Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
A winter seed source birds return to, 5–10 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Nebraska · Zones 4–6
Native Plants for Birds in Nebraska
Seed, berry, and cover plants that feed songbirds year-round — and the caterpillars that nesting birds actually raise their chicks on. For Nebraska, the right natives are shaped by Sandhills & mixedgrass prairie and a continental, semi-arid west climate. Every species below, from Buttonbush and Maximilian Sunflower to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Nebraska and the wider flora of the Great Plains and hardy through zones 4–6. 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.
The plants
23 native species for Nebraska
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 4–6 · see this collection in other states.
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; happy in sand, clay, and loam soil.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Feeds songbirds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; spreading 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Leave its seed heads standing — birds strip them through fall and winter, golden yellow flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; reaching 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
Seed for birds and caterpillars for their nestlings — 8–16 in wide.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Compass Plant
Silphium laciniatum
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, yellow flowers.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–9 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
A winter seed source birds return to, for clay, rocky, and loam ground.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — inconspicuous green flowers.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Leave its seed heads standing — songbirds strip them through fall and winter, creamy umbels flowers.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Bird food twice over — seed heads birds strip in fall, plus the caterpillars nesting birds feed their chicks.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; happy in clay and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
Its seed heads carry birds through the lean months; cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Feeds birds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Its seed heads carry songbirds through the lean months; spreading 6–10 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — spreading 2–3 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — 2–4 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Feeds birds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Seed for songbirds and caterpillars for their nestlings — 2–3 ft wide.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Feeds songbirds two ways: winter seed and the caterpillars that raise their young.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Nebraska
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.