Landscaping for Arizona Birds is Fun and Rewarding

Have you ever considered that your yard is a habitat providing for Arizona’s beautiful wildlife, especially birds? With a little thought put into your landscaping you can provide shelter, food and nesting throughout the year for Arizona’s common backyard birds.

Landscaping for birds is so popular in Arizona that the University of Arizona offers classes from their Cooperative Extension program. The class features the best ways to provide water for your plants and for the visiting birds. This is where we come in! At Sprinkler Doctors, we have experts on staff to meet all of your lawn watering needs.

Phoenix and Central Arizona Birds

There are many native plants to choose from to encourage common backyard birds to visit your yard. Birds commonly seen in the Phoenix area are Verdin, Anna’s Hummingbird, Gambel’s Quail, Cactus Wren, House Finch and Mourning Dove just to name a few.

Use Backyard Plants to Attract Birds

When planting you want to think in terms of shelter, food and water for the Arizona birds that will visit your yard. This can be done in the form of trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. You can also plant an assortment of grasses and groundcovers to attract local wildlife.

Great Habitats for Arizona’s Common Backyard Birds

• Ironwood – The Ironwood produces seeds that will provide a protein source for birds. It is a great sanctuary attracting Cactus Wren, Mourning Dove, and Gambel’s Quail. Growing an Ironwood in your yard highly boosts the number of birds your yard can support.
• Blue Palo Verde – This is Arizona’s state tree. It displays beautiful yellow flowers in the spring and will provide moderate shade from the heat for your small backyard birds. The birds the tree attracts include Verdin and Anna’s Hummingbird.
• Hummingbird Trumpet – This plant provides beautiful orange-red blooms in the summer and fall. You need to have at least a moderate water source for the Hummingbird Trumpet which will draw crowds of hummingbirds to your yard, according to amwua.org.
• Desert Marigold – The marigold attracts birds including House Finch, Mourning Dove, and Gambel’s Quail. It produces bright yellow flowers nearly all year long, if there is an available water source especially during the summer. The seeds provide food for the visiting birds.
• Chuparosa – Chuparosa tolerates poor soil and partial to full sun but will need a water source to maintain its leaves. It produces groups of red flowers prized by hummingbirds and grows to six-feet. In addition to Anna’s Hummingbird, it attracts Gambel’s Quail and Verdin. It blooms from fall into winter, and again in spring through early summer.

Water Sources for Landscaping and Birds

Many people think of birdbaths and water-filled feeders as good water sources for backyard birds and they can be. But in the Arizona heat, you want to be sure to have additional water sources for your front or backyard habitat. Before you know it, your yard will be filled with beautiful Arizona birds to enjoy!

Contact us at Sprinkler Doctors to help you decide what system is best for your lawn and your bird watching needs. Our systems have timers that allow for regular watering, even if you’re not at home to water. We can make sure your plants for visiting birds have all of their irrigation needs met, and you can spend time outdoors enjoying Arizona’s beautiful wildlife.