Fall in Michigan brings flocks of migrating birds looking for food and shelter on their journey south. Planting the right trees, shrubs, and flowers can transform your yard into a bird paradise during autumn months.
By adding these plants to your landscape, you’ll create a beautiful backyard habitat while enjoying colorful feathered visitors throughout the season.
1. American Elderberry
Dark purple berries appear in late summer on this native shrub, becoming a bird buffet by early fall. Robins, cardinals, and thrushes flock to feast on the abundant fruit clusters.
Growing 5-12 feet tall, elderberry thrives in moist soil and partial shade. The berries ripen just as bird migration kicks into high gear, making perfect timing for hungry travelers.
2. Winterberry Holly
Bright red berries cling to bare branches after leaves drop, creating a stunning winter display that birds can’t resist. Unlike other hollies, this Michigan native loses its leaves, making the berries stand out even more.
Plant both male and female shrubs to ensure berry production. Bluebirds, cedar waxwings and thrushes devour these colorful fruits during fall migration.
3. Serviceberry Trees
Gorgeous white spring flowers give way to sweet purple berries by June, but serviceberry’s bird-friendly benefits extend into fall. The vibrant autumn foliage provides shelter while remaining berries offer late-season snacks.
Cedar waxwings, orioles, and tanagers love these berries. Plant serviceberry in well-drained soil with full to partial sun for best results.
4. Purple Coneflower
Leave the spent flower heads standing through fall instead of deadheading. The seed-filled centers become natural bird feeders as goldfinches, chickadees, and juncos cling to the stalks.
Hardy and drought-resistant, purple coneflower thrives in sunny spots with average soil. The distinctive cone-shaped centers hold hundreds of seeds that ripen perfectly for fall bird migration.
5. Staghorn Sumac
Fuzzy red berry clusters remain on branches well into winter, providing emergency food when other sources are gone. Over 300 bird species have been documented eating sumac berries!
The brilliant red-orange fall foliage creates a stunning backdrop for your yard. Sumac grows easily in poor soil and tolerates drought, making it perfect for difficult spots in your landscape.
6. Black Chokeberry
Glossy black berries hang on well into winter after the leaves turn brilliant scarlet in autumn. Though too astringent for human taste buds, birds gobble them up once they’ve been softened by frost.
Growing just 3-6 feet tall, this compact shrub fits perfectly in smaller yards. Plant in masses for the most dramatic fall color and to create a bird-friendly thicket.
7. Viburnum Shrubs
Michigan-friendly varieties like arrowwood and nannyberry viburnum produce blue-black berries that birds absolutely love. The dense branching structure also provides excellent protective cover during storms.
Viburnums offer a triple threat: spring flowers, fall berries, and spectacular autumn color. Their berries contain high fat content – perfect fuel for birds preparing for long migration flights.
8. Sunflowers
Plant a patch of sunflowers in summer for a spectacular bird buffet by fall. The huge seed heads attract dozens of species from goldfinches to woodpeckers.
Choose varieties with multiple branching stems for more flowers per plant. Leave the dried flower heads standing after blooming – birds will cling to them, picking out seeds throughout autumn migration season.
9. Crabapple Trees
Small fruits persist well into winter on these ornamental trees, becoming softer and more palatable after frost. Cedar waxwings, robins, and grosbeaks feast on the colorful fruits during fall migration.
Look for disease-resistant varieties like ‘Prairiefire’ or ‘Red Jewel’ with persistent fruit. The spring flowers and fall fruit make crabapples valuable multi-season trees for any Michigan landscape.
10. Virginia Creeper
Brilliant crimson foliage transforms fences and walls in autumn, while clusters of bluish-black berries attract over 35 species of birds. Cardinals, mockingbirds, and thrushes especially love these berries.
Though sometimes confused with poison ivy, this native vine is harmless to humans. It climbs without damaging masonry and provides both food and shelter for birds in fall.
11. Black-Eyed Susan
Golden petals drop away by autumn, leaving seed-packed centers that finches and sparrows adore. The sturdy stems hold these natural bird feeders upright even through snow.
Group several plants together for maximum visual impact and to create a bird feeding station. Black-eyed Susans self-seed readily, creating larger patches each year that will attract more and more birds.
12. Northern Bayberry
Waxy gray-blue berries cling to branches well into winter, providing high-energy food for late migrants. Yellow-rumped warblers especially depend on these berries during fall passage.
The aromatic leaves give off a pleasant spicy scent when crushed. Plant both male and female shrubs in sunny locations with well-drained soil for best berry production.
13. Native Ornamental Grasses
Feathery seed heads of switchgrass, little bluestem, and Indian grass become natural bird feeders by autumn. Sparrows, juncos, and finches flock to these grasses to harvest the tiny seeds.
The sturdy stems remain upright through winter, providing food even after snow falls. Their golden-brown color adds winter interest to your yard while their seeds feed hungry birds throughout migration season.