Native Plants for Birds in Washington

Seed, berry, and cover plants that feed songbirds year-round — and the caterpillars that nesting birds actually raise their chicks on. Every species here is genuinely native to Washington and the wider flora of the Pacific Northwest and hardy through zones 4–8 — proven performers for Washington's wet maritime west, dry east climate across Puget lowland, Cascades & Columbia Plateau, not a generic list. Local standouts include Red-Flowering Currant and Apache Plume. Feeders are a snack; native plants are the real grocery store. Berries and seed heads carry birds through fall and winter, while the caterpillars these natives host are what nearly all songbirds feed their young in spring. Leave the seed heads standing, hold off on fall cleanup, and let a layer of leaves and shrubs give birds the cover they need.

7 native species for Washington

Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–8 · see this collection in other states.