Experts Warn This Popular Shrub Can Be Fatal to Birds—Here’s What to Plant Instead

Watching birds pollinate the flowers and visit the feeders in your yard is one of life's simple pleasures. And while these gestures can improve the well-being of your backyard birds, it's possible that your backyard can also pose a safety hazard to these winged beauties. Growing certain invasive plants can keep birds from getting the nutrients they need or even pose a toxicity concern. Ahead, bird experts reveal the common plant that can harm backyard birds and offer suggestions for which natives to grow instead.

Plants Toxic to Birds

Luckily, very few plants produce flowers, fruits, or seeds that are directly toxic to birds. However, there is one plant experts say to avoid. "Nandina is a flowering shrub that produces bright red berries in early fall that persist into winter, often when other food sources are scarce," says Mary Phillips, head of native plant habitat strategy at the National Wildlife Federation. "These berries contain cyanide, which can be harmful if consumed in large quantities, particularly for species like cedar waxwing, which tend to gorge on fruit."

While many berry-producing ornamental plants that birds eat are not toxic to them, they can be unhealthy, says Garrett Rhyne, Southeast Motus Station coordinator at American Bird Conservancy. Invasive species like English ivy, autumn olive, Chinese privet, burning bush, and Japanese honeysuckle produce an abundance of berries through winter, outcompeting the native berry-producing plants that birds prefer, Rhyne explains. These introduced species are often higher in carbohydrates, whereas our native berries contain more protein and fat. While these berries aren't fatally toxic, they can harm birds' health over time and have more long-lasting effects on their ability to survive, migrate, or nest.

Safe Alternatives for Birds

The most important thing to consider when choosing plants for birds is whether the plant provides essential food sources and nutrients. For this, it's best to look to native plants. Here are some options Rhyne says to consider:

• Dogwoods (Cornus spp.): These early spring-blooming trees and shrubs produce colorful berries in the fall for birds to snack on. Just make sure you choose a variety native to the U.S., such as flowering dogwood.
• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata): A suitable alternative to nandina, winterberry produces vibrant red berries throughout winter, as most other plants are winding down for the season.
• Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum): Rhyne says this is a favorite of many bird species. It has large white flower heads and fills in large garden spaces beautifully.
• Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana): Beautyberry is a popular landscaping shrub that boasts purple berry clusters along its branches.
• Native flowers: Native blooms, such as New England aster, false sunflower, black-eyed Susan, and goldenrods, provide nectar for birds and butterflies, support caterpillars, and offer seeds in winter.
• Black cherry (Prunus serotina): This flowering tree provides not only cherries for birds to eat, but is an excellent host plant for many caterpillars, says Rhyne.
• Oaks (Quercus): As some of the most important trees in the eastern U.S., oaks support more caterpillars than any other species. Plus, their acorns are a food source for blue jays and woodpeckers.

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Gardening Chemicals That Make Plants Unsafe for Birds

While few plants are inherently dangerous for birds, there may be some things you're doing in your garden that are unknowingly harming backyard avians. These are some of the active ingredients that the American Bird Conservancy says to avoid. Because these chemicals are common in garden products, it’s important to check labels and ingredient lists before use.

• Neonicotinoids: Commonly applied to plants as an insecticide, neonicotinoids inhibit muscle contraction in garden pests, as well as a wide range of other invertebrates. Their high water solubility and long half-lives mean they can remain in groundwater, ponds, lakes, and streams for long periods of time. They can be lethal to birds if ingested.
• Glyphosate: An organophosphorus herbicide commonly used in home gardens, glyphosate leaches into groundwater, making its way into streams and ponds, where it is toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Birds rely heavily on aquatic invertebrates as a food source, especially when rearing chicks.
• Carbaryl: Carbaryl is an insecticide that is sometimes applied as a lawn and garden pesticide across the country. It has been shown to have adverse effects on bird health, potentially causing toxicity and reproductive issues.