Birdscaping your garden - 2

The basics

The basic requirements for birds to be attracted to your garden are water, food, shelter and nesting sites.

A well bird-scaped garden will provide nectar, seed, fruit and insects to accommodate the diets of a range of birds. A selection of native plants will cover this range adequately.

‘Layering’ is recommended if your garden is large enough. Ground covers and low shrubs, understorey shrubs and small trees and of course, canopy if you have the space. Many species of birds have adapted to surviving at different levels within their environment. Brown Thornbills and Superb Fairy-wrens for example are almost always found in the low vegetation, whereas Striated Thornbills and Spotted Pardalotes are canopy birds. 

Juvenile Eastern Spinebill 'working over' a Kangaroo Paw

Birds need shelter from predators – cats, other birds, etc – and from the elements and they will appreciate some bushy shrubs and trees in a sheltered corner to provide refuge from the cold, wind and rain.

The variety of nesting requirements for birds is nearly as broad as the number of species. A Spotted Pardalote for example might choose a quiet corner of your garden in which to dig a nesting tunnel in some soft earth. An Eastern Rosella might adapt to a well-placed hollow log or nesting box.

Rainbow Lorikeets. Do you have room for a hollow log?

Many ‘garden variety’ birds will prefer to construct a nest in a prickly bush for protection – Acacia paradoxa, Hakea sp, Bursaria spinosa, Coprosma quadrifida, etc. Don’t forget the grasses for birds like wrens and some thornbills, etc.

The most likely garden to be visited by most birds will be one that is cat free and provides water food and shelter in which to rear their young. 

Superb Fairy Wrens can become very approachable in well 'scaped garden

References

Two valuable plant species guides

 The free pamphlet, ‘Indigenous Plants of Baw Baw Shire – Revegetation Guide’, is an excellent starting point with information covering class and size, seeding times, landscape locations, tips and notes for cultivation, etc, for over 250 plant species that are suitable for planting in our area. Many of Baw Baw’s beautiful plants are pictured. The pamphlet is available at the Shire offices and other outlets.

The Australian Plant Study Group produced a book called ‘Grow What Where’ which has cross-referenced data for over 2750 native plants for every situation, special use and problem areas. The book is readily available online and in the book section of your local opportunity shop. There are 106 cross-referenced topics that include categories such as “Ground Covers”, “Bird Attracters”, “Red Flowers”, etc. For example, a personal favourite, Kennedia prostrata, occurs in the above three lists and 14 others, giving the gardener a thorough guide for where and why to plant this species.

Beautiful books in their own right with some great 'bird-scaping' tips.

There are numerous reference books that focus specifically on landscaping gardens for indigenous wildlife – ‘Habitat, a practical guide to creating a wildlife-friendly Australian garden’ by A B Bishop (horticulturist, landscape designer, researcher for Gardening Australia) and ‘The Australian Bird-Garden, creating havens for native birds’ by G Pizzey (ornithologist, active conservationist and author of the popular Field Guide to the Birds of Australia), are two excellent examples.

Both these volumes not only contain invaluable reference material, they are beautiful books in their own right.

Out with the Agapanthus (link – Yarra Ranges Environmental Weed Factsheet) – in with the indigenous!