Keeping Common Birds Common

A male American Goldfinch feeds on seed from a cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum), native to the Midwest. Large swaths of this plant’s prolific yellow flowers set seed in late summer, attracting numerous goldfinches and their newly-fledged youngsters, all chirruping as they feast.

Cornell Botanic Gardens encourages native plants such as goldenrod and ironweed to flourish where they occur naturally in the Arboretum, actively managing their spread when and where needed. Native perennials such as coneflowers and wild bergamot that benefit native insects and birds are purposefully planted.