Serviceberry. wonderfully hardy, and the birds love it.
Its the first Spring bloomer in my yard. The multi-trunk varieties are most attractive. I think 'Brilliant' is a common variety. It will probably be more like 12 to 15 ft.
Pondy

Thanks for the suggestion! I looked up serviceberrys on several sites, but it looks more shrub-like than tree-like. And then I came across this on Wikipedia: "Serviceberries are preferred browse for deer and rabbits" so no go. Anything with fruits will attract deer, or I'd look for a cherry or another apple. But I'd like a tree of about that size & shape, where I can grow the lawn up to it & have some dappled shade to sit under. I wonder about a dogwood, but I don't see any up here, so they might not be hardy enough. I don't want a tree I'd need to fuss over too much.

Cornus alternifolia is hardy to z. 4, kousa to zone 5. Depending on how far north you are, you shouldn't be but a 5, most likely z. 6.

I had a C. controversa in front that the deer didn't eat, but it got killed by a buck-rub.

A redbud might also do, or you can prune a heptacodium to tree form.

The short answer is that you will have to fence anything you plant. I lived in the mid-Hudson Valley for several years and understand the deer problem you face - it's miserable. If you want a tree, choose the tree you like and put a five-foot fence around it to protect it until it's no longer vulnerable.

Consider a magnolia - 'Elizabeth' and the other Brooklyn Botanical cultivars are beautiful, very hardy and bloom late so the flower buds don't get frosted. Deer don't particularly love them.

Serviceberry is an excellent choice and, once the tree is of a reasonable size, won't be terribly vulnerable to deer. You see them everywhere in the mid-Hudson.

Flowering crab is another possibility. Choose one that's got good resistance to fireblight and rust - there are a number of them. Birds will enjoy the fruit; deer will leave the tree alone once it's no longer a baby.

I love to plant trees that are different. Suggestion... "Purple Robe" Locust. Beautiful pink/purple flowers in the spring that looks like wysteria. Absolutely breathtaking this spring. One drawback...the tree has thorns.

Another suggestion is the "fringe tree". Stunning white fringe like flowers in the spring. Doesn't get as big, but very unusual.

Maybe a "Ninebark" is what you are looking for. Dark leaves, white flowers and bark like a river birch.

Becky

Here is a little more info on the locust tree.

Purple Robe Locust [Robinia pseudoacacia 'Purple Robe']

This amazing flowering tree grows new leaves of a metallic bronze-red color that mature to a bright green color. The Purple Robe locust is drought tolerant in hot climates.

The spectacular flowering clusters of a purple-pink color hang like clusters of grapes practically covering the entire tree. This fantastic flowering tree is cold tolerant to zone 3 and will grow south to zone 9 rapidly to a height of 50 feet.

Becky

Robinia pseudoacacia is considered invasive in the NE.

The deer ate my fringe trees and ninebarks.