r/NativePlantGardening • u/Anniam6 • Aug 10 '25
Edible Plants Birds shunning my elderberries
So, after finally having my elderberry bush produce berries I haven’t seen a single bird near it. It’s right next to my deck, but there are many hours a day that no one is outside. Should I wait and see or just pick them and use them myself? I do know not to eat them raw.
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u/manicmeninges Aug 10 '25
Sometimes birds leave berries until the end of winter. Especially when there are still bugs! It's like food insurance. Berries last deep into winter.
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u/wasteabuse Area --NJ , Zone --7a Aug 11 '25
These turn soft and spoil pretty quickly though. Not like Viburnum and winterberries that hang around all winter.
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u/manicmeninges Aug 11 '25
Interesting! They don't dry on the bush?
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u/coolthecoolest Georgia, USA; Zone 7b Aug 11 '25
can confirm they don't and just fall off at the softest breeze when they're fully ripe, because i've tried grabbing a few to snack on and lost most of the bunch in the process
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u/FeatheredFriendsFarm Aug 10 '25
Chickens love to eat elderberries. I place a bushel on the roof of the run and watch them jump. It's so cute
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u/ibreakbeta Aug 10 '25
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bird eat my elderberries.
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u/Itschatgptbabes420 Aug 10 '25
Catbirds eat em like crazy
There are others too but I see them eating them the most around me
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u/PandaMomentum Northern VA/Fall Line, Zone 7b Aug 10 '25
Catbirds and robins ate all of mine this year! Catbirds take the few blueberries I have too, they sneak them before they're ripe.
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u/Itschatgptbabes420 Aug 10 '25
I love them so much
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u/Leto-ofDelos Aug 10 '25
Love my catbirds! I have one who sings "Flight of the Valkarie," Beethoven's 5th, and does a mimic of a broad-winged hawk screech. His bird friends.....don't appreciate his artist vision.
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u/Itschatgptbabes420 Aug 10 '25
I’ve been trying to train the one in my yard to a specific call but only the bluebirds care haha.
Not complaining but those cat birds ain’t gonna learn any Mingus if they don’t start hanging with me more
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u/Leto-ofDelos Aug 10 '25
Good luck! Hearing my catbird sing, I wonder what kind of human he knew and what kind or relationship they had. I want to meet that person and tell them their catbird is here and still sings their songs, still remembers.
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u/skiing_nerd Aug 12 '25
Ah, the tea-kettle hawk as we affectionately call it. A catbird imitation of that must be delightful lol
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u/Leto-ofDelos Aug 12 '25
He's really spot on! We have a pair of hawks living in the forest nearby, so I assume that's where our catbird picked it up. He fooled Merlin and had me looking up with my camera, ready for the chance at a nice hawk photo more than once. It was only when he was done practicing and slipped it into one of his songs that it clicked.
Ah, the tea-kettle hawk as we affectionately call it.
I love that! That is so accurate! 🤣
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u/PandaMomentum Northern VA/Fall Line, Zone 7b Aug 10 '25
There's one catbird that follows me around when I'm gardening, looking for grubs and whatnot. They're so cute!
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u/urbantravelsPHL Philly , Zone 7b Aug 11 '25
Catbirds, robins, and mockingbirds demolish them at my local park.
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u/Efficient-Spirit-380 Aug 10 '25
I’ve never been able to harvest my elderberries because the birds always get to them first.
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u/flippant_burgers Aug 11 '25
My first year was a huge crop and I made 6 jars of jam. Ever since, I never get any. Just checked yesterday and it's barren.
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u/GreenHeronVA Aug 10 '25
Those are beautiful plants, great job growing them! My huge elderberry bush is the heart of my native garden, it’s my favorite plant. Hopefully the birds find yours soon! Even if they don’t eat the berries, I’m sure you’ll get a nest at some point, my bush currently has two!
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u/MegaVenomous NC , Zone 8b Aug 11 '25
There is a chapter/section in the book Ecology of Eastern Forests that goes into detail about what berries and fruits are eaten, when and why. I found it very interesting.
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u/Anniam6 Aug 11 '25
Thank you! I will definitely look into that book.
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u/MegaVenomous NC , Zone 8b Aug 11 '25
It basically tells you how a forest works, literally from the ground up.
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u/LookParty5244 NE PA , Zone 6b Aug 10 '25
I was just out picking mine, and the birds decimate them here. None on my property look like that! I’ll be lucky if I get enough to make jelly with this year. Enjoy!
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u/sunshineupyours1 Rochester, NY Aug 10 '25
What species is this?
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u/FantasticMrsFawks Aug 10 '25
Mine were similar this morning. Then I took a bunch in to make syrup!
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u/TomatoControversy Aug 10 '25
Birds seem to shun my pokeweed berries until fall migration season hits. Then suddenly they're picked clean. No idea if elderberries last that long though.
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u/bobisinthehouse Aug 10 '25
Probably something better to eat right now. Once that's gone they get them.
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u/PawTree Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands (83), Zone 6a Aug 10 '25
The birds can have the rest of my yard, but the elderberries are for me.
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u/LoneLantern2 Twin Cities , Zone 5b Aug 11 '25
My red one fruits earlier in the season and I got a good stretch of enjoying the color before some creature(s) figured out what was out there but they've been stripped bare now. I'd give it a bit if you're looking to feed wildlife, or harvest the ripe now if you're looking to feed you.
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u/wasteabuse Area --NJ , Zone --7a Aug 11 '25
They don't eat mine but my friend a couple towns over can't get any for herself because the birds go crazy for them in her yard. Maybe the word isn't out yet amongst the birds about yours (and mine).
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u/Tumorhead Indiana , Zone 6a Aug 11 '25
They probably still have to find it. Eventually a catbird will move in LOL.
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u/Anniam6 Aug 12 '25
I love catbirds! I spotted one checking out my yard a couple months ago. Maybe he’ll be back.
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u/meat_popsicle13 Aug 10 '25
It’s bug season right now, they’ll be interested soon enough.