Trees

[Solo]

Not sure if this is the best section to put this, but oh well here it goes. I'm planning on enclosing my backyard with avian netting next year to create a supervised outdoor aviary. I would love to plant a tree or two that Phoebe will be able to perch in (therefore not toxic in any way). Preferably something that doesn't grow more than 20ft though that can be controlled. I had my heart set on a live Manzanita tree, but I'm in zone 6 with humid summers and I live in a flood zone..I worry about fungus. Any suggestions? Ive done a bit on online screening about safe trees, but it seems like there's always something possibly toxic (the sap, the flowers, the foliage).

 

[Aquila]

Real bamboo, not the "ornamental" kind is good, and probably will do well with your environment. You do need to be careful that it doesn't take over though, but with the bird chewing it, that'll probably help!

There are natural ways to deal with pests and fungus that won't be harmful to your bird. I'm sure others will have more suggestions too.

 

[Birdman666]

Manzanita is more bush than tree anyway. I had two of them in my yard in California. Grow your own perch material.

My birds LOVED birch trees, and the branches are low, so it's easy for them to climb down to you. Just top them off to keep them from getting too big.

I'd think any sort of a smaller nut tree with low branches would be ideal, because that would give them "nature's forraging toys" and would cut down on feeding expenses.

Or some sort of fruit tree. Same deal.

 

[Mariar]

Hey mark! What kind of birch tree? So many out there.and you mentioned fruit trees? I would love some fruit trees but being in Florida you have to be aware of fruit rats...time for some research !! Lol

 

[Solo]

I have a few fruit trees, but they are outside the enclosure area..may invest in another.

 

[Birdman666]

Hey mark! What kind of birch tree? So many out there.and you mentioned fruit trees? I would love some fruit trees but being in Florida you have to be aware of fruit rats...time for some research !! Lol

I am the last person to ask about types of plants. (That would be Wendy.) What ever this thing was:

 

[Mariar]

Cool thanks! We have those in my back yard in wisc. ill ask my dad....funny I'll ask my dad and in a few weeks I'll be 41, I just felt like a kid there.

 

[Flboy]

White Burch. Another nice Florida tree is bottle brush, great perches!

 

[Birdman666]

White Burch. Another nice Florida tree is bottle brush, great perches!

She's in Kansas. I think bottlebrush needs year round warm weather, doesn't it?! [Not that I know anything at all about plants.]

 

[ZephyrFly]

A way to help out the bamboo idea, large pots. We had son green bamboo and it didn't gain height but it bushed out very well (would've been an amazing pain to dig up if we planted it in the ground).

Bamboo is great but is does take over if you look away

 

[MikeyTN]

White Birch and Weeping Willow were the two I used before. I would be cautious about fruit trees especially any hard pit or apples where their seeds are toxic with arsenic.

 

[Solo]

I plan on putting bamboo out, but was hoping for something else more horizontal than vertical so that she can perch.

 

[Flboy]

White Burch. Another nice Florida tree is bottle brush, great perches!

She's in Kansas. I think bottlebrush needs year round warm weather, doesn't it?! [Not that I know anything at all about plants.]

Correct, I should have made it clear I was answering Mariar!
I tend to think everyone can read my line of thought!

"Hey mark! What kind of birch tree? So many out there.and you mentioned fruit trees? I would love some fruit trees but being in Florida you have to be aware of fruit rats...time for some research !! Lol"

 

[Flboy]

A way to help out the bamboo idea, large pots. We had son green bamboo and it didn't gain height but it bushed out very well (would've been an amazing pain to dig up if we planted it in the ground).

Bamboo is great but is does take over if you look away

Bamboo is great, but as you said, very aggressive! Not sure about zone 6, but sugar cane grows the same way and black cane is really nice.

 

[Aquila]

A way to help out the bamboo idea, large pots. We had son green bamboo and it didn't gain height but it bushed out very well (would've been an amazing pain to dig up if we planted it in the ground).

Bamboo is great but is does take over if you look away

Bamboo is great, but as you said, very aggressive! Not sure about zone 6, but sugar cane grows the same way and black cane is really nice.

I'd love to try fresh sugar cane! I'm sure the birds would love it too.

 

[Koni]

What kind of a tree (branch) is this? I have a lot of these around my neighborhood and I don't really know what they are so I can check whether or not they are toxic. They don't grow really tall and they don't really look like trees, more like big bushes.
Will there still be a problem if I scrape off the "skin" (bark) of the branch?

Are there any cues that distinguish toxic and non-toxic trees? If the fruit is not toxic for the bird (example a pomegranate) does that mean that the pomegranate trees are also non-toxic?

 

[Aquila]

I'm not sure exactly but it looks like a branch from a walnut tree, but no, in some cases the bark or oils of tree branches may be toxic to birds, the same as pits or seeds. I would get a positive ID of the type of tree you're dealing with and then see if it's safe.

Edited in a link here for you of pictures of a black walnut tree, which appear to also be in your region, but it's good to look up plants native to your area.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/iowa_trees/trees/black_walnut.html