Plants that Attract Birds

Manzanita – Arctostaphylos spp.
A huge variety of short to medium-height shrubs is available for general wildlife cover—fruit eaten by birds and mammals.  Hummingbirds use flowers.

Coyote Brush – Baccharis pilularis consanguinea
Excellent cover plant, dense foliage.

Ceanothus – Ceanothus spp.
Some of our most attractive cultivated shrubs provide good general wildlife cover.

Mountain Mahogany – Cercocarpus betuloides
San Diego Mountain Mahogany – Cercocarpus minutiflorus
Two important chaparral plants for good general wildlife cover.  Seed eaten by birds and small mammals.

Island Bush Snapdragon – Galvezia speciosa
Good low cover. Showy accent plant in small clumps. Hummingbirds use red tubular flowers.

Toyon  – Heteromeles arbutifolia
Outstanding wildlife plant and slope stabilizer.  General tall shrub cover.  Fruits are eaten by many birds, including California Quail, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Western Bluebird, and Black-headed Grosbeak.

Mesquite – Prosopis juliflora var. torreyana
Deep-rooted deciduous shrub with attractive yellow flowers.  Seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals.

Hollyleaf Cherry – Prunusillicifolia
Good for general tall cover.  Lush green growth, very drought-tolerant, showy white flower clusters, and attractive fruits eaten by birds and mammals.

Coffeeberry  – Rhamnus californica

Hollyleaf Redberry  – Rhamnus crocealisifolia
Good for tall shrub cover.  Many birds eat fruit.

Lemonadeberry  –  Rhusintegrifolia
One of the best and most dependable species for general wildlife cover, including bird nesting substrate.  Birds eat the fruit.  Deep network of fleshy roots provides good slope stabilization.

Laurel Sumac – Rhuslaurina
Great tall shrub cover.  Many bird species nest in it.  Many birds eat their flower buds and fruit.

Mexican Elderberry – Sambucamexicana
Outstanding wildlife shrub.  Good as cover.  Fruit is eaten by a very long list of birds & mammals.

California Fuschia – Zauschneriacalifornica
Great small accent shrub. Profuse bloomer.  Bright red flowers.  A Hummingbird favorite.

Coastal Quail Brush – Atriplex lentiformisssp.breweri
Excellent conservation plan, tolerates poor soil.   Seeds are eaten by small mammals and birds.  Also serves as an important cover plant providing general protection and nest sites for low nesting birds.

Currents & Gooseberries – Ribesspp.
Several species of low to medium-sized shrubs.  Do well in shade.  Attractive fruits are eaten by many birds and mammals.  Hummingbirds use flowers of Ribes malvaceum, R. speciosum, and R. sanguineum.