100 Plants to Feed the Birds by Laura Erickson is a guide.  The title says it all.  It is what it is.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Storey Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis and Opinions:
First, I must say that this is a beautiful book, with amazing photographs and a lot of information.  Reading on an e-reader, tablet, or computer will not do this book justice.  It really must be purchased and set somewhere for everyone to enjoy.

The book is set up in different parts.  The first is just setting up your backyard, and creating a welcoming environment for birds.  It delves into the relationship between birds and plants, and why feeders aren't the only thing that birds need.  It explains that plants not only nourish birds with their seeds, and insects,  but also provide nesting materials.  It also looks into the different seasons, and reminds us that even in the winter, trees and shrubs hold not only a safe habitat, but nourishment for birds in the form of insect larvae and beetles.  The book also talks about native vs non-native plants, and highly recommends you investigate your own local native plants.

Part 2 delves into the actual plants...and there is a lot of detail. It is separated into different types of plants.  Headings include Conifers (which include things like cedars and firs); Broadleaf plants (which include birch, willow, maple, oak); Grasses; Herbaceous plants (basically flowering plants); Plants that grow on trees; Shrubs;  Vines; and Cactus and Yuccas.  Under each heading, each individual plant/tree segment has information as to the benefit it provides to birds, -- for example where in North America it can be found (or will grow), which birds will nest in it, what nourishment it will provide,  in what season it will be used, etc. 

After this, there is a chapter on Favorite plants of North American Birds; a chapter on North American Native Plant Societies; and an extensive Index.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.  The information is extensive, the book is easy to read, and the pictures are glorious.

The book refers more to birds and gardens in the USA, not in the UK where I am based.

Appears to be well written with decent photographs

every year I build another flower bed, emphasing the bird and bee friendly plants. I've had problems finding information on which plants are best for my local area. This book is perfect for those like me who want to insure the work is appreciated by the pollinators. I just wish I had this book 5 years ago.

This review was originally published on NetGalley.com. I was given an ebook freely by NetGalley and the book’s publisher in return for a voluntary and honest review.

100 Plants to Feed Birds
By Laura Erickson

This is an all encompassing book overflowing with information. The layout is so good and easy to use and understand. Laura Erickson truly shows how passionate she is on the subject.

Erickson breaks the plants down by tree, grass, flower, shrub, vine and cactus. She also uses individual graphics that easily tell you the many different ways a plant is used, food, attracting insects, nesting material, shelter, and so on.

For each individual plant we get a brief description along with where it can grow. How much water, sun and type of soil it needs as well as how useful it is to birds during the four seasons. Then you see what birds use the particular plant.

At the back of the book there are two sections; common birds of North America and their favorite plant for food and nesting. And Native Plant societies for each state and providence.

For anyone interested in birds or plants this is worth adding to your reference library.

This book is full of helpful information about what to plant to brings birds and butterflies into your yard.
This is a *Must Have* book to add to your home library. I will refer back to this book often.
I received a complimentary copy from Storey Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was an absolutely gorgeous book. The images of the birds and the plants were vivid and inspiring. It inspired me to look into what I can plant here in Zone 5 to increase my bird counts! I also liked the way it was split up in the contents - making it easy to find by the element I want to plant and add. Definitely worth the purchase as it would be a beautiful addition to your coffee table!

Excellent reference book. It begins with information on creating habitat and there is much to consider (even some native plants are invasive outside of their natural range). Then there are the 100 plants. They are organized as trees, shrubs, flowers, etc. For each one there are icons indicating the ways the plant attracts birds such as seeds, nesting, etc. as well as a warning, if needed, about any adverse traits. There is a brief general discussion and information on specific varieties and the types of birds the plant benefits. Then a range map and basic notes on size, soil type, light. Many pictures of both birds and plants, an extensive index and a list of native plant societies in the US and Canada. Perhaps not every tiny bit of information you want, but a great place to start

My Mum, Myself & A Pen-Pal of My Mum's All Enjoy Feeding the Birds 365 Days of the Year & This Book has Helped us with some Alternative Options of Food.
(Thanks to Net Galley & Laura Erickson for this Book).

I've always loved feeding the birds in the backyard, but would like to make my yard more naturally attractive to them without having to go the route of fully planting with native plants. Too often, my neighbors who "go native" have yards that look messy and unattractive (to me), although perhaps they have more birds than I do. (I don't see any evidence of it, however.)

This is a nice book with beautiful photos and is much more helpful than the simple magazine articles I usually read on the subject. It has sections on lots of trees and plants that provide the nesting spaces and food items birds will be looking for. At first I felt like it was too heavy on recommending trees (which aren't easy to change in a yard) and those plants that don't always look well in suburban settings, but it also covers a lot of perennial and annual flowers and plants, with specifics on which species and what birds they will attract. You may have to hunt through the book to find plants that will grow in your area, but this is a very nice book that feels much more complete than most of the other resources I've seen.

What a beautiful book! Clear color photographs depict both the plants which feed and protect the birds, but also includes photographs of the birds. A map of where the plants grow and when the birds are in the region is very helpful. The prepub that I am reviewing had space for an index- an absolute essential- but it was not included. The thoroughness of the rest of the book makes me believe that the index will be of the same quality.

100Plants to Feed the Birds by Laura Erickson is a very good book. I loved all the plants that I found out were great for hummingbirds and cardinals. I am always looking for more ways to attract to hummingbirds. A great reference book for finding out what plants are in the state you live.

This was an informative read and I will definitely be recommending it to readers who like me were looking for native plants and flowers to put in their yards for birds. Easy to follow and understand, which is appreciated for newbies and I think there could be things to learn here for even the most seasoned birder!

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I just reviewed 100 Plants to Feed the Birds by Laura Erickson. #100PlantstoFeedtheBirds #NetGalley
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A guide to 100 of the most important garden plants for supporting birds in North America.

Plants are organised by conifers, broadleaves, grasses, herbaceous plants, miscellaneous (including lichens, parasites and epiphytes), shrubs, vines, cacti.

Each plant is described in terms of its use in supporting and encouraging named species of birds to the garden. A key identifies the parts of the plant most attractive to birds, or insects on which birds feed. An information box sets out the plant’s uses, requirements for exposure (sun/shade), soil moisture, seasonality, colour and height, with a map illustrating the plant’s range in the US.

Beautiful full-colour photos throughout of each plant, with some of the bird visitors it may attract.

Also comes with basic planning advice, a list of invasives (to be avoided), a resource list and a glossary.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book would make a beautiful coffee table book. The pictures are bright and colorful. The book contains a wealth of information on different trees and plants that attract birds. I really liked how the author specifically noted species of plants and trees that are native to North America versus invasive species from other countries. It took me a bit to get through all of the pages and information in this book. For a casual reader it is a great source of ideas when adding new plants to your garden and wooded areas. There is something for everyone.
If I had not been reading this for a review I would have skipped most of the first third of the book. It would have been nice to have it arranged more by geographic areas. Many parts referred to trees that would be great for reforestation or just forests in general. But many of these 300 foot or more giants would not be appropriate for anything outside forests. I would not consider a 300 foot pine or fir tree even in my woods in Kentucky.
However reading this on PocketBooks was a chore — eww.
I received an e-version of the book from the publisher through NetGalley. This did not affect my honest review.

This is a fabulous book that is full of photos, information and advice for helping the feathered friends that visit your garden. I didn't realise that is a book based in America, so there are some birds that we don't get in the UK. That being said, it is still a fabulous book to flick through and pick up ideas for my own garden.

The first thing I liked about this book was the gorgeous photos of the birds, as I mentioned there are birds we don't have in the UK, but that didn't matter at all. We have our own variations of many of the birds. Also mentioned in this book are tree species, and again there are some we don't have.

The book is gorgeous, I got a kindle copy and it was great flicking through on the larger PC, so I was able to see the images in greater detail. This book is full of many tips for helping to promote your own garden and to encourage the wild birds to visit. In doing this you will also encourage insects that will then be beneficial for pollinating your own flowers and vegetables.

The basic advice is given as well as more detailed advice, quick hints and tips are given as well as themes that may take longer to come into their own, especially if you are planting slower-growing plants.

This is one that anyone interested in nature and encouraging nature into your garden will enjoy. You can be an armchair gardener as well as an active one with plots and plants. An informative and interesting book that I have taken some tips for planting next year.

Well laid out, gorgeous to look through and one I would definitely recommend.

This was a fascinating book and I learnt alot about American birds, their habitat, the regions they reside in and their diet. However, as a reader in England there was a certain disconnect - I was hoping for tips for my own garden. Nevertheless it was still enjoyable.

This book was great for me as I have been interested in making my garden more bird friendly since spending a lot of time at home during the various lockdowns and watching the birds in my garden using the plants as a food source.
This is the type of book I will keep for future reference as I continue to improve my garden.
I feel that everyone who is interested in gardening and is concerned with the lack of green space for wildlife should get this book and help to create a safe haven for our native birds.

100 Plants to Feed the Birds is full of vital information for everyone in the United States and parts of Canada who wants to create nourishing environments for birds in their backyard. This book is unique in specifying which species of birds are helped by each plant and in what way. It is frank about the drawbacks of growing some of the plants and contains maps to show the native range of each plant.. Because the author limited the scope of the book to only 100 for the entire country, gardeners in each region will find a very manageable list of plants to investigate and source for their own yard. The book also contains some helpful photos of alien invasive plants to avoid or eradicate. I read an advance reader's copy for this review, but I have preordered a copy so I can do some research in my garden guides and get started sourcing some natives to plant for the birds next spring. (Perhaps I should gift a copy to our local nursery manager, too.)

As someone who is about to move into a new home and cannot wait to plant a garden, this just made me even more excited. There is so much helpful information in here!! I love how thorough and descriptive it is. Can’t wait to use this information!