Keeping Common Birds Common

Staghorn sumac berries are particularly important in early spring when returning migrant birds, such as this American Robin, have few other food options. Its fuzzy red berries or “drupes”, clustered in conical spikes, are also eaten by numerous other birds such as robins, bluebirds, chickadees, starlings, flickers and woodpeckers (including Pileated), Gray Catbirds, and Cedar Waxwings.