I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think – Rumi
As I look to the sky, the birds are singing their songs heralding that spring is on the way.
With beaks full, gliding toward their homely woven creations, their natural ability to foretell the coming season needs no internet search or weather forecaster’s post – an ability mostly lost to human urban dwellers.
Encouraging birds to your garden through mindful plantings is not only wonderful for our feathered friends, but research also shows that bird songs have a soothing effect on our minds, lowering production of stress hormones such as cortisol, in turn helping to reduce stress, improve our mood and minimise anxiety levels.
A wonderful way for you to begin journeying with birds is to register and take part in the Aussie Bird Count.
This citizen science project is held during National Bird Week from October 14–20. Fly online to register at aussiebirdcount.org.au.
Here in the Adelaide Hills, we are very blessed to have such a beautiful array of bird species to discover.
Birds are, for so very many reasons, vital for the health of our home planet.
So how do we do our little bit to encourage them to thrive in our gardens?
Here are a few tips to create a bird-friendly garden:
- Observe birds and the plants they choose to frequent. By planting a diverse collection of both native and exotic plants, you can achieve year-round flowering and a continual food source and nesting/roosting haven for birds.
- Ensure you provide water sources such as bird baths throughout your garden. Check the vessel every day, keep clean and topped up with fresh water. Year round, birds rely on these water sources for hydration and bathing.
- When netting your fruit trees, ensure bird-friendly netting is used to avoid their claws becoming entangled. Also, only net a portion of the trees to allow birds to share in the produce too.
- Minimise the use of pesticides and be mindful of the products used. Many birds rely on insects as a food source, such as local golden whistlers and grey shrike-thrushes. Plants for nectar eating birds such as new holland honeyeaters and eastern spinebills include: grevillea, correa, eremophila (emu bush), kangaroo paw, banksia, callistemon (bottlebrush), salvia and fuchsias.
Plants for seed eating birds such as rosellas and yellow-tailed black cockatoos include: wattles, hakeas, banksias and protea.
Plants for insectivourous birds such as superb blue wrens and willy wagtails include: crysocephalum (everlastings), xerochrysum (strawflower), craspedia (Billy Buttons) and wattles.
Safe haven plants for nesting and roosting include: bursaria spinosa, grevillea rosmarinifolia, leptospermum, melaleuca and callistemon (bottlebrush).
Lastly, remember to mulch your garden for weed suppression and water conservation, but also to provide leaf litter breeding habitats for insects that many bird species love to devour.
Until next time…
Sally-Anne
