How to create a garden for birds

Getting Started

12 Aug

5 minute read

Create a bird-friendly garden and attract more wild birds. Whether you’re just starting out or an experienced gardener, here are some simple steps to transform your outdoor space into a place that birds can call home.

Plant spotto

Start by walking around your neighbourhood to get to know the grasses, shrubs and trees in your local area. You will notice that there will be three different types:

Indigenous – vegetation that originates from your local area
Native – vegetation that originates from Australia but not from your local area
Introduced – vegetation that originates from overseas

Pay particular interest to Indigenous vegetation. Your library or local nursery will have a book about Indigenous plants in your local area. You could also use technology on your phone to identify plants. For example, Google Lens is free and enables you to point your camera at a plant and then use Google Images to find a match.

Three types of flowers are labelled Indigenous (purple flag), Native (wattle) and Introduced (protea)

Bird spotto

Get to know the birds in your area and watch how they behave in their habitat. Do they like to hide or do they prefer to be out in the open? Are they up high in the tree or down closer to the ground? What are they eating? To attract any birds to your garden, there needs to be what's called a ‘source population’ - birds that already live in your area. Learning about your local birds will help you set up the right environment for them in your garden.

Indigenous plants

Indigenous plants have evolved alongside local bird species. They provide essential food sources and habitats. They can also be easier to look after as they often require less watering, having already adapted to local conditions. Indigenous nurseries can be found around Australia are run by a combination of horticulturalists and passionate volunteers, all of whom have fantastic knowledge and skills. They can give you advice about what to plant, where to plant it and how to care for it. Indigenous nurseries tend to sell tube stock that is cheaper than those found at mainstream nurseries.

Native and introduced plants

While Indigenous plants are ideal for local bird species, you may also want to sprinkle some native and introduced plants in your garden. Use different levels of vegetation, from ground cover to shrubs and trees, to create a layered effect. Nectar-rich plants like grevilleas, banksias and bottlebrushes, provide food for honeyeaters. Smaller shrubs with dense foliage or spikey bits offer little birds protection from predators and the weather, and can also provide potential nesting spots. Using mulch and leaving leaf litter on the ground will also help these smaller birds look for insects and other minibeasts to eat.

Water

All birds need water, especially in hot weather. Providing water is one of the most effective ways to get a larger variety of birds visiting your garden. You could use a proper bird bath and a glazed ceramic bowl or plastic plant pot tray will also work well. Here are some other tips:

Use a shallow bowl/container because birds often like to sit in the water
Lean small branches/sticks on the edge, leading into the water, to provide a perch and a way for other animals to get out
Place it on the ground or have it on a stand (both work OK)
Place it near some dense shrubs so that little birds can easily hide if a predator is nearby
Clean it regularly to stop algae growth
Keep it topped up because birds may come to know and rely on it

Pesticides

Choose natural pest control methods instead of heavy chemical pesticides. This will help reduce the impact that chemicals will have on the plants and animals that live in your, including the insects that birds love to eat.