National Audubon Society

Birds to Help in: Urban Areas

Urban areas dominated by buildings and pavement usually provide habitat for birds that use buildings for nesting sites or are attracted to scraps of food discarded by humans—especially Rock Pigeons, European Starlings, and House Sparrows introduced from Europe. You can provide habitat for native birds in urban areas by planting native trees and bushes wherever possible, including as foundation plantings or even as rooftop gardens. In many urban areas, the goal is to create additional habitat by planting trees or bushes to attract common native birds found in local suburban yards. Depending on where you live, consider helping one of the following suggested species.

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Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Anna’s Hummingbird: One of the most common hummingbirds in cities along the Pacific Coast. Help by planting a hummingbird garden and by maintaining a hummingbird feeder. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Black-chinned Hummingbird: The most common hummingbird in much of the Interior West. Help by planting a hummingbird garden and by maintaining a hummingbird feeder. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Cedar Waxwing: A berry-eating bird that often wanders into cities in small flocks. Help by planting and maintaining its preferred native berry trees or bushes. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Chimney Swift: A small bird that spends most of its time flying high over towns and cities; it nests in open chimneys. Help through proper chimney maintenance or by building a specially designed nesting tower. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Common Nighthawk: A nocturnal bird that eats flying insects and often nests on gravel roofs in urban areas. Help by maintaining gravel rooftops on commercial buildings. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Gray Catbird: A common garden songbird in the Eastern United States. Help by planting bushes for it to nest in, and native berry bushes for it to feed on. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Northern Cardinal: The familiar redbird across most of the Eastern United States. Help by planting bushes for it to nest in and by providing its favorite seeds to eat. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Northern Mockingbird: A common songbird that nests in cities across the country. Help by planting bushes for it to nest in, and native berry trees and bushes for it to feed on during the winter. To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Ruby-throated Hummingbird: The most common hummingbird in the Eastern United States. Help by planting a hummingbird garden and by maintaining a hummingbird feeder . To learn more download the PDF.

Click to Enlarge	Click to Enlarge	Song Sparrow: A common songbird in most of the country. Help by planting bushes for it to nest in, and by providing water and its favorite seeds to eat. To learn more download the PDF.