11 Native Shrubs to Make Your Yard a Wonderland for Birds

Sure, trees and flowers are great, but tucked between them is another plant just as crucial for birds and worthy of your yard space: The humble and life-giving shrub.

But what exactly is a shrub? Shrubs are perennial plants with multiple woody stems instead of single trunk. And yes, shrubs and bushes are the same (though “shrub” is the more formal, botanical term). Their spring blooms offer nectar to hummingbirds and other pollinators; their berries fuel birds through long winters and migrations. Shrubs host insects that feed songbirds’ young, and they provide vital shelter year-round. Many nesting and resting birds prefer them to open tree canopies—their dense, tangled thickets protect them from heavy winds, snow, and rain, and from predators like raptors and cats. 
 

By growing native shrubs, you can offer critical food and shelter to migrating, breeding, and wintering birds—a powerful antidote to habitat loss. That “native” label matters, too: Birds aren’t adapted to non-native plants, which often can’t support the protein-rich insects that they rely on. And non-native fruits are like fast food for birds. High in simple sugars and low in healthy fats, they’re often empty calories, a dangerous diet for a growing bird, or one flying across the hemisphere. 

To find the best shrubs for your neighborhood birds, use Audubon’s Native Plant Database. And to create a rich, diverse habitat, complete with perches, shelter, and food, try balancing shrubs with larger trees—and watch your yard come alive with berries, flowers, and wildlife. A sanctuary for birds, and perhaps for you, as well. 

Buttonbush
Cephalanthus species

With the folk name “river-bush,” buttonbush loves sunny, wet places. Native to the eastern United States, it grows wild near swamps, ponds, and streambanks. In spring, this hardy shrub produces pincushions of fragrant white flowers, a nectar source for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, while its dense branches, bearing dark, glossy leaves, offer good cover for nesting birds. In winter and fall, nutritious nutlets—a botanical term for a small nut—feed hungry songbirds and waterfowl.

Pro planting tip: Unlike most shrubs, buttonbush thrives in standing water or seasonal floods—it’s perfect for a rain garden, a pond’s edge, or that spot that never dries out. It’s also a cousin of coffee, but don’t brew it: It’s highly toxic to humans! 

Popular visitors: Northern Cardinals, Prothonotary Warblers, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, buntings, grosbeaks, kinglets, dabbling ducks

Dogwoods
Cornus species

These tough, woody plants grow across North America, with native species in the eastern and western United States (some Cornus species grow as trees; others, multi-stemmed and low-growing, are lifelong shrubs). In winter, gray and red-osier dogwoods’ branches turn scarlet, popping against white snow. In spring, those same branches froth with life, hosting 171 caterpillar species that keep songbird chicks fed and pink and white flowers for pollinators. In fall, high-fat berries nourish a wide range of birds—from omnivorous Blue Jays, descending on flowering dogwood’s bright red berries, to fruit-loving Cedar Waxwings, munching on silky dogwood’s blueberry-like fruit. 

Pro planting tip: Low maintenance and adaptable, dogwoods thrive with minimal care. Plant them in partial or full sun for best color, though if you live somewhere hot, avoid spots with full afternoon sun.

Popular visitors: American Goldfinches, Blue Jays, Brown Thrashers, Cedar Waxwings, Gray Catbirds, Wood Thrushes, woodpeckers, vireos 

Hollies
Ilex species 

Thriving across the world, a few holly species are North American natives and popular with many bird species year-round. American holly and common winterberry, for example, bear festive red berries, ripening in fall. The eastern inkberry’s fruit is purple-black, a beacon in a washed-out winter yard. From food to shelter, these resilient, adaptable shrubs are lifelines for birds in winter. For nesting songbirds, holly’s thick, waxy leaves are a great defense against predators, wind, and snow. 

Pro planting tip: All holly species bear berries, but only the female plants produce fruit—so locate males nearby (within 40 feet) to ensure that those berries are produced. Feel free to take some holly cuttings for holiday wreaths, but go light to leave vital food and cover for birds.

Popular visitors: Northern Mockingbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, buntings, grosbeaks, ducks, quails, grouse
 

Pepperbush
Clethra species

In mid-to-late summer, when most shrubs no longer bloom, pepperbush pops with sweet-smelling bottle-brush spikes of flowers, nectar-rich for bumblebees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Pepperbush has fiery golden foliage in fall, and in winter, its seeds resemble strings of mini peppercorns—essential food for small birds when other options run low. 

Pro planting tip: These hardy, low-maintenance shrubs, native to eastern North America, like moist soil: Try planting sweet pepperbush on low-lying ground or near water, or if you live in the Appalachians, try the region’s native mountain pepperbush. 

Popular visitors: Common Yellowthroats, Gray Catbirds, Song Sparrows, chickadees, finches, hummingbirds, titmice
 

Rhododendrons
Rhododendron species

Gorgeous and prolific, rhododendrons boast more than a thousand species: Most are in the Himalayas and Southeast Asia, but a few—like Carolina, Pacific, and rosebay rhododendrons—are American natives found, between them, from coast to coast. Their name means “tree of roses” in Greek, and their brilliant late-spring blooms, in lilac, pink, and yellow, will enliven your yard with color and with hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Backyard birds, meanwhile, like to nest in rhododendrons’ dense, shade-providing thickets.  

Pro planting tip: Don’t let these shrubs get wet feet: Colorful and divalike, they don’t do well with standing water round their roots. 

Popular visitors: American Robins, Gray Catbirds, Northern Cardinals, buntings, grosbeaks, hummingbirds phoebes, nuthatches, warblers 

Shadbush
Amelanchier species

From showy spring blooms to sweet summer berries to rich orange and wine-red fall foliage, these shrubs—also called serviceberries and juneberries—are a year-round joy. Their fruit is a treat for birds and people alike: Sweet purplish berries, ripening in June, make great jams and pies, and waxwings will arrive and feast in flocks (alongside more than 35 other bird species). As for the name: On the East Coast, shadbush blooms align with the shad fish rush, heading upriver to spawn. And for early New Englanders, those blooms signaled that the ground had thawed enough to dig graves, meaning funeral services could go ahead—life and death, as always, intermixing. 

Pro planting tip: There are native shadbush species in every U.S. state but Hawaii and every Canadian province. In the East, downy serviceberries work great in most suburban yards. In the Southwest, Utah serviceberries handle arid landscapes well. And up north, saskatoon is beautifully adapted to cold climates.

Popular visitors: Cedar Waxwings, Northern Cardinals, Wood Thrushes, chickadees, grosbeaks, tanagers, vireos, titmice 

Snowberries 
Symphoricarpos species

The Indigenous Blackfeet people call western snowberries “ghost berries”—the inedible version of serviceberries. While toxic to humans, snowberries’ white berry clusters persist through winter, providing vital sustenance for a wide range of species, from flocking finches to ground-dwelling grouse, when other food sources are scarce. Common snowberries are native throughout much of North America, while western snowberries are adapted to woodlands, prairies, and riparian zones in the Midwest and West. Their thickets can house a songbird’s nest, with larvae on tap to help nestlings grow, and feature bell-shaped, pink-white flowers in summer. 

Pro planting tip: Plant these shrubs in a range of conditions, and watch them flourish against all kinds of odds: poor soil, flooding and drought, careless gardeners, and even hungry deer. With these hardy species, you can’t go wrong. 

Popular visitors: American Robins, Hermit Thrushes, Mourning Doves, buntings, grosbeaks, hummingbirds, finches, waxwings
 

Spicebush
Lindera species

With butter-yellow leaves and a citrus-pepper scent, spicebush is an early bloomer and harbinger of spring. Flower clusters burst on its branches beginning in March, providing an early source of nectar for hummingbirds and other pollinators. Spicebush hosts all kinds of larvae that young songbirds need to grow, including those of the spicebush swallowtail, which live and dine nowhere else. This shrub’s  glossy, fatty red berries, which ripen in fall, are a nutritious fuel source for migrating and overwintering birds. Peppery and pungent, those berries, along with its leaves and twigs, also make good tea and a fragrant alternative to allspice. 

Pro planting tip: A low-maintenance shrub that likes rich soil and shady spots, spicebush is native to 32 eastern states, from Texas to Maine—growing naturally in forests, beneath deciduous trees. 

Popular visitors: Gray Catbirds, Eastern Kingbirds, Wood Thrushes, Veeries, mockingbirds, vireos, quails, grouse

Sumacs
Rhus species

A good choice for the neglectful gardener, sumacs, which are native across the Lower 48, are tough, drought-tolerant, and grow fast. Birds love their berries: Dozens of species, plus small woodland mammals, depend on them in winter, once sweeter berries are scarce. Staghorn sumac has velvety, antler-like fuzz on its branches and fruit, protecting them from damage and saving them for birds. Smooth sumac berries taste lemony; use them to make a lemonade-like drink, or grind them into a tangy seasoning (the Arabic “summaq,” meaning “dark red,” reflects the plant’s ancient heritage as a dye and spice).

Pro planting tip: A great choice for poor or eroded soil, try planting sumacs on slopes, banks or disturbed ground—their dense roots grow fast, locking soil and water in place and helping to restore soil health. 

Popular visitors: Brown Thrashers, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Mockingbirds, Ruffed Grouse, buntings, woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice 

Vacciniums
Vaccinium species

Blueberries, huckleberries, cranberries: Vaccinium fruits aren’t just delicious, they’re good for you and your backyard birds. Rich in antioxidants, they boost human and avian immune systems and reduce inflammation; ahead of long migrations, songbirds actively switch to vaccinium berries to protect against muscle damage, while their high fat content is essential fuel for endurance flying. 

Pro planting tip: Plant in sunny spots for a greater fall bounty of berries, and check which species are locally native—such as highbush blueberries in the East and South, and winter huckleberries on the West Coast. 

Popular visitors: Eastern Bluebirds, Northern Cardinals, Northern Flickers, Scarlet Tanagers, mockingbirds, orioles, jays, towhees, warblers
 

Viburnums
Viburnum species

In spring, viburnum flowers bloom in flat-topped clusters or snowball shapes, in flushes of pink, cream, and white; in summer, berries shine red or rich blue-black. Most North American species—like mapleleaf viburnum, blackhaw, and southern arrowwood—are native to the East, though some, like squashberry, stretch to the Northwest. Easy to grow, viburnums are great butterfly nurseries for species like the spring azure while also hosting hummingbird-like clearwing moths. 

Pro planting tip: To create a woodland wonderland in your backyard, plant dense viburnums beneath larger canopy trees to mimic a natural ecosystem, and watch wildlife magically appear. 

Popular visitors: American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Gray Catbirds, Eastern Bluebirds, buntings, chickadees, grosbeaks, hummingbirds