September is right in the middle of the fall bird migration season, with species moving through the area that are only visiting for a brief window of time on their way to Central and South America. While there are many birding hot spots to see these migrants, your own backyard might have exactly what these birds need on their daily refueling stops. Migrating birds need food, water, and shelter each day when they take a break from their nightly migratory flights. Providing a water source is easy enough, but what about food and shelter? Most migratory birds, including warblers, vireos, and tanagers, exclusively eat berries and insects, so bird seed will not cut it. Planning your landscape around being a migratory bird stopover site requires fall fruiting plants, like pokeweed, bayberry, and elderberry. Native plants also serve as a food source for insects, which in turn are eaten by birds. Ornamental landscaping rarely provides enough insects for birds to survive on. Native shrubs and trees also provide shelter and protection while birds rest in them between long flights.