Apart from their nutritional value (and availability after insects disappear for the year), the berries have an additional role to play...
The fruits of fall are especially important to birds that were hatched this summer. Many youngsters, including cardinals and house finches, are initially quite drab. Their summer diet of high-protein insects allows them to develop quickly but doesn't contribute much to feather color. They don't begin to resemble their parents until late fall, when they eat berries rich in carotenoids. These pigments provide the dye that colors feathers as young birds molt into their adult plumage.Photo credit Ryan Brennecke, Associated Press
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