In native gardens there seems to be an emphasis on plants with flowers that can produce a steady flow of nectar in order to draw the honeyeaters into the garden, but there are other birds that rely on seeds and insects as food sources, so in order to attract these we need to plant a range of native plants.
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Naturally the attraction of food is the primary reason most birds visit our gardens, but there are also other factors such as the availability of water and the need for safe shelter to nest and hide from predators.
You will notice that birds hardly visit a garden if there is not a supply of food for them.
The nectar-producing natives grevilleas, bansksias, callistemons, eucalypts and hakeas are very valuable but do not forget the insect eaters.
The more open-petalled plants such as Leptospermum lanigerum and L. obovatum are wonderful insect attractors because birds are able to use the spreading petals to sit on and feed.
Some tightly clustered flowering plants such as the acacias are a source of insect food.
The short-brushed flowered melaleucas are great for attracting insects especially if the flowers are heavily scented.
Useful species are Melaleuca nesophila, M. nodosa and M. squarrosa.
The insects will entice the insectivores, among which include wrens, white eyes, robins, and if you are lucky, pardolotes which can be seen hanging upside down on small branches in pursuit of their favourite meal of aphids.
I have noticed that birds don't consume all these pests at once, they leave some, and there is a reason for this. Birds are very clever for they know if they eat the entire population that food supply would be lost.
Parrots, bronze-winged pigeons and finches need seeds of varying sizes, so provide different types of seed-producing plants.
Parrots and pigeons enjoy wattle seed while the large black cockatoos feast on the seed pods of banksias, casuarinas, blackwoods and callitris by tearing and cracking them open.
Black cockatoos have the maddening habit of leaving the discarded empty remains scattered around on the ground but I see this mess as a natural mulch, so it doesn't bother me.
The tiny finches enjoy grass seeds thus it's worth growing native grasses such as danthonia, known as wallaby grass, and stipa.
Drinking water is also very important in attracting all types of birdlife.
A small shallow bowl about 30cms x 50cms is ideal.
A bowl of this size may seem too small if you have a lot of birds but they have a social pecking order thus all will get a turn to drink or bathe.
Don't place water containers at ground level as this leaves birds vulnerable to attack by cats and dogs.
For more information on bird-friendly plants for the garden contact native plant societies or your local council as they often have material on behalf of groups such as Landcare.
Diary
September 21: Westbury Garden Club's Spring Flower Show at Westbury Town Hall, Lyall Street, 1.30pm-4pm. Hall full of flowers, refreshments.
September 23: LHS Cacti & Succulent Group meet at Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston (meeting room underneath) 7.30pm. Contact Pam 0427 637 208.
October 15: Australian Native Plant Society, Max Fry Hall, Gorge Road, Launceston, 7.30pm. Toni Cochran will speak on Inala - the Gondwanaland Garden.
October 16: Launceston Horticultural Society, Windmill Hill Hall, High Street, Launceston, 8pm. Speaker is a representative from Neutrog Australia, producers of organic biological fertilisers such as Rapid Raiser and Seamungus.
