Bird-Friendly Shrubs of Northern Nevada

​SHRUBS INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE:

Acer circinatum: Vine Maple 
Acer glabrum: Rocky Mountain Maple 
Aesculus californica: California Buckeye
Amelanchier alnifolia: Saskatoon Serviceberry 
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi: Red Bearberry
Artemisia ludoviciana: White Sagebrush 
Artemisia tridentate:  Big Sagebrush 
Atriplex canescens:  Four-Wing Saltbush
Castilleja miniata: Paintbrush 
Cornus alba: Red Osier (Dogwood) 
Corylus cornuta:  Beaked Hazelnut 
Crataegus douglasii: Black Hawthorne 
Ephedra nevadensis: Nevada Joint-Fir
Epilobium canum: Hummingbird-Trumpet 
Ericameria nauseosa: Rubber-Rabbitbrush
​Holodiscus discolor: Creambush 
Juniperus scopulorum: Rocky Mountain Juniper 
Lonicera involucrate: Four-Line Honeysuckle 
Lupinus excubitus: Interior Bush Lupine
Prunus andersonii: Desert Peach 
Prunus emarginata: Bitter Cherry 
Prunus virginiana: Choke Cherry 
Rhus aromatic: Fragrant Sumac​
Ribes aureum: Golden Currant 
​Rosa californica: California Rose 
Rosa woodsii: Woods' Rose 
Rubus parviflorus: Western Thimble-Berry
Salix scouleriana: Scouler's Willow 
Salvia dorrii: Gray Ball Sage 
Sambucus racemose: Red Elder 
Shepherdia argentea: Silver Buffalo Berry 
Sorbus scopulina: Cascade Mountain-Ash 
Symphoricarpos mollis: Creeping Snowberry 
Vaccinium scoparium: Grouseberry ​

​The table below contains a list of shrubs native to Northern Nevada and the surrounding areas. The table also has a photo, brief description and a list of the birds attracted to the plant. The information from this table was taken from the National Audubon Native Plant Finder. If you would like a list of plants more specific to your zip code, use the Native Plant Finder and input your zip code for your own list of plants. 

Plants can have multiple common names but their scientific names are standardized. Some people prefer to find plants by their scientific name, while others prefer common. That is why we alternatively listed the plants each of the handouts in alphabetical order by their common name. See the list above to find plants in the guide by their scientific name.
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PLANT		DESCRIPTION		BIRDS ATTRACTED
Beaked Hazelnut (Corylus cornuta)	Beaked Hazelnut, or Beaked Filbert, is a perennial, deciduous shrub that reaches 4 to 8 feet in height and width, often forming thickets. It produces small, yellowish-brown catkins in February and March, which lead to nuts that are a favorite of various bird species and small mammals. Beaked Hazelnut prefers partial shade and moist soils.		Buntings & Grosbeaks, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Finches, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)		Big or Great Basin Sagebrush is an aromatic, many-branched shrub with evergreen, silvery gray foliage. Though it is the dominant shrub across the Great Basin region, this plant is unfortunately endangered by cheatgrass and wildfire in its native range. It can grow up to 10 feet tall in full sun and dry, rocky soils.		Finches, Chickadees & Titmice, Sparrows, Crows & Jays, Woodpeckers, Grosbeaks and Buntings, Crows & Jays
Bitter Cherry (Prunus emarginata)		Bitter Cherry is a deciduous, perennial shrub that can grow up to 50 feet tall, often forming thickets. It produces white flowers in the spring, followed by extremely bitter, red fruits that are inedible to humans but a favorite of birds. This plant tolerates full sun to partial shade and has low water requirements.		Orioles, Vireos, Woodpeckers, Crows & Jays, Nuthatches, Chickadees & Titmice, Waxwings, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Thrushes, Wrens, Grosbeaks and Buntings, Sparrows, Wood Warblers
Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii)	Black Hawthorn is a medium-sized shrub that grows 6 to 30 feet tall with thorns and stout branches. Dense clusters of white flowers appear in May and June followed by shiny, purple to black fruits, attracting butterflies and birds. This plant grows best in moist soils and in full sun to partial shade, the best fruit production occurring in full sun.		Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens

California Buckeye (Aesculus californica)

This tree grows 10 to 40 feet in height, and up to 40 feet in crown diameter with silvery-gray bark and dark green foliage. It produces fragrant, white to pale pink flowers from May to July and loses its leaves in the fall and winter. Drought tolerant, this tree can survive in full to partial sun and in poor, dry soils. Though edible to chipmunks and squirrels, the seeds of this plant are toxic to humans if eaten, while the nectar and pollen are poisonous to bees.

Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens

California Rose (Rosa californica)

California Rose or California Wildrose is a perennial, deciduous shrub that can form thickets, growing up to 8 to 10 feet in height and width. It produces thorny stems topped with open-faced, pink flowers from May through August. This plant loses its leaves in the winter, and may grow berries, though not always. It can grow in full sun to shade, and though drought tolerant, this shrub grows best in moist soils near water.

Buntings & Grosbeaks, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens

Cascade Mountain-Ash (Sorbus scopulina)

Also called Green’s or Western Mountain-Ash, this small, shrub-like tree can reach up to 12 feet in height, either branching or as a single trunk. It produces shiny, green leaves and clusters of white flowers followed by orange-red berries that persist throughout fall and winter. Cascade Mountain-Ash prefers moist, rich soils, and can withstand full sun to shade.

Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens

Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana)		This perennial, deciduous shrub or small tree grows 20 to 30 feet tall with reddish-brown twigs. The red cherries become black as they ripen from July through August, and provide an important source of food for browsers, small mammals, and many species of birds. It grows in dry to moist, well-drained loams, in full sun to partial shade, and is tolerant to drought and dry/shallow-rocky soil. Choke Cherry is also a larval host for many species of butterflies and moths.		Orioles, Vireos, Woodpeckers, Chickadees & Titmice, Waxwings, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Thrushes, Wrens, Grosbeaks and Buntings, Sparrows, Wood Warblers, Crows & Jays, Nuthatches
Creambush (Holodiscus discolor)		Also known as Ocean Spray, Hillside Ocean-Spray, and Mountain Spray, this fast-growing, deciduous shrub reaches up to 7 feet in height. The pale, lilac-like flower plumes bloom in late spring to early summer, nearly covering the shrub completely. The flowers then turn a tan to brown color and last on the plant through winter. This plant can grow in full sun to partial shade, and prefers dry to moist, rocky or gravelly soils.		Woodpeckers, Crows & Jays, Finches, Chickadees & Titmice,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Sparrows
Creeping Snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis)		This creeping shrub also goes by the names Southern California Snowberry and Trip Vine because of its low, sprawling style of growing, though it only reaches about 1 1/2 feet in height. It produces pink flowers in early summer, followed by clusters of white berries. This plant can tolerate shade to full sun and a variety of dry soils.		Orioles, Vireos, Woodpeckers, Chickadees & Titmice, Waxwings, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Thrushes, Wrens,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Sparrows, Wood Warblers, Crows & Jays, Nuthatches
Desert Peach (Prunus andersonii)		Desert Peach is a perennial, deciduous shrub that can reach up to 7 feet in height and 5 feet in diameter. A member of the rose family, this plant has spiny twigs and produces showy, pink flowers with whisker-like stamens from March to June followed by reddish-orange fruit. It tolerates full sun and requires little water, preferring sandy or well-drained, granite soil.		Wood Warblers, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Wrens, Vireos, Crows & Jays, Thrushes, Sparrows,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Woodpeckers, Orioles, Nuthatches
Four-Line Honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata)		This tall shrub gets its name from its uniquely paired flowers and berries, and also goes by the names Black Twinberry, Twinberry Honeysuckle, and Bearberry Honeysuckle. It is a perennial, deciduous shrub with shiny, opposite leaves and pairs of tubular yellow flowers on red stems. The flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds while its black berries are eaten by various other birds. The shrub can grow in full sun to shade, in moist to wet soils.		Sparrows, Wood Warblers,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Hummingbirds, Chickadees & Titmice, Wrens, Mockingbirds & Thrashers
Four-Wing Saltbush (Atriplex canescens)		Also known as Chamiso and Wing-scale, this many-branched, semi-evergreen shrub typically grows up to 2 to 3 feet tall but can reach up to 8 feet in partial shade and dry, well-drained soils. The young stems and leaves are covered with minute, white scales that helps protect the plant against water loss. The name "Saltbush" refers to the alkaline soil habitats in which the plant grows.		Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Crows & Jays, Sparrows, Woodpeckers, Orioles, Vireos, Wood Warblers, Chickadees & Titmice, Waxwings,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Finches
Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatic)	Also known as Aromatic Sumac, Lemon Sumac, and Polecat Bush, this aromatic, deciduous, perennial shrub grows 6 to 12 feet tall. It has glossy, blue-green, toothed leaves that turn red, purple, and yellow in the fall. Yellow  flowers bloom from April to June before growing into dark-red berries that feed birds and small mammals. It is deer resistant, and grows in full sun to shade, requiring a low amount of water. It grows in a variety of dry to moist soils.		Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Golden Currant (Ribes aureum)		This is a short, deciduous shrub that grows 3 to 6 feet in height. Its fragrant, yellow flowers bloom from April to May and produce berries that can be yellow, red, or purple when ripe. This plant is adaptable, tolerating drought, and typically growing in full sun to partial shade, in moist to dry soils. The fruit of Golden Currant attracts birds and mammals, while the flowers provide nectar to hummingbirds and pollinating insects.		Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Crows & Jays, Sparrows, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Wrens, Vireos, Wood Warblers, Chickadees & Titmice, Waxwings,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Thrushes, Orioles
Gray Ball Sage (Salvia dorrii)		This perennial shrub is also known as Purple, Desert, or Dorrii Sage. It grows to 3 feet in height and width and produces silvery foliage and clusters of deep purple flowers in May and June. It requires very little water and does best in well-drained soils and full sun. This plant is especially valuable to pollinators like bees.		Sparrows, Crows & Jays,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Woodpeckers, Finches
Grouseberry (Vaccinium scoparium)	This small, squat shrub is also known as Grouse Whortleberry or Littleleaf Huckleberry. It is a perennial that reaches 20 inches in height, typically found in coniferous forests. Urn-shaped, pink to red flowers bloom in June and July, followed by bright red berries. Grouseberry is an understory plant, usually growing in the shade and in moist soils.		Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)		Great Red Indian-Paintbrush or Meadow Paintbrush is an herbaceous perennial that grows 1 1/2 to 3 feet tall, with bright green leaves, and flower clusters that range from pale orange to vibrant scarlet and resemble a ragged paintbrush, thus earning it its name. This plant grows in full sun and wet to moist, well-drained soils. Great Red Indian-Paintbrush is often difficult to transplant because its roots grow until they become connected to the roots of other plants in order to partially obtain nutrients from them.		Hummingbirds
Hummingbird-Trumpet (Epilobium canum)		Also known as California Fuchsia and Zauschneria, this perennial grows up to 3 feet high and wide. As the name suggests, this is an excellent plant for attracting hummingbirds, producing bright red to red-orange, trumpet-shaped flowers from August to October. It tolerates full sun to partial shade and is drought tolerant.		Wood Warblers, Orioles, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Waxwings, Sparrows, Hummingbirds, Vireos
Interior Bush Lupine (Lupinus excubitus)		This plant is also known as Grape Soda Lupine due to its grape soda-scented purple flowers that grow from May to July. One of the smaller bush lupines, it reaches up to 4 feet in height and diameter, attracting butterflies with its flowers and birds with its seeds. This plant tolerates drought and poor soils, but prefers sandy or loam soils.		Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Nevada Joint-Fir (Ephedra nevadensis)		Nevada Joint-fir is a perennial, deciduous shrub that grows erectly to 5 feet in height. Small leaves fall off the plant early, leaving a yellowish-gray, leafless, broom-like shrub. The stems grow clusters of small, yellow/light brown flowers that form a cone-like inflorescence. This plant grows in full sun, and in dry, sandy or rocky soils.		Nuthatches,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Sparrows, Woodpeckers, Crows & Jays, Finches

 

 

Red Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)	Also known as Kinnikinnick and Pinemat Manzanita, it is a mat-forming, evergreen shrub that grows 6 to 12 inches tall and up to 6 feet wide. In the spring, it produces lovely white and pink, bell-shaped flowers that later turn into red berries. True to its name, the fruits of this plant are enjoyed by bears, as well as birds and other wildlife. It can grow in full sun to shade, and in dry to moist rocky or sandy, acid soils.		Grosbeaks & Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Red Elder (Sambucus racemosa)		Otherwise known as Red Elderberry, this treelike shrub grows 8 to 20 feet tall. It produces fragrant, pale, cone-shaped flowers at the ends of stem branches, followed by bright red or purple fruit clusters. The berries are enjoyed by a variety of wildlife, though they can be poisonous to humans if eaten raw. This shrub prefers moist to wet soil, and can grow in full sun to shade.		Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Crows & Jays, wrens, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Hummingbirds, Waxwings, Chickadees & Titmice,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Sparrows, Thrushes
Red Osier (Dogwood) (Cornus sericea)		Also called Red-barked, Tatarian, or Siberian Dogwood, this deciduous shrub grows 8 to 10 feet tall and develops showy, vibrant red stems during the fall and winter. Clusters of small, white flowers appear in the late spring before subsequent bluish-white berries. The plant grows best in full sun to partial shade, in moist, well-drained soils, but can tolerate wet, dry, and poor soils. Its flowers attract pollinators such as butterflies, while the fruit is a great source of food for birds.		Crows & Jays, Wrens, Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Wood Warblers, Sparrows, Chickadees & Titmice, Thrushes, Waxwings, Vireos, Mockingbirds & Thrashers,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Orioles
Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum)		Common names for this tree also include Mountain Red Cedar, Colorado Red Cedar, River Juniper, and Western Juniper. This is a broad, pyramidal tree with shedding, red-brown bark and scale-like, light blue-green to dark green foliage that lies flat against the branches. Rocky Mountain Juniper grows up to 40 feet tall and 15 feet wide, providing cover, nesting site, and seeds for many bird and mammal species. It grows in full sun to partial shade, and tolerates drought and salt spray, as well as a variety of dry soil types, including rocky, sandy, loamy, and clay soils.		Wrens, Thrushes, Nuthatches, Sparrows,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Crows & Jays, Wood Warblers, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Waxwings, Orioles, Finches, Chickadees & Titmice
Rocky Mountain Maple (Acer glabrum)		Rocky Mountain maple is a large, deciduous shrub or small tree that grows 10 to 30 feet tall, but can reach up to 50 feet. Its bark is smooth and gray, its twigs reddish in color, and while its flowers are not noticeable, they are rather aromatic. It is naturally found in moist, open coniferous forests and riparian forests, growing in full sun and well-drained, rocky soils. Deer and livestock browse its shiny foliage.		Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Thrushes, Orioles, Chickadees & Titmice, Finches, Wood Warblers, Nuthatches, Sparrows,  Grosbeaks and Buntings, Crows & Jays, Wrens, Woodpeckers, Vireos, Waxwings
Rubber-Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa)		Otherwise known as Gray Rabbitbrush, this 2 to 4 foot tall perennial erupts in late summer with a passionate display of appealing yellow. The yellow flower heads of this dense shrub are especially valuable to pollinators like bees. This plant typically grows in dry, open, grassy spaces.		Waxwings, Sparrows, Vireos, Wood Warblers, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Orioles
Saskatoon Service-Berry (Amelanchier alnifolia)		Also known as Western Serviceberry, Juneberry, or simply Saskatoon, this shrub-like tree is relatively small, producing light green leaves that turn red and orange in the fall. Fragrant, white flowers bloom in the spring, followed by blue berries. Growing 2 to 18 feet tall, this perennial does best in dry to moist, well-drained soils, and can withstand full sun to shade. All native species of Amelanchier are popular with birds that eat fruit.		Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Finches, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Scouler's Willow (Salix scouleriana)		Scouler’s Willow is a deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach up to 45 feet in height, with dark green leaves that are nearly hairless above and hairy below. Its flowers are tiny and grouped in catkins, which then give way to light reddish-brown, long-pointed seed capsules. This fast-growing plant does well in full sun to shade and in moist to dry soils.		Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
Silver Buffalo Berry (Shepherdia argentea)		Silver Buffalo-Berry, or simply Buffaloberry, is a deciduous shrub that grows up to 20 feet tall with spiny twigs. Its leaves are green with a covering of fine, silky, silvery hairs, while its flowers are pale yellow with no petals, leading to bright red, fleshy fruit. This perennial plant is low maintenance, tolerating poor soils, drought, and extreme cold, though it grows best in full sun and in dry to moist, rocky, sandy, or clayey soils.		Vireos, Waxwings, Orioles, Crows & Jays, Woodpeckers, Thrushes, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Wood Warblers, Chickadees & Titmice, Wrens, Sparrows, Buntings & Buntings
Western Thimble-Berry (Rubus parviflorus)		Also known simply as Thimbleberry, this dense shrub grows up to 8 feet tall on narrow stems that have no thorns. It produces soft, fuzzy leaves and small, white flowers that yield red fruit that ripen in mid to late summer. This plant prefers dry to moist, rocky soils, and can grow in full sun to shade.		Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens
White Sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana)		This plant has several common names, including Louisiana Sage, Silver Sage, Mugwort Wormwood, and Gray Sagewort. This perennial shrub grows to 3 feet in size, with attractive silvery foliage and small, yellowish flowers that bloom from July to October. White Sagebrush grows in full sun and has a medium to low water requirement, adapting to a variety of soils.		Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Finches, Sparrows, Woodpeckers
Woods' Rose (Rosa woodsii)		Woods’ Rose, or Western Wild Rose, is a thorny, deciduous shrub that often forms thickets, with individual plants growing 2 to 5 feet in height. It starts growing during the early spring, and produces 2 to 4 inch, pale to vibrant pink flowers from May to July. This species has many varieties and can grow in multiple conditions, including full sun to shade, and in dry to moist, sandy or clay soils.		Grosbeaks and Buntings, Chickadees & Titmice, Crows & Jays, Mockingbirds & Thrashers, Nuthatches, Orioles, Sparrows, Thrushes, Vireos, Waxwings, Wood Warblers, Woodpeckers, Wrens

 

 

 

 

Photos of Purple Finch & Tennessee Warbler Courtesy of Jeff Bleam