How to create a garden attractive to birds
There is nothing better than to sit in the shade of a beautiful garden and watch the birds doing their thing, or waking to the melodic call of the morning chorus. So how do we attract birds into our gardens? Basically there are three things birds need; food and water, protection from predators and shelter for resting and nesting. Provide these elements and birds will find their way into your garden.
Larger birds like Tui and Kereru (wood pigeon) are unlikely to actually nest in the average urban garden but are known to be habit forming and will add your home to their daily rounds if there is food and water. Smaller birds such as Tauhou (waxeye), Piwakawaka (fantail), thrush, blackbird and sparrow will make your garden their home if there is food and safe nesting sites.
The easiest way to create nesting sites for small birds is to provide bushy trees that are difficult for cats to climb and have lots of angled branches to build their nests on. Hedges and mixed native borders around the perimeter of your garden are great for this. If the bushy plants also provide food this is even better. Plants such as Corokia, Griselinia littoralis, Melicytus chathamica and Pittosporum species make wonderful hedges and provide both nesting sites and fleshy berries.
Providing food (nectar and berries) is the best way to attract birds to your garden. The DoC "Plants for Native Birds" planting guide is a wonderful resource to help you select plants for your garden. By choosing a range of plants that provide nectar and berries at different times of the year it is possible (depending on the size of your garden) to provide food all year round. Add a birdbath and you may be surprised how many birds use it for drinking and bathing! If you have room in your garden Puriri (Vitex lucens) is one of the best trees for attracting birds since it provides fruit, seed and nectar almost continuously. For smaller gardens the divaricating shrub Melicytus alpinus/crassifolius produces masses of fleshy fruit and plenty of safe places for birds to feed and nest. This guide is designed for gardening in the lower North Island so is suitable for anyone from Wellington, Hutt Valley (Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Petone, Wainuiomata), Kapiti Coast (Raumati, Paraparaumu, Waikane, Pekapeka, Te Horo, Otaki) and up to and beyond Levin and the Wairarapa.
Larger birds like Tui and Kereru (wood pigeon) are unlikely to actually nest in the average urban garden but are known to be habit forming and will add your home to their daily rounds if there is food and water. Smaller birds such as Tauhou (waxeye), Piwakawaka (fantail), thrush, blackbird and sparrow will make your garden their home if there is food and safe nesting sites.
The easiest way to create nesting sites for small birds is to provide bushy trees that are difficult for cats to climb and have lots of angled branches to build their nests on. Hedges and mixed native borders around the perimeter of your garden are great for this. If the bushy plants also provide food this is even better. Plants such as Corokia, Griselinia littoralis, Melicytus chathamica and Pittosporum species make wonderful hedges and provide both nesting sites and fleshy berries.
Providing food (nectar and berries) is the best way to attract birds to your garden. The DoC "Plants for Native Birds" planting guide is a wonderful resource to help you select plants for your garden. By choosing a range of plants that provide nectar and berries at different times of the year it is possible (depending on the size of your garden) to provide food all year round. Add a birdbath and you may be surprised how many birds use it for drinking and bathing! If you have room in your garden Puriri (Vitex lucens) is one of the best trees for attracting birds since it provides fruit, seed and nectar almost continuously. For smaller gardens the divaricating shrub Melicytus alpinus/crassifolius produces masses of fleshy fruit and plenty of safe places for birds to feed and nest. This guide is designed for gardening in the lower North Island so is suitable for anyone from Wellington, Hutt Valley (Upper Hutt, Lower Hutt, Petone, Wainuiomata), Kapiti Coast (Raumati, Paraparaumu, Waikane, Pekapeka, Te Horo, Otaki) and up to and beyond Levin and the Wairarapa.