Like me, you might be happy to keep bird feeders bursting with sunflower and Nyjer seeds so the beautiful and sometimes hilarious finches, towhees and jays keep gracing your yard.
Seeds are, after all, nutrient-dense packages, offering proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and vital micronutrients, making them an efficient and crucial food source for birds of all sizes. For backyard birds, it’s estimated that over 50% of their diet can be composed of seeds, particularly during the leaner months of winter. Up to 70-80% of some migratory species’ diets during migration periods can be seed-based, providing the essential fats and carbohydrates needed for sustained flight.
Here’s a great way to go one step beyond the feeders to make sure your feathered friends have a steady supply of seeds: add native, seed-bearing plants to your landscape. They are perfectly adapted to the climate and soil, require less water and maintenance once established, and provide the exact food sources that native birds have evolved to eat. Plus, they’re lovely in their own ways, from stunning swaths of California poppies to our shimmering state grass, purple needlegrass.
Here are some natives to grow—and remember, leave the seeds!
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica): Our state flower produces small, oil-rich seeds that are a favorite of finches and sparrows.
Buckwheat (Eriogonum): California buckwheats produce clusters of tiny seeds from red, pink or white flowers that attract a wide range of birds like bushtits, towhees and juncos. They are also fantastic for pollinators.
Toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia): In addition to its bright red berries, Toyon offers small seeds consumed by some bird species, and the dense foliage provides excellent cover and nesting sites.
Manzanita (Arctostaphylos species): Many manzanita varieties produce small, berry-like fruits that contain seeds.
Thistle (Cirsium, native varieties): Before you reach for the weed killer, consider cultivating native thistles. Many, like the magenta-flowered California thistle, produce seeds that are a favorite of goldfinches. Just be mindful of their spread and consider them in a wilder part of your garden.
While we think of flowers when we think of seeds, ornamental grasses are the quiet achievers of the bird-friendly garden. They offer more than just architectural beauty and movement; they are a critical, high-calorie food source.
Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens): This large, mounding grass produces long, wand-like flower spikes. In fall, the spikes are laden with tiny seeds that attract towhees, juncos, and sparrows.
Purple needlegrass (Stipa pulchra): California’s state grass features shimmering, purple-tinged seedheads with long “awns” (tails). While the seeds are small, they are highly nutritious. It’s a favorite of goldfinches, who love to cling to the swaying stalks.
California fescue (Festuca californica): Perfect for the dappled shade of oak woodlands. This blue-green bunchgrass sends up tall seed stalks in early summer, providing a mid-season feast for small songbirds.
Now is a perfect time to pore through seed catalogs and make nursery wish-lists for native plants that can add beauty and interest to your garden—and yummy seeds for the birds. Happy planning!
Rachel Oppedahl is a UCCE Tuolumne County Master Gardener of Tuolumne County.
