For the Birds: Birds and Trees Symbiosis

Barred Owl nesting on top of snag
Photo by Doug Parrott

By Christine Southwick

All our local birds need trees. Our yard birds are classified as Passerines, or Perching Birds, since their feet have evolved to clinging to tree branches and trunks.

Most of the birds in our area eat, sleep, or breed in trees.

Northern Flickers, Downy, Hairy, Pileated Woodpeckers, and Red-Breasted Sapsuckers are cavity nesters that need good-sized local trees to create nest holes for raising their young, and for shelter and sleeping.

Pileated Woodpecker excavating nest
Photo by Doug Parrott

Black-capped and Chestnut-backed chickadees, plus Red-breasted Nuthatches, are just some of the birds that use old woodpecker cavities for their nests.

All kinds of birds build their nests in our local trees: Robins, Steller’s Jays, Yellow Warblers, et al. 

White-crowned Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Spotted Towhees use trees as look-out posts from which to watch for predators near their nests.

Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Townsend’s Warblers, Merlins, Band-tailed Pigeons, and many other birds need tall evergreens in which to lay their eggs.

Red-breasted Nuthatches have been known to build their nests 120 feet high in conifers, Cedar Waxwings and kinglets often nest 60 feet up.

Golden-crowned Kinglet
Photo by Elaine Chuang

Willow Flycatchers, Pacific Slope Flycatchers, Western Tanagers and others pass through our area during northern and southern migrations and use treetops from which to fly out and catch the bugs needed to fuel their journeys.

Birds glean tiny bugs off trees which keeps trees healthy.

Some birds use open tree-tops on tall trees— Flycatchers, Merlins, Bald Eagles use these trees as hunting perches to locate and capture flying prey— bugs, or other birds. Owls often use broken-topped trees.

Trees reduce noise, moderate temperatures, reduce dust and help clean the air. 

Dead tree being used for nesting
Photo by Christine Southwick

Trees, especially year-round conifers, deflect rain and snow from falling directly to the ground, thereby slowing runoff and diminishing stormwaters and flooding.

Approximately 70% of the tree canopy in Shoreline is owned by private homeowners. 

Therefore, tree-cutting homeowners directly reduce Shoreline’s tree canopy. 

Trees enhance people’s yards and give character to local neighborhoods.

So, plant more trees, and keep the ones you have, especially those tall evergreens.

If a tree is sick, thin it. If it needs to be cut, don’t cut it flush to the ground, leave a ten foot or higher snag. 

It will cost you less, and the woodpeckers will start using the snag. Other birds will claim the used woodpecker holes.

Keep the trees! 

The birds will thank you and their lilting songs will help reduce your stress level.