Eastern red cedar for birds in Ontario
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter. Native to Ontario, where it feeds or shelters 43 backyard bird species.
- Scientific name
- Juniperus virginiana
- Native status
- Native in Ontario
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
- What birds get from it
- fruit and berries, conifer seed and cover
- Ontario birds supported
- 43
- Nesting birds among them
- 40
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 red cedar
Year-round residents (20)
Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Robin, Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Siskin, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Canada Jay, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Black-backed Woodpecker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, White-winged Crossbill
Summer breeders (20)
Eastern Bluebird, White-throated Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole, Orchard Oriole, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Eastern Towhee, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler, Wood Thrush, Eastern Kingbird, Scarlet Tanager, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Gray Catbird, Yellow-breasted Chat, Palm Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Winter visitors (3)
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 red cedar:
- Northern Cardinal — May–August
- Eastern Bluebird — May–August
- Black-capped Chickadee — May–July
- House Finch — April–August
- Purple Finch — May–July
- American Robin — May–July
- White-throated Sparrow — June–July
- Northern Flicker — May–June
- Pileated Woodpecker — May–June
- Red-breasted Nuthatch — June
Native plants to pair with Eastern red cedar in Ontario
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Frequently asked
Is Eastern red cedar native to Ontario?
Yes. Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is recorded as native in Ontario. Ontario spans Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6).
What birds does Eastern red cedar attract in Ontario?
In Ontario, Eastern red cedar supports 43 backyard birds, including Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Robin.
Does Eastern red cedar help nesting birds in Ontario?
40 of those birds nest in Ontario: Northern Cardinal (May–August), Eastern Bluebird (May–August), Black-capped Chickadee (May–July), House Finch (April–August).
Which winter birds use Eastern red cedar in Ontario?
Winter visitors Common Redpoll, Common Redpoll, Bohemian Waxwing 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.