This is a more difficult question than one might imagine. According to Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, "almost 300 species of birds are native to the Pacific Northwest. Many of them could call your yard home for at least part of the year, depending on what you provide for them. So it depends on what species of birds you want to attract and what environments they need."
Source: Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest, by Russell Link (University of Washington Press, 1999, p. 48).
There is a lot of good advice on planning your garden with birds (and other creatures) in mind.

Washington Native Plant Society has a resource page devoted to native plants for wildlife.

The Miller Library has a booklist featuring titles on attracting wildlife to the garden: Information Resources for Gardening with Wildlife.

Valerie Easton, a local garden writer, mentioned several bird-attracting plants when she reviewed a Bellevue wildlife garden. Her article can be found at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/pacificnw/2003/0504/living.html

Another good source for this information is Native Plants of the Northwest, by Wallace W. Hansen. Scroll down to Wallys Wildlife Habitat Recommendations.
Following is an annotated list of plants that attract birds for western Washington: the oaks, chinquapin, Oregon myrtle, western hazelnut, cascara, and all trees in the Rose family (hawthorn, bitter cherry, chokecherry and Pacific crabapple). Native shrubs include: serviceberry, salal, all Oregon grapes, Indian plum, bittercherry, roses, blackcap, thimbleberry, salmonberry, Pacific blackberry, red and blue elderberries, russet buffaloberry, mountain ash, snowberry, and all huckleberries.

Seattle Audubon's book and online resource, Audubon at Home in Seattle: Gardening for Life has a chapter on designing a garden to attract birds, and it includes a plant list.

Season All Season
Date 2008-01-24
Link to this record only (permalink)

I have some suggestions for planting and otherwise screening your property from the busy street adjacent to your house. I've started with an article from the Washington Post (linked below) that provides good food for thought about this problem. After providing some related information that you may not have considered (#1), I've given you a list of plants, most of which are native (#2). Since you have a relatively small area, you will have to plan carefully.

Here is the link to the article from the Washington Post.

1. My research indicates that a fence or other solid barrier--massive and thick, such as a brick wall or a berm--provides a more effective barrier to sound than a planting screen.

The use of other sounds to block out street noise is a good suggestion, and several of the sources I consulted noted that if the source of sound can be seen, it is not blocked. Here is an online discussion with some interesting information, including the suggestion that dual pane windows can help solve the problem.

And here is a link to information about windows, with lots of additional links included. This isn't a local site, but it is helpful.

2. In addition to music, chimes, and the sound of water in a fountain, you might consider trees that rustle in the wind. You mentioned bamboo--given your small space, I would recommend a clumping rather than a running bamboo. Here is a link to info about choosing and growing bamboo.

Unfortunately, the clumping types mentioned prefer sheltered spots and/or shade. You might consider planting some evergreen trees or shrubs on the edge of the property to shade the bamboo, which could be planted closer to the house (and the rustling sound would be closer to the windows). Or you could plant a running type of bamboo--some can take full sun--in a container or using a barrier.

Here is a link to information about bamboo maintenance from Bamboo Gardens in Redmond. A visit to the nursery will give you even more information.

Evergreen trees and shrubs will provide the most effective barrier. Trees such as members of the Thuja genus in combination with a fence may be a place to start, but for more interesting ideas, try visiting the Great Plant Picks website. You can search with the word 'hedge' and come up with a good list of plants that will do well in the Pacific Northwest.

Finally, here are some native plants you might consider.

Groundcovers

Shrubs (these are all deciduous)

Check these links for further information about native plants, including sources:

WSU Extension.

Sound Native Plants

Wallace W Hansen's Northwest Native Plants

Season All Season
Date 2006-11-07
Link to this record only (permalink)