Trees and forests are prime habitat for many kinds of animals. Trees
supply animals with food, nest materials, nest sites and shelter
from weather and predators. Fruits, nuts, bark, twigs and sap are
all foods offered by trees. Birds, squirrels and other animals can
find a place to raise their young in trees that have hollow spaces
in them. Trees can also shelter a variety of insect species that
provide food for small mammals and birds. Trees also provide shade
for wildlife, other plants and people!
Types of Trees
Trees can be divided into two main categories: those that lose their
leaves and those that keep them year round. Trees that lose their
leaves each year are known as deciduous trees. Trees that keep their
leaves year round are known as evergreens. Many trees that produce
cones (conifers) are evergreens while many flowering plants are
deciduous.
Evergreens
Because evergreens keep their foliage or needles year round, they
are a great addition to your Wild backyard. Evergreens provide year
round cover in addition to winter shelter and nesting sites.
Evergreens also provide sap, cones, seeds, needles, twigs and bud
throughout the year, creating a continuous food source. The
following list contains several evergreens which are great for
wildlife. Hyperlinks are provided for species with additional fact
sheets.
American Holly
(Ilex opaca)
American hollies grow from 15-50 feet tall and produce red, fleshy
berries that are available throughout the winter. Birds are the
principal consumers of American holly fruit, although deer,
squirrels and other small animals eat them. At least 18 species of
birds, including songbirds, Mourning Doves, wild turkeys and
Northern Bobwhite Quails, are known to eat the fruit.
Arborvitae
(Thuja occidentalis)
Arborvitae, also known as Northern white cedars are tall,
cylindrical trees. Their dense foliage provides excellent cover year
round for wildlife. Species such as songbirds, waterfowl and small
mammals all benefit from Arborvitae. This tree grows best in wet,
calcareous (calcium-rich) soils.
Eastern Red Cedar
(Juniperus virginiana)
Eastern red cedars can grow in any region of Maryland and are found
in dry-moist soils. This tree has scale-like leaves and produces
bluish-green berries from July-March. Many birds and small mammals
eat the berrylike cones of eastern red cedar, especially in winter.
Wildlife species that eat eastern red cedar fruits include Cedar
Waxwings, Bobwhite Quail, Ruffed Grouse, Ring-necked Pheasant, wild
turkeys, rabbits, foxes, raccoons, skunks, opossums and coyotes.
Sweetbay Magnolia
(Magnolia virginiana)
Sweetbay vegetation is used by a variety of wildlife species.
Squirrels, other small mammals, song birds wild turkeys and Bobwhite
Quail feed on sweetbay seeds. Deer browse sweetbay leaves and twigs
throughout the year. Sweetbay leaves are also used in nest
construction by several bird species such as Eastern Kingbirds,
Northern Mockingbirds, American Robins, Wood Thrushes and Red-eyed
Vireos.
Pines
(Pinus spp.)
Pine trees are fast growing trees that provide tremendous wildlife
benefits. Songbirds and small mammals benefit the most from pine
trees. Pine cones are a great food source year round.
Deciduous Trees
Although deciduous trees lose their leaves in the fall and winter,
they still provide cover and food important for wildlife. Leaf
litter from deciduous trees also provides food and cover for many
invertebrate species. Maryland has a greater diversity of deciduous
trees, and many deciduous trees produce flowers and fruit beneficial
for wildlife. The following list contains deciduous trees that can
enhance your backyard habitat. Hyperlinks are provided for species
with additional fact sheets.
American Beech
(Fagus grandifolia)
American beech trees are one native deciduous tree which can
tolerate shade. Planting this tree in a shady backyard will provide
nuts for songbirds and squirrels, sap for Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
and buds for finches.
Black Cherry
(Prunus serotina)
The black cherry can grow to 50 or 60 feet tall. Many birds and
small mammals eat black cherries. It is the preferred fruit of birds
like American Robins and Northern Mockingbirds. Black cherry sap is
a favorite of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a type of woodpecker.
The Tiger Swallowtail also uses Black Cherry as a larval host plant.
Hickory
(Carya sp.)
The most common hickory species is the bitternut hickory. Songbirds
such as grosbeaks, some woodpeckers, and other animals like fox,
squirrels and chipmunks eat hickory nuts. Shagbark hickory, which
has shaggy, plated bark also provides cover for roosting bats.
Maple
(Acer sp.)
Maples also have winged seeds which are eaten by cardinals, evening
grosbeaks, bobwhite quail, and other animals. Grosbeaks and American
Goldfinches use the leaves for nesting material and also use the
branches for supporting their nests. Maple sap is eaten by squirrels
and songbirds and the sugar maple, found in western and central
Maryland, provides sap for maple syrup.
Oaks
(Quercus sp.)
There are five types of oaks native to Maryland: the black, white,
scarlet, red and pin oaks. Many songbirds, ducks, and other animals
eat the acorns. Squirrels are famous for hiding acorns to
get ready for the long winter. Deer eat oak leaves and twigs. Oaks provide
branches for bird nests and hollows for woodpeckers, squirrels and
other animals to raise their young in wooded protection. The leaves
and branches provide shade and protection from the weather.
Sassafras
(Sassafras albidum)
The sassafras tree is common along fencerows, roadsides and
abandoned fields. It is not often used by birds for nesting but its
blue fruits are a favorite of Gray Catbirds, American Robins and
Eastern Bluebirds. In the fall, sassafras trees are in beautiful
color with orange leaves, blue fruits and green stems. The Spicebush
Swallowtail also uses Sassafras as a larval host plant.
Tulip Poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera)
The tulip poplar is a fast-growing, tall North American hardwood
tree that can reach a height of over 150 feet! Hummingbirds enjoy
its nectar, while Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers enjoy its sap. Tulip
poplars produce seeds, which are favorites of Northern Cardinals.
Hollow spaces inside this tree provide homes for squirrels and
raccoons, among other animals.
White Ash (Fraxinus americana)
The white ash grows in moist soils and can grow from 50-100 feet. It
is the most common of the ash species, while the green ash (Fraxinus
pennsylvanica) is the most widespread. You will know the ash by its
winged seeds which are consumed by many bird species. The seeds are
favorites of Evening Grosbeaks and Purple Finches and are also eaten
by Northern Cardinals, Northern Bobwhite Quail and Wood Ducks.
Tips for Using Trees to Attract Wildlife
- Plant a variety of tree species
- Try to arrange trees and shrubs in groups together or in hedgerows
- Avoid planting trees and shrubs in isolation from other
vegetation, following your garden center’s advice on how far apart
your trees should be planted
- Try to plant some trees that grow tall and some that are not so
tall, some that have bushy crowns with relatively bare trunks and
some that have thick leaves and branches from the ground up
- Wildlife species and insects sometimes will use special food and
shelter sources found only in certain parts of trees. Planting trees
with vertical diversity increases your chances of having a greater
variety of species on your property.
- Be sure to plant some evergreens. For wildlife, evergreens provide
shelter all year long, especially in winter when other trees have
lost their leaves.
- Remember that trees take time to grow. Fast growing species
include sumac, red maple, alder and white pine. Consider the time it
will take your trees to grow when preparing your tree planting
plans.
- If you do not have mature trees nearby, nest boxes for birds and
other wildlife can help provide shelter for those species, which use
hollows or cavities in trees for nesting.
How to Plant a Tree
- Remove all wires, ropes, or burlap surrounding the roots of the
tree.
- Dig a hole five times the diameter of the root ball, but
approximately the same depth of the root ball.
- Set the tree in the center of the planting area so that the upper
surface of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil.
- Fill the hole with soil.
- It is preferable not to stake or wrap the tree to stabilize it.
- Use water to pack or settle the soil around the root ball and
apply a two to four inch layer of mulch over the entire planting
area.
For Additional Information on Trees:
Visit DNR's Forest Service webpage or check out tree fact sheets
provided by Virginia Tech.
Or, contact your State Project Forester or the Annapolis Office of
the Forestry Service
410-260-8531 (Toll-free in Maryland: 1-877-620-8DNR, ext. 8531).
Invite Wildlife to Your Backyard!
For Additional Information, Contact:
Kerry Wixted
Wildlife and Heritage Service
580 Taylor Ave, E-1
Annapolis, MD 21401
kerry.wixted@maryland.gov
Phone: 410-260-8566
Fax: 410-260-8596
Acknowledgements:
- Black Cherry Tree Photo courtesy of (c) 2002 Steven J.
Baskauf, Bioimages home
- All other photographs by Kerry Wixted