Native Birds In The Garden

What a joy and privilege it is to have native birds visit my garden. As I write this we are having a rare shower of rain and the cockatoos are squawking wildly, swinging upside down on branches and power lines in joy.

We have a great variety of birds visit here, from the largest Cockatoos, such as the Black Cockatoo, down to the tiniest Superb Fairy-wrens and, in between, birds such as the Wattle birds and Butcher birds. This year for the first time we have had a pair of Gang Gang Cockatoos visit regularly to feed in the Acacia trees.

Encouraging native birds to your patch is not rocket science. The main elements that they require to feel comfortable in the environment are water, food and habitat, or places to feel safe or nest.

In my garden water is supplied in a bowl perched on a simple tripod made from Eucalypt branches which have fallen from our trees.

​Birds generally feed on plant matter or insects. A good range of different plants in the garden supply a variety of birds with their different requirements and of course it is important not to use insecticides unless absolutely necessary. Cockatoos seem to love the Acacia for the new buds but also for the borer and other bugs hiding under the bark. The Hakea nuts are another favourite. The Wattle birds and other honey eaters can regularly be seen feeding around the Correa and Grevillea plants and the 

Superb Fairy-wrens, which are predominantly insectivorous,  can be seen flitting around, often close to the ground amongst the plants, eating almost anything that moves.

Habitat requirements also vary from bird to bird. We have a Grey Heron nesting in the top most branches of a large Eucalyptus at the moment whereas the tiny Fairy-wrens and other small birds love prickly or dense bushes to hide and nest in.

Check out this website for more information http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/ and of course have a chat to Iris about the plants she has that will encourage more birds to your garden.