{"id":53318,"date":"2018-08-01T06:09:28","date_gmt":"2018-08-01T12:09:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=53318"},"modified":"2025-05-22T05:11:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T10:11:35","slug":"blue-elderberry-native-food-source-for-birds-wildlife-and-people-too","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/01\/blue-elderberry-native-food-source-for-birds-wildlife-and-people-too\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Elderberry – Native Food Source For Birds, Wildlife And People Too"},"content":{"rendered":"

Another non-bird post this morning about Blue Elderberry shrubs which are a native food source for birds, wildlife, and people too. I’ve photograph this particular Blue Elderberry up in a Wasatch Mountain<\/span><\/a> canyon for several years. The first two photographs are from this spring and the last two are from late last summer.<\/p>\n

\"BlueBlue Elderberry flower buds – Nikon D500, f10, 1\/1000, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue Elderberry shrubs are native to this part of the country and are a member of the honeysuckle family. These shrubs can grow up to 25 feet in height. I see quite a few elderberry shrubs up in the mountain canyons I visit while looking for birds to photograph.<\/p>\n

\"BloomingBlooming Blue Elderberry – Nikon D500, f10, 1\/1250, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Blue Elderberry blooms are creamy white in coloration and are borne on umbels. The leaves are a dark green and they are finely serrated on their edges. I’m sure there are many pollinators that visit these flowers while they are in bloom.<\/p>\n

\"BerriesBerries of Blue Elderberry – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The fruits of Blue Elderberry are a dark, dusty blue color when they are ripe. They remind me of the blueberries I used to grow in my garden. Wildlife that eat the berries or the foliage include bears, elk, deer, moose, squirrels, and chipmunks. I also believe that cattle eat the foliage and this week noticed that this shrub had lots of leaves stripped off from its base that had been attached to the shrub last week. I had seen cattle in the area and suspect that they were munching on the leaves.<\/p>\n

\"ClumpClump of Blue Elderberry berries – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Some of the birds that eat the berries include bluebirds, buntings, sapsuckers, house finches, flickers, grosbeaks, jays, kinglets, mockingbirds, nuthatches, orioles, sparrows, tanagers, thrashers, thrushes, towhees, waxwings, warblers, woodpeckers, wren-tits, grouse, pheasants, and doves. I imagine that some of the larger birds eat the fruit from the ground when the berries fall off.<\/p>\n

People eat the ripe Blue Elderberry berries raw and the berries can be used to make wine, juices, jelly, jams, teas and pies. Me… I’d rather leave the berries for the birds to eat.<\/p>\n

The berries on the Blue Elderberry shrub I photographed haven’t yet ripened this year but when they do I would like to visit the shrub often to see what birds I might find feeding on the juicy berries.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my wildflower, tree, and shrub photos.<\/p>\n

Blue Elderberry goes by other names which include elder, blue elder, Arizona elderberry, American elder, sweet elder, wild elder, flor sauco, tree of music, Danewort, Walewort, New Mexican elderberry, velvet-leaf elder, hairy blue elderberry, and dwarf elder.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Another non-bird post this morning about Blue Elderberry shrubs which are a native food source for birds, wildlife and people too. I’ve photograph this particular Blue Elderberry up in a Wasatch Mountain canyon for several years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":145900,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12009,1731,5344,26,773],"tags":[6605,6098,6677,6680,6686,6681,6682,6683,6687,6564,6685,6678,6679,6188,6688],"class_list":["post-53318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blue-elderberry","category-summit-county-utah","category-trees-shrubs-and-flowers","category-utah","category-wasatch-mountains","tag-berries","tag-blooming","tag-blue-elderberry","tag-elderberry","tag-elderberry-shrubs","tag-flower-buds","tag-food-for-birds","tag-food-for-wildlife","tag-honeysuckle-family","tag-mountain-canyon","tag-native-food-source","tag-sambucus-cerulea","tag-sambucus-nigra-ssp-caerulea","tag-shrub","tag-umbels"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-9529.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dRY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":92322,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/17\/blooming-blue-elderberry\/","url_meta":{"origin":53318,"position":0},"title":"Blooming Blue Elderberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 17, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Blue Elderberry shrubs are blooming right now high in the Wasatch Mountains. Two days ago I took a few photos of the elderberry blossoms.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blue Elderberry blossoms, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/blue-elderberry-blossoms-mia-mcpherson-0053.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115536,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/31\/blue-elderberry-leave-food-for-wildlife\/","url_meta":{"origin":53318,"position":1},"title":"Blue Elderberry – Leave Food for Wildlife","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 31, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"When I photographed these ripening Blue Elderberry berries a few days ago, I was reminded of something I saw last year related to the elderberries I observe in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Ripening Blue Elderberry berries, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-8994.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-8994.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-8994.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-elderberry-berries-mia-mcpherson-8994.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":148912,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/06\/18\/american-black-elderberry-in-bloom-at-sequoyah-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":53318,"position":2},"title":"American Black Elderberry In Bloom At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 18, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I\u2019m sharing two photos of blooming American Black Elderberry that I took last week at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.","rel":"","context":"In "American Black Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"American Black Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/american-black-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Black Elderberry in bloom at Sequoyah NWR, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/american-black-elderberry-blooming-mia-mcpherson-9950.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":104304,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/07\/16\/early-july-wildflowers-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":53318,"position":3},"title":"Early July Wildflowers In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 16, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I wanted to share some of the wildflowers I photographed in the first part of July that I have found in Summit and Morgan Counties high in the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Blue Elderberry"","block_context":{"text":"Blue Elderberry","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/trees-shrubs-and-flowers\/shrubs\/blue-elderberry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flowering Parsnipflower Buckwheat, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/parsnipflower-buckwheat-blooming-mia-mcpherson-3471.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":71788,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/10\/yellow-warbler-fledglings-everywhere\/","url_meta":{"origin":53318,"position":4},"title":"Yellow Warbler Fledglings Everywhere","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"There were several Yellow Warbler fledglings in this shrub and the adults were running themselves ragged trying to keep them all fed.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow Warbler fledgling in a Blue Elderberry bush, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/yellow-warbler-chick-elderberry-mia-mcpherson-9495.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":76234,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/12\/19\/colors-of-nature-juvenile-yellow-warblers\/","url_meta":{"origin":53318,"position":5},"title":"Colors Of Nature – Juvenile Yellow Warblers","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 19, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It tickles me that Pantone\u00ae picked these colors this year and once again I am reminded how the colors we see in nature brighten and add inspiration to our lives.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Yellow Warbler juvenile calling from a Blue Elderberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Yellow-Warbler-juvenile-calling-pantone-2021-mia-mcpherson-9488.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53318\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/145900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}