Attracting Birds to your Garden

Now, this may not be too humble, but I reckon I am a

bit of a champion of chirpers! I absolutely adore
sitting out in my patch at dusk, beer in hand,
watching and identifying all manner of birds who
have chosen to pop in for a drink and a stickybeak.
From tiny, cheerful little wrens and pardalotes, to
the cheeky parrots, gorgeous honeyeaters and bossy
wattlebirds, I love sharing my space with my feathered friends. Just like a pot of basil and a shady
spot, nothing makes a garden come alive like the twitter and chatter of a variety of Australian birds.
I reckon they are essential in the garden, and not just to keep us backyard birdwatchers entertained!
Read on to discover how you can encourage a variety of little birdie beauties to the suburban
backyard.
Get To Know The Neighbours
First things first; you need to know what kind of birds could be expected in your garden. I say this,
because there is no point designing a habitat for a bird that hasnt been seen in your neck of the
wood for yonks or ever! Think penguins in Bathhurst! Contact local bird watching groups to get an
idea of what you should be attracting, and what is common to your area. You might be surprised I
recently read a report that over 46 species of bird had visited one backyard over seven years thats
impressive, and, with the right planning and processes, you may just be able to get there as well!
There Aint No Need To Feed
Alright, Ill put it out there straight away do not encourage birds to your backyard through
feeding! As tempting as it may be the whack a bowl of budgie seed on the porch and watch the birds
flock, this really doesnt do the birds any favours. In fact, store bought seed mixes can make native
birds a bit crook (despite what the packet may say dont get sucked in to this), but this is only one
reason that feeding is discouraged by the majority of bird fanciers. Birds can become extremely
dependant on handouts at your house, and, as you take your annual holidays to the beach, your
regular customers are suddenly without their main source of food for a couple of weeks, leading to
well, I think you know how youd feel without food for a couple of weeks!
In addition, supplementary feeding creates further imbalance in delicate ecosystems, alters the
natural behaviour of birds, can favour more aggressive birds in the backyard (while smaller birds in
unusual feeding groups are more prone to predation) and can assist in the spread of disease
between birds. In short, its a contentious issue, but one Im dead against. While throwing meat out
for the Kookas every arvo, or dishing out the seed may seem to be encouraging birds to your patch,
there will be no change in the diversity of species in the yard. In short, if you have turtle doves and
mynas now, youll have more after feeding.
What About The Water?
Okay, so feeding isnt the way to bring in the birds, so what else can we do? Well, for a start, a
source of water is absolutely essential, and can seriously increase the number of species in your
patch. But, like feeding, providing water is not without its issues, and there are a couple of things
that need to be considered when providing H
2
O.
Firstly, is it safe to swim? Are birds who visit your bird bath (or equivalent) able to gain access, have
a drink and a paddle without fear of getting picked off by Puss? If your cat (or a neighbours cat) is
an outside cat and wanders the world all day, its probably not a top idea to try to attract birds to
your yard. Nothing is more appealing to Moggy than a mid-morning snack of tiny bird! The bird bath
or ponds (preferably multiple drinking sites) need to be located in such a spot that, if startled or
threatened, the birds can dart for cover in an adjacent prickly bush.
Secondly, the water has to be continuous. Just like food, birds remember where water sources are,
and will seek them out, so ensure they are full all year round, and make sure you get someone to top
them up for you while you are on holidays. If you want to whack in a water source, the Bird
Observers Club of Australia recommends that a shallow bowl, kept topped up, is ideal, and preferred
by birds over deep ponds. Ideally, backyards should have a couple of water dishes about the place,
each located by plants that will provide a nice bit of cover for smaller birds. The bowl has to be
regularly cleaned out as well, to avoid transfer of disease and illness.
Picking the Plants and Studying the Strata
Alright so the foods out and the waters in, lets have a look at the flora required to encourage
feathered fauna. Essentially, a backyard brimming with botanic biodiversity is the one most likely to
attract a variety of birds, especially if the plants are locally native. Now, dont panic, Im not
suggesting you run out and plant a whole swathe of enormous gum trees, although having some of
these nearby does indeed help encourage the birds. The most important element of planting as bird
habitat is to make sure all strata layers are accounted for. Strata layers are the differing layers of
vegetation that essentially make up a habitat. As different birds (and other animals) live in different
layers of vegetation, the more variety you can provide in the size and selection of plants you grow,
the greater the variety of animals you may see turning up at your place. Different vegetation levels
provide a diverse supply of food, shelter and safe spaces for birds, so consider a decent mix of
ground covers, grasses, shrubs of varying sizes, and a couple of locally native tree species.
Its important to recognise that, like us, birds have different likes and dislikes when it comes to
having a feed. Some birds are insectivorous, and will happily gobble away at all manner of creepy
crawly critters, where as others are nectar lovers and seed swallowers. Its important, when
planning your plants, to account for all appetites, and select plants that provide nectar, host insects,
and provide shelter, as well as planning for vertical and horizontal structure.
The following is a list of Australian native plants that are recommended within the backyard bird
garden. That said, its a great idea to check with your local indigenous plant nursery, bird observers
group and SGA Garden Centre for their recommendations. As always, its incredibly important to
avoid invasive plants, especially those with bird attracting fruits. Where species name only is
mentioned, it is important to source locally native variations of these plants
Grasses Provide seed, shelter and nesting material
Poa labillardieri Common Tussock Grass
I
Themeda triandra Kangaroo Grass
I
Austrodanthonia sp. Wallaby Grass
I
Groundcovers and Wildflowers Provide nectar, seed, shelter and host
insects
Dichondra repens Kidney Weed
I
Kennedia prostrata Running Postman
I
Banksia sp.
I
Grevillea sp.
I
Hibbertia sericea Guinea Flower
I
Chrysocephalum sp. Everlastings
I
Shrubs Provide nectar, seed, shelter and host insects
Acacia sp. Wattle
I
Correa sp.
I
Bursaria sp.
I
Leptospermum sp.
I
Melaleuca sp.
I
Callistemon sp. Bottlebrush
I
Trees Provide nectar, seed, shelter, nesting sites and host insects
Eucalyptus sp. Gum Tree
I
Leptospermum sp.
I
Melaleuca sp.
I
Acacia sp. Wattle
I
Can the Chemicals
Alright, the plants sorted, so what else do we have to do to encourage beautiful birds to our patch?
Well, its more a case of what not to do, especially when it comes to chemicals in the garden. Not all
of us are completely at ease with creepy-crawly-slimy-slithery-furry-flying critters and insects in
the garden, and tend to declare chemical warfare at the first sign of insect inhabitants. In order to
keep a bio-diverse, bird-friendly backyard, we need to seriously consider what chemicals we are
using, and why. Insects and invertebrates (little tackers without backbones) are an incredibly
important part of any ecosystem, and this includes mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants and spiders.
We have all heard of the butterfly effect, where a minor action in one location can have devastating
knock-on effects elsewhere. Well, apply this to your backyard, where the sprinkling of ant granules
or the spraying of pesticides could have a detrimental impact on not only the target insect, but a
whole host of important invertebrates, with a further knock on to the critters that feed on these
guys. Consider this, a US study performed in the last few years looked at about 80,000 dead birds
that had been handed in to the Parks and Wildlife authorities in one state. Studies found that the
bulk of these birds had been killed by pesticide poisoning, totally an astounding 65 million birds
killed in the US each year. And it aint much better here! Current studies into the rate of bird death
from chemical poisoning is expected to reveal similar results. Think carefully about chemical use,
and, where possible, avoid it altogether. After all, a couple of holes in a few leaves is all part of
nature!
So, what are you waiting for? Attract those birds, and get recording. Keep a bird identification book
and a diary handy to record those sightings, and become active in a local bird group its great fun,
and youll be amazed how addictive it is!
Want more info? Check out these links:
www.birdsinbackyards.net/
http://birdlife.org.au/
www.birdsaustralia.com.au/