With their small, apple-like fruits crabapple trees provide a bountiful natural food source enjoyed by many bird species. The abundant crabapples ripen in fall and often persist through winter offering vital nourishment at a time when food can be scarce. Read on to learn more about the popularity of crabapples with birds.
An Overview of Crabapple Trees
Crabapples belong to the genus Malus, which includes domestic apple trees. However, crabapples tend to be much smaller growing 15-30 feet tall in most cases. They are native to North America, Europe, and Asia. The fruits resemble tiny apples usually less than 2 inches diameter. While too sour and bitter for human consumption, they make perfect bird food.
There are over 100 different crabapple species and cultivated varieties. In yards and gardens, they are commonly grown as ornamental trees for their spring blossoms and fall fruit display. Crabapples grown for fruiting will attract more birds than strictly ornamental non-fruiting cultivars.
Why Birds Love Crabapples
There are several key reasons crabapples rate so highly as a bird food source:
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Nutritious – The fruits are high in sugars that provide quick energy for birds. They also contain various vitamins and antioxidants.
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Plentiful – A mature crabapple tree can produce hundreds to thousands of fruits, creating a readily available food bonanza.
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Persistent – Unlike many fruits, crabapples often cling to the branches well into winter, offering nourishment when less food is available.
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Attracts insects – Birds flock to fruiting trees to feed not just on the fruit but all the associated insects drawn in.
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Small size – The tiny fruits are perfect bite-sized portions for many bird species. Much easier for them to eat than a full size apple.
This winning combination makes crabapple trees a magnet for hungry birds in late summer through winter.
What Birds Frequent Crabapple Trees
A wide diversity of bird species relish crabapples, especially as winter approaches. Some top craberapple connoisseurs include:
- American robin
- Cedar waxwing
- Northern cardinal
- Blue jay
- Eastern bluebird
- Gray catbird
- Northern mockingbird
- Evening grosbeak
- Purple finch
- Pine grosbeak
- Yellow-rumped warbler
- Downy woodpecker
Larger predatory birds may also visit crabapple trees hoping to snag smaller birds and mammals stopping by for a meal. Hawks, owls, and eagles are among the birds of prey that appreciate fruiting trees as hunting grounds.
Backyard birders who want to attract more feathered friends should consider planting one or more crabapple trees. Opt for varieties known for good fruit production. Make sure to provide both food and shelter to create an appealing habitat. Then sit back and watch your yard come alive with foraging birds!
When Do Birds Eat Crab Apples?
Crabapples ripen in late summer to early fall, providing a vital food source for migratory birds bulking up for their journeys. Birds continue feeding on the fruits well into winter. The sweet fleshy part is eaten first, then birds will return to nibble the leftover shriveled fruits when other foods are scarce.
During spring and summer, birds are less interested in crabapples. There is more natural food available like insects, berries, seeds, and nectar. But they remember these fruiting trees and return to feast again in fall.
To attract the most birds, it’s ideal to have a variety of fruiting trees and shrubs that ripen at different times. Crabapples are a key late season contributor in this succession of natural bird foods.
How to Plant and Grow Crabapple Trees to Feed Birds
If you want to use crabapples to bolster bird numbers in your yard, follow these tips:
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Select varieties known for good fruit production. Check descriptions for details on fruiting.
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Allow enough room for trees to mature to full size. Crabapples can reach 15-30 feet wide and tall.
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Plant in full sun for optimal flowering and fruiting. Crabapples grow best in moderately fertile, well-drained soil.
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Water regularly the first 1-2 years until established. Mature trees are quite drought tolerant.
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Apply a balanced organic fertilizer in early spring to support flowering and fruit production.
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Prune while dormant in winter to improve shape and structure. Avoid heavy pruning that reduces fruit crops.
With the right growing conditions, crabapple trees will provide a feast for local and migrating birds for many years to come. The colorful fruits also create beautiful fall and winter interest in the garden. It’s a win-win for both birds and gardeners!
Native to North America
Highlighted Species:
- Southern Crabapple (Malus angustifolia)
- Sweet Crabapple (Malus coronaria)
- Prairie Crabapple (Malus ioensis)
Crabapple Identification and Relationship with Birds
Small tree that loses its leaves in the fall. It can be anywhere from 6 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 25 feet wide, but the exact size depends on the species. Crabapple trees are often used as ornamentals because they have beautiful flowers and lots of fruit in the spring. They are also great for wild birds. The flowers will bring in bugs, which are wild birds’ main source of food, and Hummingbirds and Orioles may even check out the tree for nectar. Many birds, like the American Robin and the Cedar Waxwing, eat the crabapples themselves when they’re fully ripe in the fall. The fruit will also attract insects. The Crabapple tree may be used by a breeding pair of birds for nesting.
Everything You Need To Know About Crab Apples!
FAQ
What animals will eat crab apples?
Do squirrels eat crab apples?
What is the best crab apple for birds?
What are the drawbacks to crabapple trees?
Do birds eat crabapples?
Many birds, such as the Cedar Waxwing and American Robin, eat crabapples. The fruit of the Crabapple tree also attracts insects and can be used by a breeding pair of birds for nesting.
Do hummingbirds eat crabapples?
The flowers of a crabapple tree attract Hummingbirds and Orioles for nectar. The crabapples themselves, which mature in fall, are eaten by several birds, including the Cedar Waxwing and American Robin.
Do birds eat apples?
Birds that eat apples include buntings, cardinals, grosbeaks, mockingbirds, thrashers, waxwings, wrens. The crabapple is North American’s only native apple. But you may grow apple trees and leave some fruit on the tree for birds in winter. Birds can eat the older rotting apples, but you can also slice ripe ones up and offer them on your feeder.
Do birds eat golden raindrops Crabapple?
Golden Raindrops® Crabapple has abundant clusters of tiny, golden-yellow fruits that are eaten by birds in fall. Trees that have delayed softening and provide bird food in late fall and into mid-winter include: Malus ‘Prairifire’, Malus ‘Mary Potter’, Malus x zumi ‘Calocarpa’, Malus ‘Profusion’, and Malus ‘Anne E’.
What birds eat fruit?
Thrushes (including robins and bluebirds), tanagers, thrashers, orioles, jays, mockingbirds, woodpeckers and others will eat fruits. Some birds thought of as seed eaters will enjoy fruit, too. Western Tanager eating an orange. What backyard birds eat fruit? What kinds of birds eat fruit? Birds that eat primarily fruit are termed frugivorous.
Do birds eat apples in winter?
Birds will naturally flock to an apple tree. If you are lucky enough to have one on your property, then it is obvious that birds love snacking on the tree. When winter approaches, leave the apples on the tree, and the birds will continue to eat them even after they have rotted. Do birds eat apples in the winter?