5 Shrubs That Give Hummingbirds Shelter and a Safe Place to Rest

The big migration has begun, with hummingbirds making their way along the main four flyways across the US, as they return to their various nesting grounds. But in order for them to visit your yard, they will need adequate shelter to feel safe and protected.

If you live under one of their flight paths and you've been planting their favorite flowers and hanging nectar feeders, but are not seeing hummingbirds in your yard, there could be another reason.

Along their epic journeys, these adorable avians require places to perch and shelter. And if your yard is windy they will likely avoid it. Experts explain why this is, along with the five key shrubs you can plant to create the shelter they need.

Why Hummingbirds Avoid Windy Yards

Even if you've planted flowers that attract hummingbirds, these petite pollinators can be deterred from your yard if it is too breezy.

'Their tiny size makes hummingbirds very agile and also vulnerable to being blown off course during critical activities like migration or feeding,' explains Marlene Pantin, Plants for Birds Senior Program Manager at the National Audubon Society.

'Plants including shrubs can effectively block and slow winds, providing cover and allowing hummingbirds to feed and rest.'

A good windbreak shrub should have sturdy stems, dense branching and foliage that’s close to the ground.

'For further protection against strong winds, shrubs interwoven with deciduous and evergreen trees make an even more effective windbreak,' says Marlene.

'Hummingbirds also require a constant food supply of nectar which is critical to their survival. Providing nectar-rich shrubs will help attract and support these small creatures. Their diet is also supplemented with small insects like fruit flies and gnats so providing plants that are attractive to insects is another way to aid these birds.'

Marlene Pantin

Marlene Pantin supports the Audubon network in advocacy, municipal engagement, and building strategic partnerships to advance the Plants for Birds program and create bird-friendly communities across the country. When she is not working she can also be found volunteering and managing community and corporate volunteers in protecting and preserving local parks and open spaces.

A gusty yard without native wind-resistant shrubs can also make it difficult for hummingbirds to nest and reproduce. Becca Rodomsky-Bish, Project Leader, Garden for Birds at Cornell Lab of Ornithology explains more.

'It's best to have native plants that are producing nectar during the entire season hummingbirds are present, as well as having nesting habitat, such as trees and shrubs, where hummingbirds can safely build nests and rear young,' explains Becca.

'Most hummingbirds nest about 4-25 feet off the ground, while they forage on flowers that are generally growing lower to the ground. Having habitat that has diverse layers, meaning flowering plants for nectaring lower to the ground, a shrub layer for supporting nesting or just perching, and a tree/cactus layer that will also provide nesting and perching will be help hummingbirds fulfil all aspects of their life cycle.'

Read on to discover the best five shrubs you can plant to create shelter for hummingbirds.

Becca Rodomsky-Bish

Becca Rodomsky-Bish is the project leader for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which runs annually in February and unites birdwatchers from around the world. Becca's background is in environmental education, and the GBBC is a great way to engage birdwatchers at a variety of levels and experience.

1. Viburnums spp.

Viburnums are an impactful group of easy to care for plants that change spectacularly during the year from beautiful leaves to vibrant flowers, to berries and then to dramatic foliage in fall. These ornamental shrubs are not only an attractive, fast-growing, hedging plant, they can provide much-needed shelter (and food) for hummers too.

'During windy days viburnums provides shelter for birds due to its dense growth habit,' says Marlene.

'Native viburnums such as American Cranberry Bush (Viburnum trilobum) or Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) (6’ – 12’) have a variety of nectar rich flowers and are host plants for butterflies and insects, which also serve as a food source for various bird species including hummingbirds.'

This Mohawk viburnum from Nature Hill's can be planted in early spring or fall and is cold hardy in zones 5-8. It matures to around 6-8 feet tall and 5-7 feet wide, attracts pollinators and offers shelter in windswept spaces.

2. Sambucus spp.

Elderberry shrubs and trees are popular is U.S gardens for multiple reasons – and we're about to add another. Already, loved for their dramatic foliage, frothy flowering, and dark fruits (that have medicinal benefits) – these adaptable shrubs also make a wonderful wildlife-friendly screen, providing shelter to hummers and other birdlife, during severe winds.

'The dense foliage on Sambucus offers safe nesting sites,' says Marlene. 'The Elderberry flowers, which attract insects, are a pollinator magnet and its branching structure and extensive berry clusters make it convenient for birds such as hummingbirds to perch and feed.

'Native species such as American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) and Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) are also good nectar sources for hummingbirds.'

This Sambucus canadensis 'Adams', 'Adam's elderberry from Nature Hill's is easy to grow and will create a billowy screen in your yard to slow the wind. It should also produce enough Vitamin-C packed berries in the fall for birds–and for you to make cordial and cough syrups, if you wish.

3. Cornus spp.

Native Dogwood trees and shrubs are a wonderful choice for your yard for so many reasons–from their ornamental appeal and support for pollinators, to the extensive varieties, available.

Dogwoods shrubs are ideal windbreaks too. This native species also adds color and interest to the landscape and the flowers produce seasonal nectar for hummingbirds when they bloom in spring.

'Branches of dogwoods are sturdy which allows hummingbirds to perch and rest when they need to conserve energy,' says Marlene. 'Like many native plants, they have deep roots which anchor firmly in the soil, preventing them from displacement during storms.

'Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea) is the most common native species as it occurs over most of the US. It can reach up to a height of 10 feet. Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa) also is another option for windswept days and has attractive flowers that provide nectar for pollinators including hummingbirds.'

Native to the eastern US, this White Flowering Dogwood from Nature Hills grows around one to two foot annually and can reach 15-25' at maturity, offering vertical interest and a place for hummers to perch. Hang this nectar hummingbird feeder from Lowe's nearby as an additional attraction.

4. California coffeeberry (Frangula californica)

The best native shrubs to grow to create shelter for hummers will obviously vary according to your region. For those in the southwest, California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica) is an ornamental flowering shrub that blooms in late spring-early summer.

Part of the Buckthorn family, it's drought-tolerant, low-maintenance and a great hedging plant for pollinators including hummingbirds.

'Along the Pacific coastline, the easy-to-grow California Coffeeberry (Frangula californica) can be grown together as a mass to form a hedge,' says Jen McGuinness, author, Bird-Friendly Gardening.

'The flowers attract hummingbirds and native bees in the spring, and later the plant offers berries that California Towhees, SpottedTowhees, robins, and thrashers adore. This is a dioecious species, so you’ll need a male and female plant.'

These hedging plants offer shelter and food to hummers but these feathered-foragers need to drink and bathe too. This cast iron bird bath from Lowe's has a shallow bowl suitable for these tiny creatures and weighs enough to be stable on a windy day.

Jen McGuinness

Based in Connecticut, Jen McGuinness is a garden writer, photographer and author of Bird-Friendly Gardening from Cool Springs Press. She is also founder of the blog, FrauZinnia and champions organic and wildlife-friendly gardening. She holds a Home Horticulture Certificate from the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension and is a product tester for plant nurseries.

5. Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)

'An additional native shrub to consider—that provides food, nesting areas and cover—is the Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata),' says Jen.

'When given space, the plant will spread to form a thicket, and the purple-black berries are attractive to many birds. It’s also pollinator-friendly, with both native bees and butterflies seeking out its nectar.'

This slow-growing, drought-tolerant shrub is native to large swathes of the eastern U.S. And although attractive to hummers and other birds, Black Huckleberry will be left alone by deer and rabbits.

This plant has a preference for sandy. rocky and acidic soil, and is a good windbreak shrub, with foliage that's close to the ground. It will grow to around 3' and is deciduous, so has attractive autumn leaves and edible berries too.

Once you have created the shelter they need, hummers will be more likely to stay in your yard. Hang this hummingbird swing from Lowe's where you will be able to see them perch.

If you're under one of the four main flyways, planting these and other wind-resistant shrubs, native to your region, will help to make your garden a more pleasant place for hummingbirds to seek shelter and nesting sites. As well as providing much enjoyment for you, this supports survival for these precious feathered foragers.

'Hummingbirds are more likely to return to your yard if it has places for them to perch and nest,' says Sean Graessler, director, Wild Bird Research. 'Hummingbirds don’t use nest boxes like many other birds.

'Instead, they build tiny cup-shaped nests on small branches in shrubs or trees, often in sheltered areas. Leaving some natural structure in the yard, such as small trees, shrubs, or even brushy edges, makes a space much more attractive for them to spend time in.'

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