View Full Version : Serviceberries!
One of the best ways to attract wild birds to your own property is by planting a serviceberry. There are a handful of species native to Appalachia and separating one species from another can be a handful. Birds seem content to separate the plants from their tasty fruit one berry at a time.
Soon I'll follow up with some links and images of ripe serviceberries. I'm wondering whether virtual fruit attracts virtual birds.
Wise Old Owl
05-27-2010, 18:55
http://socialtech.ca/ade/index.php/2006/06/forbidden-fruit/
Serviceberries belong to the genus Amelanchier (http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=display&classid=AMELA). This post will be expanded to provide information about species native to Appalachia, cultivars available in the nursery trade and more.
Some readers may not know research has been under way in Saskatchewan to develop serviceberries as a commercial crop.
The only bird that's showed up so far is a Saw-whet Owl. Although they prefer to get their Vitamin C from rodents, I see he has provided an image of ripe serviceberries. Maybe a Cedar Waxwing will be attracted and reciprocate by posting an image of a big, juicy vole.
Wise Old Owl
05-27-2010, 19:10
Huh?
Cant use pictures in this forum...
But lots of animals like berries..
http://www.ruthless.zathras.de/graphik/ratten/twig_rat.JPG
Hey Emerald Service Berries are in the fall I thought... Why mention this now?
The masked bandits (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing/lifehistory) showed up Sunday and began filling their crops with serviceberries at least two days before I deemed any to be ripe. Everyone else in the neighborhood is here too. We're all eating them as fast as we can.
They're getting harder to reach as the lowermost, increasingly-shaded branches are pruned. I guess it's time to move some of the seedlings under it and to open up its crown to increase production.
When it comes to serviceberries, one cannot have too many. It takes quite a few to make a pie and many are eaten before they ever see a pie shell.
For a short article provided by National Zoological Park's Migratory Bird Center, click on Cedar Waxwing: The Moveable Feaster (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/MigratoryBirds/Featured_Birds/default.cfm?bird=Cedar_Waxwing) by Robert Rice.
Pedaling Fool
05-28-2010, 09:40
This was one of my goals when I decided to change my landscape. I haven't planted any berries yet, but I have planted sunflowers, berries and such will be next.
Despite not planting berries I've been somewhat successful in attracting many birds of all types and sizes, but in doing so I have a problem --- they ***** all over the place. I've even been hit -- THREE TIMES:mad:
I now must continually clean my lawn chairs/table, the patio and I'm always looking up when one lands over me in a tree. You know what they say: "Be careful of what you wish for"
BTW, I even attract a less conventional bird -- Turkey Vultures! Thankfully they don't crap all over the place, they just come and eat my meaty leftovers. I've read that a turkey vulture finds much of its food via their powerful sense of smell and I believe that because there's no way they can see this stuff from the air through all the trees and ground cover.
Pedaling Fool
05-28-2010, 09:58
Here are a couple of pics of the vultures. They look like they are posing for the pic, but they are not, they are very shy and I had to sneak up on them to get these pics, once they saw me they flew off.
I find them more attractive at a distance and take pleasure in watching them ride the thermals over Schuylkill Gap.
I must make an effort to add more of my own.
mulberry trees are scattered through my woods, berries are beginning to ripen, so sweet. I go out every morning to pick up what has fallen, it's a race between me and the birds, they're winning of course.