Tree to attract birds for small garden
Sorry for putting a downer on anyone's evening but we're having our dog put to sleep at the weekend and to soften the blow I've told the kids that we'll bury him in the garden and plant a tree.
Can anyone suggest a fruiting tree that will attract birds but not grow too big. The garden is in full-sun.
Thanks
Stu.
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I second the Rowan. I think so highly of that tree (it's beautiful year round, provided for the birds and the bees, is tough and can thrive under adverse conditions, etc) that I gave my firstborn the same name.
The birds love the Rowan fruit. Hawthorn is lovely too, if it's an area the kids won't be under, due to the thorny branches.
So sorry to hear about your troubles. A horrible thing to have to go through.
I would recommend the Guelder Rose or Dog Rowan. A native plant which is a small tree/ open shrub.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/18919/i-Viburnum-opulus-i/Details?returnurl=%2Fplants%2Fshrubs%3Fs%3Ddesc%28plant_merged%29%26context%3Db%25253D0%252526hf%25253D12%252526l%25253Den%252526s%25253Ddesc%25252528plant_merged%25252529%252526sl%25253Dplants%252526r%25253Df%2525252Fplant_plant_type%2525252Fshrubs%26page%3D8%26aliaspath%3D%252fplants%252fshrubs
So sorry about losing your family's friend - but how lovely to remember happy times shared by creating a place for wildlife - I'd agree with rowan, guelder rose or a crab apple - a hawthorn might grow a little big but it would be lovely if you have the space, or a hazel with it's lovely waggling lamb's tails in the spring and nuts in the autumn if there's another nearby to pollinate it
you could coppice it every few years and watch it regrow, then you can control it's size and it's fantastic for wildlife 
Awful losing fluffy loved ones, you get to understand the term 'heartache'.???? I have cotoneasters in my garden and the birds love them. There is also one for every garden size, and some!
My condolences too. I'm dreading that day again.
Other than the very popular Rowan. Oh, I don't think anyone mentioned this but if you get a named variety please make sure it's a red form such as Cardinal Royal, however CR is not that disease resistant. Has to be S. aucuparia though as the birds leave the other orange, yellow and white species. A Cherry on a semi dwarfing rootstock, Hawthorn is loved by sparrows, or Midland Thorn but try to get a single form. The birds absolutely love Crabapple Evereste and the blossom is out of this world. You can also make good crabapple jelly with it if the birds leave you any. Evereste will come on a choice of rootstocks.
But then again you can make great Rowanberry Jelly from Rowans. I bought Edulis but the birds don't leave any for me to try so I have to forage for the berries along the road side.