A Canberra Bird Garden
These selections from the book discuss what makes a Canberra bird garden attractive to birds and why particular kinds of birds might be found in different kinds of gardens. It also provides a list of further reading and a list of plant species for Canberra gardens.
Position
Birds are most likely to be found in gardens near or similar to their preferred habitat. For example, Satin Bowerbirds frequent gardens in Chapman, Duffy and Holder. These suburbs are closest to the wet forests of the Cotter catchment and Tidbinbilla Nature Park, where Satin Bowerbirds are common. They are one of the few wet forest residents that have adapted to the suburbs (some gardens even boast having a frequently used bower). Another wet forest resident, the Rufous Fantail, is seen occasionally in gardens near Canberra Nature Park, in Ainslie, Aranda, Cook and Weetangera. The birds move through these gardens on their annual north–south migration route. The Grey Fantail, a resident of open forest and woodland, is still found most often on the edges of suburbs, but is more widely distributed, with more frequent sightings in Campbell, Chapman, Holt and Page.
Bird diversity is generally greater near Canberra Nature Park or urban parks. Newly developing suburbs, with small gardens and few trees, tend to have fewer species and lower bird numbers.
Some birds adapt well to urban and suburban environments, and to human activity. These are the common birds of our gardens and parks, such as magpies and magpie-larks. Good examples for Canberra are the Galah (which was not sighted in Canberra before 1920), the Crested Pigeon (more recently arrived but spreading quickly) and the Common Myna (which was deliberately introduced by one person in 1968 and has spread quickly).
The local native Hop Bush grows to 2 metres, providing a protective middle storey of foliage.
Tall eucalypts provide living space for many birds
Superb Parrots are attracted fo flowering native and exotic trees in summer
Structure
The structure of the vegetation and the diversity of the plant species also strongly influence the types of birds attracted to a garden. A suburban area with relatively mature gardens with a range of native species, and with a sprinkling of exotics such as fruit-bearing trees and shrubs, represents a collage of forest and woodland ecological niches. This form of habitat, with a diversity of plants and a mix of structures, is likely to be attractive to many birds, more so even than habitats in native woodland of similar size.
A suitably complex habitat consists of three layers of vegetation — over-storey, middle storey and under-storey — using trees, large shrubs, small shrubs, wildflowers and grasses. There should also be open spaces. This is particularly important for small birds, such as Superb Fairy-wrens, who use the thicker parts of the vegetation for cover, and the open area for feeding.
By creating the right mix of taller trees, medium trees and shrubs, with some dense ground cover, and open ground with native grasses, your garden will be an attractive place for a wide range of woodland birds. Some might stay around the general area for considerable periods, some might visit your garden occasionally, as part of a roving feeding flock, others might pause for a day or two when migrating through.
Tall eucalypts will provide living space and food for pardalotes, Striated Thornbills and Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes; roosts for Australian Hobbies and Southern Boobooks; and, if they are over 100 years old, nesting hollows. Medium trees provide foraging areas for Rufous and Golden Whistlers, Olive-backed Orioles and Brown Thornbills, and vantage points for flycatchers such as Willie Wagtails and Grey Fantails. When they flower they attract many nectar-feeding parrots and honeyeaters. Smaller trees and shrubs are used by Silveryes, Buff-rumped Thornbills, often accompanied by Weebills and, if there is a grassy clearing, by Yellow-rumped Thornbills. If there is grass seed about, a flock of Red-browed Finches might pay a visit.
Using Local Plants
Native plants are preferred in our local gardens over imported exotic plants. In a major survey of weeds in the ACT, two non-local natives, Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana) and Green Wattle (Acacia decurrens), were found to be invaders of Canberra’s bushland. These species should not be planted, especially if you live near a nature conservation area. Many similar non-invasive species are available.
Many plants require very little water other than natural rainfall (see list below). In long periods of limited water supply, particularly when watering of gardens is severely restricted, these hardy plants make more attractive options for the garden. By locating plants appropriately, you can make better use of wet, dry, sunny and shady areas in your garden, and reduce the need for watering.
Pruning most native flowering plants will encourage flowering and keep the vegetation more compact. Most native plants live in low nutrient conditions and require little, if any, fertiliser. It is best to seek advice before even mild organic fertilisers, such as blood and bone, are applied to native plants.
The link below leads to a list of recommended plants compiled by COG in consultation with the Australian Native Plants Society, Canberra Region Inc.
Plant Species Table
The Hakea Salicifolia does well in Canberra and responds well to pruning, although it is affected by prolonged drought
Two young male Gang-gangs discuss real estate
Banksias are a good source of nectar, particularly attractive to honeyeaters, and more recently, Rainbow Lorikeets
Correa Reflexa
Food
Birds eat a very diverse range of foods including: nectar; grass and leafy material; berries, fruit or seeds; insects and their larvae, worms and similar invertebrates; reptiles and small mammals; other birds; or a combination of these. They may also eat food scraps and pet food left in the garden.
Some birds move around, sometimes over great distances, to find sources of nectar. Examples of such birds are Swift Parrots, and Regent Honeyeaters. These are very welcome, but very rare visitors in Canberra gardens.
Other birds eat a wider range of foods. For example, the Red Wattlebird feeds on nectar, being particularly attracted to banksias, but will also feed on insects. This flexibility allows Red Wattlebirds to overwinter in Canberra in relatively large numbers. Birds can be encouraged to a garden in winter by species that flower in winter when other food is scarce. Many banksias fit into this category.
A wide range of food-producing plants makes a garden attractive to many different birds. Canberra’s suburban gardens and urban parks have a wide range of non-native plants, some of which are welcome food sources for many birds. Some non-natives attract common berry- and seed-eating birds such as Crimson Rosellas, Silvereyes, Pied Currawongs and Common Starlings. However, most are not recommended for planting, because birds may spread the seeds to native bushland where exotic plants do become serious environmental weeds. Such undesirable plants include cotoneaster, firethorn, privet, crab-apple, rowan, ornamental plum and hawthorn. Pied Currawongs now have large permanent urban populations in Canberra; during colder months, they feed predominantly on exotic berries, spreading the seeds into natural areas. During the breeding season Pied Currawongs take nestlings of many species of small birds and are a serious predator, along with cats.
Many of the fruit trees in Canberra gardens are particularly attractive to parrots, currawongs, silvereyes and starlings. Gardeners might be upset by damage to fruit or flowers (sometimes cockatoos and parrots can be particularly destructive), but fruit trees provide an excellent opportunity
Putting Out Food
The continual artificial feeding of native birds is not recommended. It does not do much good for the bird population as a whole, and when taken to extremes may have a damaging effect. One side effect of excessive amounts of seed, particularly small seed, is an increase in the numbers of sparrows, starlings and other pest species.
However, during winter and spring small amounts of wild bird seed or chopped fresh meat can be placed out for birds provided this is done infrequently and at irregular intervals, so that it is more of a treat than part of the regular diet. Processed food such as bread should not be put out. This includes food for pets, which should not be left out regularly, because the combination of open lawns and pet food (a typical suburban scene) is a sure-fire recipe for attracting mynas. It also provides additional food for Pied Currawongs, another species that does not need assistance.
Correa Reflexa
These Double-barred Finches appreciate a winter diet supplement
Shallow water is better for smaller birds such as the Red-browed Finch
Water
In times of severe water restrictions, a water feature in a suburban garden is hardly feasible. Nevertheless, water features do attract birds to your garden, because birds need water to drink and to bathe in. Ponds should be partially shaded, with overhanging branches for birds to perch on, and with rushes or other vegetation around the edges. If there is a log, branch or stone in the middle of the pond, it will provide an even more secure place for birds to alight near the water.
Bird baths of various shapes and sizes are a cheaper and more flexible alternative to a pond. It is best if they are out of reach of cats (at least 1 m above the ground, and 2 m away from a place from where a cat could spring), preferably hanging under a shaded branch or perch so that birds can enter and leave safely. Most birds like to have a good splash around. Different species prefer different depths and volumes of water. Small birds such as finches, thornbills and Silvereyes prefer shallow water (about 3 cm deep), so a relatively small, shallow bowl is best for them. Larger birds such as Crimson Rosellas like a large container with deeper water.
Water containers need regular maintenance to ensure that the water is clean. Currawongs regurgitate pellets into water containers, and Australian Ravens use them for dunking bread and other scraps. In summer, algae often needs to be removed.
It is important to ensure against cats taking advantage of the attraction of water features to ambush birds.
This Pied Currawong is enjoying a good splash
Nesting and Nest Boxes
In early spring, birds appreciate a supply of suitable nesting material placed on a small high platform in the garden. Suitable materials are human or animal hair, small lengths of wool, bits of string, dry, soft grass, teased out cotton wool and clean carpet fluff or underfelt. Birds use a very wide range of materials for nest construction and lining. For example, magpies have been known to build nests entirely out of wire and plastic, probably because they were the most readily available materials at that particular site. It is best to observe, if possible, which birds are using the nesting material, because it may be that only starlings and sparrows are taking advantage of this supply.
Nest boxes
Many birds nest in hollows in trees. You can use suitably constructed nest boxes to attract such birds to your garden. The Nest-Box Book, published by the Gould League, describes how to build and maintain nest boxes for rosellas, Red-rumped Parrots, Galahs, cockatoos, kookaburras, Barn Owls, Nankeen Kestrels and falcons, Grey Shrike-Thrushes, treecreepers, pardalotes, ducks and swallows. (Now out of print. Instead, try Nest Boxes for Wildlife: A Practical Guide, by Alan and Stacey Franks, published by CSIRO).
Alternatively, a Google search on “nest boxes” will reveal a number of sites describing nest boxes, with some for example, Nest Boxes Australia, selling nest boxes for various birds and mammals online.
Pets
A free-roaming cat is not compatible with having birds. A purpose-built back yard cat run allows room for cats to exercise, while protecting native birds in the rest of the garden. While dogs have the potential to do some damage to native wildlife visiting a garden, they are generally not the instinctive inveterate hunters that cats are.
Even if you choose not to have a free-roaming cat, there are almost certainly such cats in the neighbourhood. Any yard is likely to be taken over as part of the territory of at least one of these cats. One way to prevent this is to have a dog.
The Eastern Yellow Robin uses local materials to make an exquisite nest
A Barn Owl settles into a large nest hollow in a tall gum tree