oklahoma Native Plant Society).
Large Evergreen Trees Region Use Season Pine (Shortleaf, Loblolly) Southeast Seed Fall-Winter Pine (Scotch, Austrian, Ponderosa) West Seed Fall-Winter Large Deciduous Trees Region Use Season Ash Statewide Seed Fall - Winter Black Cherry East Fruit Summer Black Gum East Fruit Summer Boxelder Statewide Seed Fall-Winter Elm Statewide Seed Spring Hackberry Statewide Fruit Fall-Winter Maple Statewide Seed Spring Mulberry Statewide Fruit Spring Oak Statewide Nut Fall-Winter Hickory South Nut Fall-Winter Pecan Central-Southeast-Southwest Nut Fall-Winter Black Walnut East-Central Nut Fall-Winter Sweet Gum East-Central Seed Fall-Winter Small Evergreen Trees Region Use Season Pinyon Pine Northwest Seed Fall-Winter American Holly East Fruit Winter Small Deciduous Trees Region Use Season Black Haw East-Southwest Fruit Fall-Winter Chittamwood Statewide Fruit Fall Flowering Dogwood East Fruit Summer-Fall Hawthorn Statewide Fruit Fall-Winter Deciduous Holly East Fruit Fall-Winter Carolina Buckthorn East Fruit Fall-Winter Mesquite Southwest Seed Winter Persimmon Statewide Fruit Fall-Winter Sassafras East Fruit Summer Plum Statewide Fruit Summer Serviceberry East Fruit Spring-Summer Soapberry Statewide Fruit Fall-Winter Tree Huckleberry East Fruit Fall-Winter Evergreen Shrubs Region Use Season Firethorn Statewide Fruit Fall-Winter Holly East Fruit Fall-Winter Deciduous Shrubs Region Use Season Blackberry Statewide Fruit Summer Blueberry East Fruit Summer-Fall-Winter Dogwood Statewide Fruit Summer-Fall Eastern Burning Bush East-Central Fruit Fall-Winter Chockcherry West Fruit Summer-Fall American Beautyberry Southeast Fruit Fall-Winter Elderberry Statewide Fruit Summer New Jersey Tea East Summer, Fall-Winter Pokeweed Statewide Fruit Summer-Fall Rose Statewide Fruit Fall-Winter Fragrant Sumac East-West Fruit Fall-Winter Winged Sumac East Fruit Fall-Winter Smooth Sumac East Fruit Fall-Winter Vines Region Use Season Morning Glory Statewide Flower, Seed Summer, Fall Trumpet Vine Statewide Flower, Seed Summer, Winter Virginia Creeper Statewide Fruit Summer-Fall Wild Grape Statewide Fruit Summer Plants that produce flowers highly attractive to hummingbirds in Oklahoma (from Oklahoma Bird Life by F. M. and A. M. Baumgartner).
Trees and Shrubs Bloom Season Azalea Spring-Summer Buckeye Spring Glossy abelia Spring-Summer-Fall Herbaceous Plants Bloom Season Beard Tongue Spring Bergamot Summer Cardinal Flower Spring-Summer-Fall Columbine Spring-Summer Evening Primrose Spring-Summer Four O-Clocks Spring-Fall Gladiolus Spring-Summer Hollyhock Summer Lark Spur Spring-Summer Mints Spring-Summer Indian Paintbrush Spring-Summer Petunia Summer-Fall Phlox Spring-Summer-Fall Prickly Pear Spring-Summer Sage (especially red) Summer-Fall Sweet William Summer Yucca Spring-Summer