In the Southwest, you may even see roadrunners taking up residence in the hawthorne's cover. Hawthornes and crabapples are ideal choices for urban dwellers with limited yard space. In fact, given their limited root growth, they're often recommended as street trees, since they fit within the narrow green belt running between the street and sidewalk. But big trees have a lot to offer birds, too. The mighty oak, for one, is a nesting ground for blue jays, orioles and gnatcatchers, among others.
Alders provide shelter for a host of birds.
Shrubs, another good bird magnet, are easier to plant than trees and are more permanent than flowers. If you were to plant only two varieties you could hardly do better than the blueberry and blackberry, says Tufts. Birds are enticed by berries of all kinds. Berry-producing bushes popular with many birds include the bayberry, wax myrtle, gooseberry and currant. The berries of the American or common elder have been shown to attract 30 different species of birds.