By Pam Rosendal, Colorado Master Gardener

As fall approaches, many of Colorado’s birds and butterflies begin their long migrations south. These journeys require immense energy, and the food and shelter available along the way can make the difference between life and death. Gardeners and bird lovers across the state can play a vital role by providing late-season resources right in their own gardens.

Late-blooming native plants are essential for supporting fall migrants. Monarch butterflies, Painted Lady butterflies and other pollinators like hummingbirds rely on nectar-rich flowers that continue blooming into September and October. Many migrating birds depend on nutrient-rich berries and seeds to fuel their lengthy flights.

Some of the best nectar plants for fall butterflies and other pollinators include:

• Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) is a magnet for monarchs and other pollinators, blooming late into the season.
• Native asters (Symphyotrichum spp.) are hardy and vibrant and provide reliable nectar during fall migration.
• Rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa) is a Colorado native that blooms in late summer and supports both butterflies and bees.

For birds, include native shrubs and perennials that produce high-energy fruit and seed:

• Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) and Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) offer berries enjoyed by robins, cedar waxwings and other fruit-loving birds.
• Woods rose (Rosa woodsii) is another Colorado native with rose hips that persist into winter and support birds long after the blooms fade.
• Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) are not only beautiful, but if seed heads are allowed to dry on the stalk, they provide a favorite food for goldfinches and other seed eating birds.

While plants should be the foundation of your wildlife garden, supplemental feeders can help. Black-oil sunflower seeds attract a wide variety of birds, and suet provides a high-energy boost for insect-eaters like woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees. Keep hummingbird feeders available until mid-October. Water is also crucial; migrating birds and butterflies need reliable access to fresh water. A shallow dish or birdbath, cleaned regularly, can serve this purpose well. Butterflies prefer to get water from shallow puddling areas or insect dishes.

Leave seed heads and brushy areas for shelter and food. Avoid pesticides, which harm both insects and the birds that eat them. If possible, turn off outdoor lights at night during peak migration to reduce disorientation for night-flying birds.

By offering food, water and safe habitat, we can turn our landscapes into life-saving rest stops for migrating wildlife. Don’t have a yard? You can still help birds with a native plant container garden on your balcony or patio. Even small efforts can have a big impact on the journeys of birds and butterflies passing through.

Resources:

• Keystone Native Plants by Ecoregion: https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Keystone-Plants-by-Ecoregion
• Audubon Bird Migration Explorer: https://explorer.audubon.org
• Interactive Monarch Migration Map: https://butterfly.nwf.org
• Dark Sky Colorado: https://darkskycolorado.org
• BirdCast Migration Dashboard – for previous night’s migration numbers over Colorado as measured by radar: https://dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-CO