Birding Guide

Here are some of the birds you may see at Mountain Top Arboretum, depending on the season. You will find the best birding in the early morning and late afternoon. Download this checklist or pick one up when you visit.

Birding Hotspot

It's a birding hot spot here! 

Follow the sightings on EBIRD.ORG.

Type in the location: Mountain Top Arboretum.

Birds’ Favorite Hardy Native Trees & Shrubs

Interested in planting to attract birds? Here's a list of birds’ favorite hardy native trees and shrubs.

Deciduous Trees

• Mulberry (Morus species): attracts Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Northern Cardinals and numerous other songbirds.

• Serviceberry (Amelanchier species): attracts Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Northern Cardinals, Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, Evening Grosbeaks and others.

• Crabapples (Malus species): attracts Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Northern Cardinals and others.

• Chestnut Oak, Red Oak, Swamp White Oak and others (Quercus species): attracts Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Wild Turkeys, Grouse, Wood Ducks, and others.

Coniferous Trees

• Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana): attracts Cedar Waxwings and others.

• Spruces (Picea species): attracts Crossbills and other seed-eaters in fall and winter and migrating Warblers search for insects in spring.

Shrubs

• Northern Bayberry (Morella pensylvanica): attracts Tree Swallows, Gray Catbirds, Eastern Bluebirds and many others.

• Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia, A. melanocarpa): attracts Blue Jays, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Towhees, Thrushes, Brown Thrashers and Northern Flickers.

• Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis): attracts Northern Cardinals, Eastern Bluebirds, Gray Catbirds, White-?breasted Nuthatches, Blue Jays, Eastern Phoebes, Robins, Brown Thrashers, Cedar Waxwings, Woodpeckers, and Tufted Titmouse.

• Blueberry (Vaccinium sp): attracts pretty much every bird that likes berries, including Cedar Waxwings, Blue Jays, American Crows, and Robins.

• Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina): attracts Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, Wild Turkey, Pileated Woodpeckers, many others.

• Red-osier Dogwood, Gray Dogwood, and others (Cornus species): attracts Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Red-eyed Vireos, Dark-eyed Juncos, Northern Cardinals, Warblers, Wild Turkey, Grouse, others.

• Arrowwood, Cranberry Viburnum, Leatherleaf, Nannyberry, Witherod, (Viburnum species): attracts Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Thrushes, Gray Catbirds, Northern Cardinals, Finches, Cedar Waxwings.

• Winterberry (Ilex verticillata): attracts Robins, Eastern Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings and others.