Looking to make your backyard more bird-friendly? Providing safe and cozy nesting sites is just as important as offering food and water.
These 12 shrubs offer dense cover, strong branching, and seasonal benefits—making them irresistible spots for birds to build their nests and raise their chicks.
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
Not only does it provide dense foliage for nesting, but its bright purple berries also feed birds in the fall. A wildlife favorite for good reason.
Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)
This multi-season shrub offers spring blooms, summer berries, and thick branching that birds love. It’s a favorite for robins, cardinals, and catbirds.
Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
A fast-growing native with plenty of cover and flower-to-fruit appeal. Its wide structure provides safe nesting for many songbirds and even doves.
Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum, V. trilobum, and others)
From arrowwood to cranberrybush types, viburnums offer thick growth, fragrant blooms, and fruit for food. Birds often build nests deep within the branches.
Holly (Ilex spp.)
Evergreen holly offers year-round protection and bright red berries that attract birds. Its prickly leaves also help deter predators near nesting sites.
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
With arching branches and peeling bark, ninebark provides dense cover for hidden nests. It’s also tolerant of tough conditions and looks beautiful in bloom.
Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
This native shrub attracts nesting birds and beneficial insects alike. Its fragrant foliage and berries make it a magnet for wildlife of all kinds.
Dogwood (Cornus sericea or Cornus racemosa)
Dogwoods offer branching structure ideal for nest placement, and their berries are a late-summer treat. Red-twig types add winter interest, too.
Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia or melanocarpa)
Dense, adaptable, and fruit-bearing, chokeberries attract nesting birds and feed them later with tart clusters of berries that persist into winter.
Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
A native evergreen holly with a compact form and glossy leaves. Inkberry offers low cover and nesting opportunities, especially for ground-nesting birds.
Juniper (Juniperus spp.)
Junipers provide dense evergreen shelter and abundant berries. Cedar waxwings, robins, and sparrows often build nests deep within their branches.
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
This wetland-loving shrub produces spherical blooms and grows thickly enough to hide nests well. It’s ideal for attracting birds in or near damp areas.
Nesting birds need more than just feeders—they need cover, safety, and structure. These 12 shrubs give them just that, while bringing beauty and movement to your landscape. Plant a few, and enjoy the flutter of life in your own backyard sanctuary.
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