Gardening For Birders

Cuckoo Pint and Ragged Robin

This section is devoted to gardeners in search of information on what flowers and shrubs will attract birds to their garden [yard]. Being close to nature, many gardeners are also bird lovers. Different fruiting and seed bearing plants will attract different birds. In many countries flowers will also attract birds such as honeyeaters in Australia, Hummingbirds in the Americas and sunbirds in Asia and Africa. Of course, many plants attract insects which, in turn, attract insect-eating birds.

Plants are not just food sources but offer shelter to roost and nest sites too. In many parts of the developed world gardens are becoming increasingly important to birds in urban environments, especially where agriculture is intensive. Responsible gardeners will try to keep chemical use to the absolute minimum and try to garden organically. Remember too that the tidiest gardens are often the least attractive to wildlife… rotting wood, native plants (weeds) and untended corners are often the very best places for the food chain to be in action.

Outside my urban back door

(I actually cultivate stinging nettles as they are the preferred food of a number of caterpillars – Fatbirder)

How will you know what plants to grow to attract your favourite bird? The answer is you won’t know without a little research. The websites in this section will speed your research and your efforts to create the perfect garden habitat for your favourite birds.

Apart from what you grow. many of us take great pleasure in watching birds at bird tables and feeders.

The Feeding Station & Watering Hole

Not all such devices are the same and often what is best for the birds may be the least attractive garden ornament – beware there are many products sold that attract gardeners but not birds! The same is true of nest boxes – simple constructs of natural materials are far better than flashy boxes made of plastic.

Wildlife needs wilder areas with hiding places and breeding grounds. No matter how small your space a pond will attract wildlife.

Yes there is a pond in there if you look closely

Whatever you choose to offer birds remember that food and water are most needed when weather makes either less available naturally; when water is frozen or puddles dried through drought. What is more, it is now accepted wisdom to feed all year round not just in the winter months… birds feeding their young in spring and summer will do better if there is a constant source of easily available food suitable for them to feed themselves and their brood.

Our garage roof became a patio…

Don’t forget the insects! I live in a town and my garden is tiny but I’ve counted two dozen species of hoverfly, eight species of bumblebee, ten butterflies and many flies, shieldbugs, ladybirds, etc etc etc. Leafcutter and mining bees take shelter in the bee-houses, and several damsel and dragonflies alight on my pond.

To my mind there is little to compete with sitting in your garden on a warm summer evening surrounded by bird song – happy bird gardening!