Eastern hemlock for birds in Ontario
Small cones for siskins and chickadees; dense winter roosting. Native to Ontario, where it feeds or shelters 100 backyard bird species.
- Scientific name
- Tsuga canadensis
- Native status
- Native in Ontario
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
- What birds get from it
- conifer seed and cover, insects for nestlings
- Ontario birds supported
- 100
- Nesting birds among them
- 98
Growing conditions in Ontario
Humid continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
Ontario birds that use Eastern hemlock
Year-round residents (35)
Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, American Robin, Song Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, Eastern Screech-Owl, European Starling, Canada Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl, Great Horned Owl, American Kestrel, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Hooded Merganser, Bald Eagle, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, White-winged Crossbill
Summer breeders (63)
Eastern Bluebird, Purple Martin, House Wren, Red-headed Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-winged Blackbird, Baltimore Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Eastern Phoebe, Chimney Swift, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler, Wood Thrush, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Scarlet Tanager, Eastern Meadowlark, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Ovenbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Orange-crowned Warbler, Palm Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Cliff Swallow, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, American Woodcock, Green Heron, Great Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Swamp Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Bobolink, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Brewer's Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird
Winter visitors (2)
Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Nesting season it supports in Ontario
Plants that feed adults and host caterpillars matter most while nestlings are in the nest. Local nesting windows for birds that use Eastern hemlock:
- Eastern Bluebird — May–August
- Black-capped Chickadee — May–July
- Purple Martin — May–July
- Downy Woodpecker — May–July
- Hairy Woodpecker — May–June
- Tufted Titmouse — April–June
- White-breasted Nuthatch — April–June
- House Wren — May–August
- Carolina Wren — May–August
- American Robin — May–July
Native plants to pair with Eastern hemlock in Ontario
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Frequently asked
Is Eastern hemlock native to Ontario?
Yes. Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is recorded as native in Ontario. Ontario spans Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6).
What birds does Eastern hemlock attract in Ontario?
In Ontario, Eastern hemlock supports 100 backyard birds, including Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, Purple Martin, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse.
Does Eastern hemlock help nesting birds in Ontario?
98 of those birds nest in Ontario: Eastern Bluebird (May–August), Black-capped Chickadee (May–July), Purple Martin (May–July), Downy Woodpecker (May–July).
Which winter birds use Eastern hemlock in Ontario?
Winter visitors Common Redpoll, Common Redpoll use it in Ontario during the cold months.
Sources
- USDA PLANTS Database (native distribution)
- VASCAN (Canadian native distribution)
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.