Rowan Tree

[Oleanda]

We have a rowan tree in our garden, we planted it around 15 years ago on recomendations of people who said the birds would love the berries - but they don't touch them. Any ideas why?

[Buenchico]

It's previously been suggested here that the berries might not be truly ripe:
https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Animals-and-Nature/Question1622973.html

(Another effect of climate change, maybe?)

[bookbinder]

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/nov/19/wenlock-edge-blackbirds-neglected-berries

[rowanwitch]

Which variety?  The pink and white berried forms are less popular with our native birds but in a Waxwing winter you may be lucky and get some of these beautiful visitors.   They don't care what colour the berries are but Rowan is their favourite tree.

[Oleanda]

Berries are orange/red. There is a similar tree across the road and it is always stripped bare weeks ago. 

[bookbinder]

Oleanda @ 16:46; maybe it's got something to do with the tree's location, near a busy road, for example.

[Oleanda]

No busy road, and we get lots of birds in the garden 

[johnk]

They'll eat them when food gets scarce, do you have any cats in the garden.

It will give them somwhere to roost and nest anyway

[rowanwitch]

My best guess  is that it's a sub species with less desirable berries,  maybe with a lower sugar content.  The advantage is it will still brill of fruit in a harder winter when They are far less fussy   do you have other shrubs or bushes nearby as an escape route if a predator  ( cat, fox, sparrowhawk) is around.  If not finding space for a fairly dense busy or two. Holly, pyracantha, and berberis are good as they add more berries to the menu.  If you don't mind tackling thorns at pruning time.

[rowanwitch]

Busy.... Bush!!!!

[Chipchopper]

Possibly, the variety that you have may ripen a little later. Sometimes a cold snap is needed to sweeten the fruit.

[Oleanda]

We have had this tree for 15 years and the birds have never been interested in it. If the berries were not yet ripe, surely most of them would not now be on the floor. We do feed the birds, we usually have fat balls hanging on this very tree but decided to delay that this year in hope that the birds would eat the berries instead, but no.

[Canary42]

The tree has been cursed by a witch 😀  😀  😀  😀  😀