The plant chart contains about 160 native California species that provide various benefits for birds and the climate. Information provided includes seasonal floral resources and other plant foods birds consume, plants that support the most caterpillars birds eat, bird species use of plant genera and climate benefits to birds and our planet. While these are California natives, similar plants and their genera occur across the country.

Begin using the chart by deciding on the size and type of native plants you want to install, and if you’d like them to be evergreen, deciduous or both. Next consider selecting a variety of plants that provide floral resources and other plant food for birds to consume throughout the year. 

Continue selecting plants, making sure that some support a high number of caterpillars that birds eat—these plants will be the keystone species of the area. Also make selections based on the most bird use recorded for general habitat, food and nesting habitat. Lastly, select plants that support climate benefits, including those that exist in 3+ regions in California, which makes them more resilient to climate change; those that offer year-round cover for birds that will increasingly be stressed by climate change; and those that are better at storing carbon. By providing native plants, more suitable habitat will be available for birds now and into the future.